Specialist (Singapore)
Encyclopedia
In the Singapore Armed Forces
(SAF), Specialists are the group of ranks equivalent to non-commissioned officer
s in other armed forces
. This term was introduced in 1993, for a more "positive" rank classification. In the SAF, Warrant Officer
s are not considered Specialists.
Like many other modern militaries, the Specialist Corps forms the backbone of the military. Among other things, Specialists are responsible for the training and discipline of the enlisted men. They are experts in the use of weapons and equipment, drill and ceremonies.
The following ranks are considered Specialist ranks:
Master Sergeants may be selected to attend the Joint Warrant Officers Course at SAF Warrant Officer School
(SAFWOS) to be promoted to Second Warrant Officer
. In the new scheme, they need to first go through the rank of Third Warrant Officer (3WO), which is usually attained just before or after they go through the Warfighter Course from the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS).
With SAFWOS, SWAS and Specialist Cadet School, Pasir Laba Camp
, site of the former Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute
(SAFTI) is the new home of the Warrant Officer and Specialist Corps of the SAF.
(SCDF) also trains Specialist cadets known as Fire & Rescue Specialists upon graduation from the Emergency Response Specialist Course administered by the Civil Defence Academy's Command & Staff Training Wing. On top of completing a Firemanship Course which makes Specialists trained firefighters, Fire and Rescue Specialists are also trained in a panoply of incident management (such as CBR and Hazmat mitigation), fire safety enforcement and fire investigation, and leads a team of fire fighters in fire fighting and rescue operations as Section Commanders, and eventually for some, as Deputy Rota Commanders. Essentially, Fire & Rescue Specialists form the backbone of the command operations of the SCDF particularly at the station level, filling the position of junior officers. Typically, all SCDF Specialists (both NSFs and regulars) graduate with the Sergeant (SGT) rank, while regulars may subsequently be promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Senior Staff Sergeants may eventually be selected to undergo a Warrant Officer Course and become a Warrant Officer (WO) in the Force.
Apart from that, there are also Disaster and Rescue Team (DART), Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) and Paramedic Specialists who are made up of regulars in the SCDF.
The DART Specialist is skilled in urban search and rescue, prolonged fire fighting operations, height and confined space operations, road traffic and industrial accidents and water rescue. On the other hand, the Hazmat Specialist specialises in detection and containment of hazardous chemicals and toxins while the Paramedic Specialist is part of the emergency ambulance service team providing efficient and accurate pre-hospital care to accident victims and patients in critical condition.
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
(SAF), Specialists are the group of ranks equivalent to non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s in other armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. This term was introduced in 1993, for a more "positive" rank classification. In the SAF, Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s are not considered Specialists.
Like many other modern militaries, the Specialist Corps forms the backbone of the military. Among other things, Specialists are responsible for the training and discipline of the enlisted men. They are experts in the use of weapons and equipment, drill and ceremonies.
The following ranks are considered Specialist ranks:
- Specialist Cadet (SCT)
- Third SergeantThird SergeantThird Sergeant is a Specialist rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. Third Sergeants are the most junior of Specialists, ranking above Corporal First Class, who, in the SAF, are not considered Specialists and do not have command authority...
(3SG) - Second SergeantSecond SergeantSecond Sergeant is a Specialist rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. Second Sergeants are more senior than Third Sergeants, but less senior than First Sergeants. The rank insignia for a Second Sergeant features the three chevrons pointing down shared by all Specialists, and one chevron pointing...
(2SG) - First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
(1SG) - Staff SergeantStaff SergeantStaff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
(SSG) - Master SergeantMaster SergeantA master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
(MSG)
Master Sergeants may be selected to attend the Joint Warrant Officers Course at SAF Warrant Officer School
SAF Warrant Officer School
SAF Warrant Officer School is a training school within the Pasir Laba Camp complex. In the new scheme, Third Warrant Officers of all services aspiring to promote to higher ranks in the Warrant Officer Corp are trained here...
(SAFWOS) to be promoted to Second Warrant Officer
Second Warrant Officer
Second Warrant Officer is a Warrant Officer rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. It was the most junior of the Warrant Officers until the rank of Third Warrant Officer was brought into effect on 01 April 2010....
. In the new scheme, they need to first go through the rank of Third Warrant Officer (3WO), which is usually attained just before or after they go through the Warfighter Course from the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS).
With SAFWOS, SWAS and Specialist Cadet School, Pasir Laba Camp
Pasir Laba Camp
Pasir Laba Camp is an installation of the Singapore Armed Forces. It is composed primarily of Army tenant units, apart from tri-service SAF Warrant Officer School...
, site of the former Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute
Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute
Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute or SAFTI was where officers of the Singapore Armed Forces were trained in the past. SAFTI per se does not exist anymore...
(SAFTI) is the new home of the Warrant Officer and Specialist Corps of the SAF.
Singapore Civil Defence Force
Despite being an armed service under the Home Team umbrella organisation led by the Ministry of Home Affairs as opposed to the Ministry of Defence as in the case of the SAF, the Singapore Civil Defence ForceSingapore Civil Defence Force
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...
(SCDF) also trains Specialist cadets known as Fire & Rescue Specialists upon graduation from the Emergency Response Specialist Course administered by the Civil Defence Academy's Command & Staff Training Wing. On top of completing a Firemanship Course which makes Specialists trained firefighters, Fire and Rescue Specialists are also trained in a panoply of incident management (such as CBR and Hazmat mitigation), fire safety enforcement and fire investigation, and leads a team of fire fighters in fire fighting and rescue operations as Section Commanders, and eventually for some, as Deputy Rota Commanders. Essentially, Fire & Rescue Specialists form the backbone of the command operations of the SCDF particularly at the station level, filling the position of junior officers. Typically, all SCDF Specialists (both NSFs and regulars) graduate with the Sergeant (SGT) rank, while regulars may subsequently be promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). Senior Staff Sergeants may eventually be selected to undergo a Warrant Officer Course and become a Warrant Officer (WO) in the Force.
Apart from that, there are also Disaster and Rescue Team (DART), Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) and Paramedic Specialists who are made up of regulars in the SCDF.
The DART Specialist is skilled in urban search and rescue, prolonged fire fighting operations, height and confined space operations, road traffic and industrial accidents and water rescue. On the other hand, the Hazmat Specialist specialises in detection and containment of hazardous chemicals and toxins while the Paramedic Specialist is part of the emergency ambulance service team providing efficient and accurate pre-hospital care to accident victims and patients in critical condition.