The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has two rank structures.
One rank structure is similar to that of other military in other country. One major difference is that the SAF uses a unified rank structure, with identical rank names and insignia throughout the Army, Navy, and Air Force. For example, traditional Navy ranks such as Ensign and Commander have been replaced with Army-style ranks. Only two exceptions exist to the unified rank structure. Firstly, among the flag officer ranks, the Navy retains the Admiral ranks. The second exception is for the rank insignia for Private and Private First Class among the Air Force, and the Army and Navy.
This structure is subdivided for Officer, Warrant Officers, Specialists, and enlisted men.
The other structure is for the Military Domain Experts Scheme (MDES), which comprises eight ranks (ME1 – ME8).[1] Personnel under this Scheme are collectively known as Military Experts (MEs).
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Unlike most Commonwealth countries, the armed forces of Singapore no longer use British-style rank insignia nor many British rank titles. Company officers are represented by bars, field officers by coats-of-arms and flag and general officers are represented by stars, similar to the systems of the Republic of China, South Korea, and (in particular) Indonesia for example. American influence is obvious in relation to the existence of two Rear Admiral ranks.
The SAF rank structure is largely similar to that of the Singapore Civil Defence Force up to the rank of Colonel.
Potential officers in the SAF are selected at Basic Military Training Centre and Specialist Cadet School. They are sent to Officer Cadet School to train, and are commissioned on graduation. Specialists may attend Officer Cadet School on recommendation as well. Even officers sent to train at friendly service academies complete the majority of the Officer Cadet Course and are commissioned prior. As a result, SAFTI Military Institute is considered the spiritual home of the Officer Corps.
Graduating from junior colleges or polytechnics is a prerequisite to be selected for OCS. Career officers with A level qualifications are expected to obtain further studies in university; many scholarships are given for university education at local or overseas universities.
The role of officers in the SAF mirrors that of most Western militaries. Officers are generalists who exercise leadership and command. They are assisted by the Specialists who provide technical expertise, train and discipline the enlistees, and serve as the institutional memory of the SAF. Several of the SAF's top officers have had operational military experience overseas[2][3]
As with many military organizations, the Singapore Armed Forces aims to build up a network of military personnel that are equipped with knowledge of various fields. Military scholarships and study awards are given to both regular servicemen and woman to broaden their horizons and enhance their learning capability.
The Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS) is given to outstanding officers with excellent academic results, co-curricular activities and Officer Cadet School performance. These scholars have a different tour of duty from the rest of the officers as they are exposed to a broader range of military tactics and various kinds of ministry in Singapore. SAFOS scholars are groomed for the highest levels of command and management in the SAF and beyond. [4]
Potential Specialists are selected at Basic Military Training Centre and are trained at Specialist Cadet School. As of 22 December 2008, all specialist trainees are given the rank of Specialist Cadet (SCT).[5] This rank is worn until they pass out from SCS, after which the trainees are promoted to the rank of Third Sergeant (3SG).
The requirements for selection are similar to that of officers - graduation from junior college or polytechnic. The majority of soldiers who are selected to train to be Specialists by this route remain National Servicemen and usually do not decide to sign-on as regulars. This is most likely due to the better career prospects available outside the military to people with such educational qualifications. The primary source of regular Specialists is from ITE and polytechnics, through various schemes which provide study grants.[6][7][8] This scheme replaces the now-defunct SAF Education Centre whose role was to give boys aged 14–17 who were not academically inclined a career in the military.[9]
The Specialist Corps forms the backbone of the Singapore Army's operations as Specialists are often referred to as "SMEs" or "Subject Matter Experts". They are specifically trained in a variety of weaponries and/or equipment as well as perform other duties such as Administration and/or handle discipline issues (hence the term "Specialist") The Specialist, though the lowest in rank in the command hierarchy, is essential in the running and efficient execution of military exercises or training by being the link between the Officer Corps and the Enlistee by providing a dual link of feedback from the top superiors to the lower enlistees. They are welfare managers as well as authoritative figures that execute the commands of their superiors in lieu of them.
SCS also regularly conducts advanced courses like the Platoon Sergeant's Course and Company Sergeant Major Course, in which regular, NSmen and full-time National Service Men who have exhibited and showcased outstanding military performance on/off the field, are selected to train to take up more responsibilities. Hence, it is not surprising to find an NSF Company Sergeant Major in the Singapore Army. More importantly, it is a way to ensure continual NCO Leadership in reserve NS Battalions by providing for, capable and well-trained Specialists to take up the roles which are often given only to Regular Servicemen in active Battalions.
Regular Specialists who have completed relevant career advancement tours will be offered a chance to progress further in their careers as a Warrant Officer. As of 1 April 2010, outstanding Specialists can attain the new rank of Third Warrant Officer (3WO) as soon as 6 years into their service.[10] NSmen who have also exhibited excellent track records as well as excellent military performance can also be considered for conversion to be a Warrant Officer.
Third Warrant Officers (3WO) train at SAFWOS (Singapore Armed Forces Warrant Officer School) and attend the Joint Warrant Officer Course to be promoted to the rank of Second Warrant Officer(2WO).
Warrant Officers serve as mentors as well as disciplinarians in many training institutes as well as active battalion units. They are usually referred to as "Encik" , which means "Mister" in malay, in deference to their seniority as well as experience and knowledge. Otherwise, they are referred to by juniors as "Sir".
The Warrant Officer's creed details the roles and responsibilities of the Specialist as a commander and as a leader of men under his charge.
The Military Domain Experts Scheme consists of eight ranks. These ranks do not have names, but are instead indicated as MEX, with X being a digit from 1 to 8. The eight-rank structure is further divided into at least two pay grades. The ranks of ME3, ME4, ME6, ME7 have three pay grades. Pay grades are indicated in the format MEX-Y (eg: ME3-2). Usually, only the main rank (eg, ME3) is indicated on any correspondence unless the pay grade is required to be known.
Personnel from pre-MDES who made the switch to the MDES will be converted to the MDES ranks based on their previous, more traditional SAF ranks. The below shows the MDES ranks those who converted will hold:
ME1: Third Sergeant (3SG), Second Sergeant (2SG) and First Sergeant (1SG)
ME2: Staff Sergeant (SSG) and Master Sergeant (MSG)
ME3: Third Warrant Officer (3WO), Second Warrant Officer (2WO) and First Warrant Officer (1WO)
ME4: Master Warrant Officer (MWO), Second Lieutenant (2LT), Lieutenant (LTA) and Captain (CPT)
ME5: Major (MAJ), Senior Warrant Officer (SWO)
ME6: Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) and Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC)
ME7: Colonel (COL)
ME8: Brigadier General (BG)
These ranks are not meant to be exactly equivalent to any of the traditional SAF ranks.
The Singapore Armed Forces rank system, with the exception of the MDES structure, uses the same rank name for all three services until the rank of Colonel (inclusive). Currently, the official table of ranks stops at three stars.
For the camouflage "Number 4" uniform, all rank insignia are worn on the chest straps. For other dress (No. 1 through 3 & 5), the rank insignia are worn on the shoulder boards for officers, warrant officers and Military Experts, and on the sleeves for specialists and enlisted men. For specialised uniforms such as coveralls and flight suits (No. 4C), ranks of officers, warrant officers and Military Experts are sewn on both shoulders, and on the right sleeves for specialists and enlisted men. The old non-pixelised uniform had officers' and warrant officers' ranks on the shoulder epaulettes, and on the sleeves for specialists and enlisted ranks.
To assist in the comparison of ranks in the armed forces of different countries, established NATO rank codes are used.
| NATO rank code | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 | ||
| Rank | Second Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Captain | Major | Lieutenant Colonel | Senior Lieutenant Colonel | Colonel | Brigadier General Rear Admiral (one-star) |
Major General Rear Admiral (two-star) |
Lieutenant General Vice Admiral |
| Abbreviation | 2LT | LTA | CPT | MAJ | LTC | SLTC | COL | BG RADM |
MG RADM |
LG VADM |
| NATO rank code | OR-8 | OR-9 | |||
| Rank | Third Warrant Officer | Second Warrant Officer | First Warrant Officer | Master Warrant Officer | Senior Warrant Officer |
| Abbreviation | 3WO | 2WO | 1WO | MWO | SWO |
Note: As of 1 April 2010, the SAF has officially introduced a new rank, Third Warrant Officer.
| Rank | Third Sergeant | Second Sergeant | First Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | Master Sergeant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbreviation | 3SG | 2SG | 1SG | SSG | MSG |
The situation for enlistees is a bit more complicated. Recruits of all services do not wear any rank insignia. Only Army Infantry Privates who are awarded the Private First Class rank wear the single chevron. The rank of Private First Class are no longer awarded to active Enlistees, although NSmen or personnel who has achieved this rank prior to it being decommissioned are allowed to wear them. Privates, like recruits, would not have any rank insignia.
The rank of Corporal First Class is awarded to Corporals in the top 30% of their cohort who have held the rank for at least six months.
| Rank | Recruit Private |
Private First Class | Lance Corporal | Corporal | Corporal First Class |
| Abbreviation | REC PTE |
PFC | LCP | CPL | CFC |
Military Experts (MEs): Each rank consists of two parts, the first being a prefix based on the rank's seniority, and the second being the vocation name (Engineer). An example would be Assistant Engineer. Exceptions are the rank of ME3 and ME4, which has no prefix and is addressed simply by the vocation name.[11][12]
The title of a personnel with the vocation of Engineer, based on his MDES rank, would be thus:[11] [13]
| Rank | ME1 | ME2 | ME3 | ME4 | ME5 | ME6 | ME7 | ME8 |
| Title | Assistant Engineer | Assistant Engineer | Engineer | Engineer | Senior Engineer | Principal Engineer | Senior Principal Engineer | Chief Engineer |
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