Glass Ceiling, Shattered: Celebrating Women's 'Firsts' In the SAF

The Naval Diving Unit (NDU) Combat Diver Course (CDC), established in 1987, is a gruelling 22-week test of sheer endurance. One of the toughest phases is Hell Week, where trainees endure extreme sleep deprivation, icy water immersions, and relentless physical challenges.

To succeed, they must swim, run, climb, and leap – all within stringent time limits. Only half, or even fewer, manage to persevere and earn the coveted title of Frogman.

And almost a year ago, in March 2024, Captain (CPT) Angelia Tan and CPT Jhosy Ng left their marks in the history books of the gruelling 22-week CDC by becoming the first two women to complete it.

CPT Angelia Tan (left) and CPT Jhosy Ng. | IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@SINGAPORENAVY

CPT Jhosy Ng was also the first woman to have topped the course. Bravo Zulu to the two ladies lah!

To celebrate their outstanding accomplishments and to commemorate International Women's Day (8 Mar), we take a look at other trailblazing women who have forged the future with the pioneering milestones they've made in Singapore's military history:

IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, SINGAPORE (MINDEF)

SSG Rachel Rodrigues

Achievement unlocked: First female Air Crew Specialist in the RSAF

Year: 2024

Exercise Wallaby 2024 (XWB24) is the SAF’s largest independent overseas training exercise. Last year, it took place from 8 Sep to 3 Nov, and marked a significant milestone with the debut of the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) H225M Medium Lift helicopter.

Among those operating the H225M is Staff Sergeant (SSG) Rachel Rodrigues, who holds the distinction of being the first female Air Crew Specialist in the RSAF.

CPT Yap Hui Jun

Achievement unlocked: First female Ranger in the SAF

Year: 2023

In October 2023, CPT Yap Hui Jun left her mark in the history books of the 65-day SAF Ranger Course by becoming the first woman to complete the gruelling training programme.

As reported by Mothership, then-Chief of Army Major-General David Neo even tagged her in a LinkedIn post, commenting: "Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome our first female Ranger in the 50 year history of the SAF Ranger course, CPT YAP Hui Jun! Immensely proud" 👏

COL Lee Mei Yi

Achievement unlocked: First woman in Singapore to command a fighter squadron

Year: 2022

If you find COL Lee Mei Yi familiar, yep, she was the leader of the squadron that led the “Salute to the Nation” bomb burst at the Marina Bay floating platform during Singapore's 57th National Day Parade in 2022. In 2023, she was inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame on 8 Mar - yep, International Women's Day.

CPT (Dr) Chiew Wenqi

Achievement unlocked: First Singaporean woman to undergo the US Navy Diving Medical Officers' Course

Year: 2022

CPT (Dr) Chiew Wenqi joined the SAF in 2015, and is a recipient of the SAF Medicine Scholarship. Currently the formation medical officer in the Naval Diving Unit, she treats illnesses and injuries related to diving such as decompression sickness, which happens when a diver ascends too rapidly to the surface.

IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@NG ENG HEN

COL (Dr) Shalini D/O Arulanandam

Achievement unlocked: First woman officer appointed to head SAF's Military Medicine Institute

Year: 2021

COL (Dr) Shalini is no stranger to "firsts": she was the first woman to receive the SAF scholarship back in 1998. In 2021, she was the first woman to be appointed the commander of the SAF Medical Corps' Military Medicine Institute (MMI), and was described in a Facebook by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen as having "actively contributed to combating the pandemic on the frontlines".

Gan Siow Huang

Achievement unlocked: The SAF's first female brigadier-general

Year: 2015

Starting out as an Air Traffic Controller, Gan Siow Huang - who is currently Minister of State for Education - worked her way through the ranks in the Singapore Armed Forces. Along the way, she became the first female commander of Air Surveillance and Control Group, and was the first female military officer to be sent to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston where she attained an MBA. She received the rank of Brigadier-General on 1 Jul 2015, making her the SAF's first female general.

IMAGE: NDP EXCO 2022

2WO Shirley Ng

Achievement unlocked: Singapore’s first female Red Lion parachutist to jump at NDP

Year: 2014

2WO Shirley Ng was supposed to make her debut as the first female Red Lion parachutist to jump at the National Day Parade in 2013. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, the jump was cancelled. She got a second chance at NDP the following year.

Jerica Goh

Achievement unlocked: Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) first female CO of a frigate and the first female to receive the rank of Colonel in the RSN

Year: 2013

Jerica Goh joined the Navy in 1993. In her career, she has been deployed twice to the Gulf of Aden for counter-piracy operations. In 2013, she became the first female CO of the RSN's Formidable-class frigates, heading RSS Supreme. During her tenure, she has also taken part in the search operations for AirAsia QZ8501.

Since September 2024, she has been the Director of Service Delivery at the National Council of Social Services.

Khoo Teh Lynn

Achievement unlocked: The Republic of Singapore Airforce's (RSAF's) first female fighter pilot.

Year: 2003

Joining the RSAF in 2000 at the age of 19, Khoo Teh Lynn rose through the ranks, starting off as a wingman before achieving her wings and being posted to 143 Squadron, which operates the F-16C/Ds. She was inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014 – the same year she became a mum.

Anastasia Gan

Achievement unlocked: First female Qualified Flying Instructor in the RSAF

Year: 1980

Anastasia Gan soared across two worlds - military and civilian. In 1979, she was part of the pioneer batch of female pilots in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, and served in the force till 2000, before joining Silkair in 2001 and becoming Singapore's first female commercial pilot. While in the force, her enrolment in the Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) course was a pioneering step, as she went on to make history as the first female QFI in the RSAF in 1980.

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