First Parade Feels, Big SG60 Energy, United Flex – Plus Max Crave For Local Food

Singapore turns 60 on 9 Aug, and this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) is shaping up to be an epic celebration: fireworks, fighter jets, and the largest-ever marching contingent at the Padang.

But beyond the fanfare, three first-time participants are making the most of their NDP moment: Captain (CPT) Rachel Wong, an F-16 pilot with 143 Squadron of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF); Corporal (CPL) Mehar Singh Bhogal, an NSF naval diver from the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN's) Naval Diving Unit marching in the RSN's Guard of Honour (GOH) contingent; and Sergeant 3 (SGT3) Thenmoli D/O Silvadorie, a paramedic from Kallang Fire Station in Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF's) first-ever GOH contingent.

They come from different services but share one thing in common: this is their first time in the parade, and they’re all hungry to give it their best. (Also, just hungry in general. More on that later.)

By day, Sergeant 3 (SGT3) Thenmoli D/O Silvadorie is a paramedic in the SCDF. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

In this year's National Day Parade, SGT3 Thenmoli will be part of the SCDF's first-ever GOH contingent. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

Getting the call: "I didn’t expect this"

SGT3 Thenmoli’s journey in the SCDF began after a hospital visit in 2018 for a stomach ache. There, she saw the paramedics in action, and something clicked. "First, it was the uniform that attracted me,” she recalls with a laugh. "But afterwards, I realised how important it is to be there for someone during their crises… the sense of relief when they see you lending them a helping hand.” A year later, she signed on as a paramedic. Now, after six years of service, she’s making history in the SCDF’s first-ever GOH contingent.

For CPL Mehar, the announcement that he’d be marching in NDP came with a sense of cautious optimism. "Usually not everyone goes, but this year our instructor told us everyone would be going,” he says. "My first reaction was: ‘Can I handle the training?’ But after a while, I thought, okay, I can do this!"

CPT Rachel, who has long dreamed of flying, had a different kind of call-up. With both parents in aviation – her dad was also an F-16 pilot in the RSAF – the passion was seeded early. "I’ve always had a love for flying," she says, "and getting to fly with SYFC [Singapore Youth Flying Club] really cemented that.” Even then, flying over the Padang on Singapore’s 60th birthday hits different. "It just hammers home why we do what we do,” she says.

The NDP grind is real

Being fit is one thing. Getting Parade-ready is another.

"Just because you can do well for IPPT doesn’t mean you can stand for extended hours in the hot sun,” says CPL Mehar. "Parade fitness is very different." Even for a trained naval diver, the long drills and static standing posed new challenges. "Initially, I couldn’t sync the timing of my footing with my hands… I was always a second behind during drills."

CPT Rachel felt the intensity too. "Running through the NDP show centre, your heart is pumping, you're anxious,” she says. "You want to make sure you’re in tight formation when you fly past."

As for SGT3 Thenmoli, she had to adapt to carrying an SAR 21 rifle, something SCDF personnel don’t typically train with. "It instilled a lot of discipline and accountability,” she says. "At first, the rifle was heavy, but now it’s like a part of us."

Across all three NDP first-timers, the key to overcoming those hurdles was the same: progressive training and the support of their teammates.

"Our instructors called it ‘shaping and sharpening’,” says CPL Mehar. "First, we learn the movements, then we sharpen. That really helped.” CPT Rachel echoes that mindset: "Trust in the training that we’ve had... just go there and execute what we’re supposed to do."

CPL Mehar Singh Bhogal (centre) is an NSF naval diver with the RSN's Naval Diving Unit. | IMAGE: NDP 2025 EXCO

The RSN GOH Contingent. | IMAGE: SIM DING EN

What keeps them going: camaraderie and family

The heat, the rehearsals, the hours – it can be draining. But the things that keep spirits high? Great teammates, supportive families, and the little joys in between.

"My contingent mates and I always laugh and joke after training,” says SGT3 Thenmoli. "It’s the camaraderie that keeps me going."

CPL Mehar’s family has been a quiet but steady pillar. "They’re mostly a source of emotional support,” he says. "My mum helps with laundry and even washes my turban. My dad tries to lighten the mood. And my brother fetches me to and from camp."

And CPT Rachel’s rock-solid support system? Her squadron. "143 SQN is a small, tight-knit unit,” she says. "‘We Dare’ – that’s our motto. If anyone tasks us to do something, we give them our best."

Most Singaporean trait? Confirm, it’s food

Despite their intense training routines, these three are united by one very Singaporean trait: food is love.

"People always say I have an old soul,” says SGT3 Thenmoli, laughing. "I love red bean potong ice cream and yam ice cream, like the kind from NTUC."

For CPL Mehar, food reflects Singapore’s cultural blend, and his day’s meals often mirror that. "In the morning, I could be having kaya toast and teh si. In the afternoon, maybe laksa. And in the evening? Prata or murtabak,” he says. His go-to favourite, though, is chicken rice, specifically steamed, with chilli. "The chilli is the most important part,” he says. "I like spice."

CPT Rachel, a self-declared foodie, shares: "Hokkien Mee! I go to the Old Airport Road stall because it’s near my house.” She also enjoys playing tennis and golf but admits that "looking for good food is one of my pastimes too”.

CPT Rachel Wong is an F-16 pilot with 143 Squadron of the RSAF. | IMAGE: SIM DING EN

The F-16s in action in an aerial display during the Parade and Ceremony segment of NDP 2025. | IMAGE: NG KAI

A parade to remember

As the big day approaches, all three are reflecting on what this moment means.

CPT Rachel sums it up best: "Flying over the Padang, you’re directly over what you protect. Knowing it’s SG60 makes it even more momentous."

SGT3 Thenmoli shares how the experience has changed her. "Now I’m thankful to all the people working behind the scenes. I really appreciate what it takes [to put NDP together]."

And CPL Mehar, who’s grown in water and now on land, says it was a chance to push past limits. "You realise what your body is capable of. These mental barriers, we can break them."

Meet other NDP first-timers

SGT3 Alfie Khairagus Bin Abdul Malek, an engine operator and emergency medical technician on SCDF's Rapid Response Fire Vessel (RFV) – White Swordfish. | IMAGE: SIM DING EN

Senior Port Inspector Muhamad Shahlihin Bin Said, Duty Port Inspector on Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore’s Patrol Craft. | IMAGE: SIM DING EN

👉 Boats, Bros, And Big Birthday Vibes: NDP’s Mobile Column Hits The Bay

From land to sea, first-time participants like SGT3 Alfie Khairagus Bin Abdul Malek from the SCDF’s marine division and Senior Port Inspector Muhamad Shahlihin Bin Said from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) are also making waves in this year’s historic Mobile Column. Whether it’s keeping calm aboard a Rapid Response Fire Vessel or making his kids proud from the deck of an MPA patrol craft, their stories reflect the same dedication, pride, and quiet courage that power the NDP spirit.

ME5 Jesper Quek (left), the Contingent Commander for the Digital and Intelligence Service’s (DIS's) GOH Contingent, and his son, ME4A Timothy Quek, an NDP first-timer in the same contingent. | IMAGE: NG KAI

👉 This Father-Son Duo Shares A Parade Ground At NDP 2025 - And A 'Mini RSAF' Of Parrots At Home

Also making his NDP debut is Military Expert 4 Advanced (ME4A) Timothy Quek Jun Yu, who marches alongside a very familiar face: his dad, ME5 Jesper Quek Chin Peng. Both are part of the DIS's GOH contingent, and when they’re not braving long rehearsals under the sun, they’re co-commanding "a mini RSAF” of 12 parrots at home. From straight-arm drills to squawking sidekicks, their father-son story is a reminder that duty, discipline – and birdseed – can bring families even closer.

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