Appointments and Promotions of Frontiersmen (Far East Command) 2019

Appointments and Promotions of Frontiersmen (Far East Command) - Speech by Commander Far East Command

Fellow Frontiersmen,

I salute and applaud the frontiersmen appointed and promoted at this event, and extend our deepest appreciation to our special hosts for a most memorable and historic venue.

A year has passed quickly since our last promotion ceremony, marked by serious seismic activities, floods and storms hitting our region, some with heart-breaking consequences for victim and rescuer alike. There is more that a volunteer organisation like the Frontiersmen can do – and there is more that we can train to be ready should any country or humanitarian organisation makes the clarion call for assistance.

There are Frontiersmen amongst us who manufacture boats - they have contributed vessels in a TV drama series featuring the Singapore Police Coast Guard, and also have launched boats in support of Malaysian disaster rescue efforts. In Indochina, Frontiersmen amongst us who were training in Cambodia happened to also provide rescue support in severe floods, to the extent of joining local Cambodian teams in rescue dives. These successful missions resulted in our Frontiersmen receiving Cambodian medals.

Frontiersmen amongst us also manufacture and produce command shelters and tents for the Indonesian market, being a key supplier of the Indonesian disaster agency, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB). 

The Legion of Frontiersmen, Far East Command is recognised and acknowledged by our counterpart commands, and supported by our local registration with the Singapore Registry of Societies, under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Our constitution indicates that members participate in training worldwide and have an interest in the history of the Frontiersmen.

Today, the humanitarian and modern aid environment requires volunteers to possess a wide range of operational skills. The Far East Command has over 10 specialist interest groups, many of which possess skillsets that are commercially viable and desired by countries and governments in need.

In the South Pacific, we have Commodore (Ret) Peter Llau, former Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, currently also the Head of the PNG Maritime Training College, taking a lead role in maritime training and maritime competency across South Pacific states in Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia. Frontiersmen also get to participate and conduct maritime boarding training in Shanghai this year, also due to tactical skillsets and certification some of us already possess. In terms of maritime brain trust, we have International Maritime Organisation (IMO) consultants, Port Facility Security Officers (PFSO), Ship Security Officers (SSO) in addition to qualified recreational and combat divers. 

In the Philippines, we have Commander Fabian Go, who continues to serve in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command, and who recently completed his Command and General Staff Course there. In line with the usual Frontiersmen attribute of possessing multi-dimensional skillsets, he is also a certified drone (25 kg class) flying instructor. We can look forward to SWAT tactical training and SWAT Medic training in Cavite City or Tagatay late 2020. Commander Go has also agreed to conduct drone training in Australia and there are plans for a certification course led by our Frontiersmen OC Joshua Kwai with the UAV Global Federation support in early to mid-2020.

In Singapore and Malaysia, Commanding Officer Kevin Ho, part of the team who established the Norwegian-based cybersecurity think-tank - the CYDEF Institute - has registered associations in Malaysia and Singapore. We can expect some 50 CYDEF-certified cybersecurity specialists trained before the Kuala Lumpur Defence Security Asia (DSA) Conference in April 2020 – no doubt within these 50 will be Frontiersmen being trained in the role of information security consultants in aid of regional non-profit humanitarian organisations.

We also have legal-trained colleagues who are practicing solicitors and have formed a Frontiersmen Provost Company. These frontiersmen have established a large network for us to expand our interest groups beyond simply training, and have opened a myriad of possibilities with real commercial intent.

In Hong Kong, Commanding Officer Issac Lai volunteers and leads a large Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) team to train firefighters and civil servants. There are peaceful roles we can play even as Hong Kong manages their internal unrest amongst young millennials. We have trained National Association Emergency Medical Technician (NAEMT) – certified Frontiersmen in Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), and the growing list of those we have trained include combat medics, paramedics, specialists, doctors and dental specialists in Singapore and the Philippines. These valuable resources can be the first wave to mobilise in times of crisis or in support of any humanitarian and rescue operation. Commander Wayne is also able to certify Medic First Aid (MFA) personnel and conduct DAN Oxygen Training. Frontiersmen's service to the global community are commendable yet comes with personal sacrifices. Our frontiersmen trade opportunity cost with paid services in their commercial work and family time.

The Far East Command presents long service and efficiency medals (LSEM) to frontiersmen who has contributed to social causes and have advanced the Frontiersman name. This is the same medal and tradition practiced in the Australian, New Zealand and United Kingdom Commands. Historically, early variants of the LSEM date back to 1940s. 

The Far East Command has no staff on payroll and operates purely on the generosity of members who contribute to membership and patch and badge purchases from the online platform, backed up by safe and secure payment gateways that are regulated by Stripe and strengthened by SSL Secure Shopping.

In all, it has been a year of positive developments, I look forward to your mighty support and contribution in the next one.

Train hard, fight easy, my fellow frontiersmen. 

Commander Far East Command