SINGAPORE — An officer who has been with the air force since she was 19 has become among the highest ranking women in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) following her promotion to colonel. Colonel Koh Ee Wen, 38, is among three women who have been promoted to the rank of colonel. The highest-ranking woman is Brigadier-General Gan Siow Huang, the first female general in the SAF.

This year, more than 500 SAF personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force have been promoted to a higher rank, including regulars and national servicemen. Those promoted included the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Perry Lim, who previously held the rank of Major-General; and the Chief of Air Force Major-General Mervyn Tan and Chief of Army Major-General Melvyn Ong, who both held the rank of Brigadier-General.

In a media interview yesterday, Col Koh, who has been with the Republic of Singapore Air Force since 1997, said she found military life appealing. As the commander of the Air Defence Group (ADG), Col Koh viewed her promotion, which takes effect today, as a recognition of her team’s hard work.

“My group has about 600 people so it’s a tremendous responsibility and I cannot hope to run the whole show by myself. So it’s a recognition of my people as well. Obviously, I’m grateful the organisation entrusted the set-up to me,” she said.

The ADG is responsible for monitoring every aircraft that flies inside and around Singapore’s airspace. Working round-the-clock, the ADG staff also have to identify the aircraft, ensure that they have no malicious intent, and be prepared to handle any possibly hostile aircraft. Col Koh is also responsible for her unit’s training, operational readiness and standards.

Referring to the SAF’s first female general, Col Koh noted that BG Gan had taken on the role of a mentor for many of the SAF’s female personnel who, in turn, had formed a strong informal network.

As a mother of a 10-year-old boy, Col Koh said her mission as an SAF personnel has evolved over the years — from wanting to serve her countrymen and protect her family, to wanting to leave Singapore in “good shape for (my son) to make sure he never has to worry about anybody intimidating us”.