2024年7月26日，国务资政李显龙出席军人日晚宴。新加坡国防部也在晚宴上表彰了李显龙在过去二十年中对新加坡和武装部队发展做出了贡献。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
国防部长黄永宏医生、武装部队总长孟耀诚少将
尊敬的来宾、武装部队的男士们、女士们、各位，
大家晚上好，
感谢国防部和武装部队邀请我参加今晚的晚宴。我非常高兴能够回到新加坡武装部队军训学院，与大家一起庆祝军人日。我很开心看到许多熟悉的面孔，包括许多已经退休多年的老战友，他们在多年前曾与我并肩作战。我还要感谢武装部队今晚给予我的巨大荣誉。我对你们制作的视频以及国防部长刚才慷慨发表的讲话深感动容。这些超出了我应得的荣誉。
在几十年间发展壮大的武装部队
武装部队的发展故事与新加坡的发展故事息息相关。当新加坡在1965年8月9日成为独立国家时，起步时资源非常有限。武装部队也同样起步艰难，仅有两个步兵营、两艘木制船只，没有空军。那时，面对的是持续的对抗局势，马来西亚和印尼的关系紧张。英国军队在新加坡的存在，虽然保障了我们的安全，但由于伦敦面临财政压力，是否继续驻留东苏伊士仍然不确定。
因此，我们必须紧急建立武装部队，以便在危险的世界中保护自己。我们的建国领导人迅速采取了行动。他们引入了国家服务制度。我们创建了新的武装部队编制——炮兵、装甲兵、工程兵、通信兵、后勤兵。虽然大致按字母顺序排列，但首先是炮兵。我们建立并发展了空军和海军。我们采购了新的（实际上常常是二手的）设备，并训练我们的部队操作这些设备。我们发展了指挥结构和作战概念来使用这些新单位。逐步地，我们学会了以联合武装力量的形式进行操作和作战，随后成为一个一体化的三军合一力量。年复一年，随着新加坡的发展和繁荣，我们为国防分配了稳定的预算。年复一年，我们现代化了部队，提升了能力，巩固了新加坡的长期安全。
今天，新加坡已经成为一个成功的发达国家，武装部队则成为了一支专业、可信赖且受尊敬的力量。第三代武装部队已经成为现实。我们创建了第四军种——数码部队（Digital and Intelligence Service，简称DIS），在数字领域为我们提供保护。但建设新加坡和升级武装部队的工作从未停止。新加坡正在推进“新加坡携手前进”（Forward Singapore）议程，而武装部队也正在转型为下一代武装部队，准备应对各种新威胁。
实现任务成功
近60年来，新加坡享有了和平与安全，而武装部队的存在和战备状态是其中一个主要因素。因此，武装部队从未需要通过战争来捍卫我们的家园。这是巨大的福祉，愿这种局面长久保持。
然而，和平的代价是永恒的警惕。我们的军人全天候值守——在空中、陆地、海洋和数字领域。在这些年里，无论我们何时需要武装部队，它总是随时待命，并且始终如一地完成任务。
武装部队进行了威慑巡逻、反恐行动以及为特殊事件提供安全部署，比如几年前的特朗普-金正恩峰会。我们定期进行人员和装备的召回及动员演习。偶尔，我们也需要提升警戒状态，有时是公开的，有时是隐秘的，可能是为了应对紧急情况或默默传达我们的决心。
武装部队还在海外行动中证明了其实力。它参与了联合国维和行动，包括在东帝汶的任务。它还加入了国际反恐和打击海盗的行动。例如，在亚丁湾进行反海盗巡逻，以及参与阿富汗的多国稳定与重建工作。
除了执行任务，武装部队还参与了与地区和国际伙伴的联合演习。我们的部队在演习中展示了自身的能力，扬起了我们的旗帜，并默默向伙伴们证明，我们掌握了专业技能，值得被认真对待。
武装部队还迅速而有效地响应了区域和国际的人道主义危机及灾难。2004年，当海啸袭击时，武装部队在48小时内启动了第一次运输任务，将急需的救援物资送往班达亚齐、米拉务和其他受灾地区。2011年，当基督城发生地震时，一支恰好在当地进行演习的卫队部队，包括全职国家服役人员，迅速参与了震后救援工作。今年3月，武装部队在加沙进行空投行动，为那里的平民提供急需的人道主义援助。
在国家紧急情况下，例如2003年的SARS疫情，以及最近的新冠疫情，武装部队也积极参与并为抗击新型病原体做出了巨大贡献。
每次，无论任务是什么，武装部队总是准备充分，我们的部队和军人展示了他们的能力，并使武装部队和新加坡感到自豪。在新加坡，很少有其他组织具备像武装部队那样能够在短时间内应对任何情况并付诸行动的能力、准备状态和机动性。因此，这给政府和新加坡人民带来了极大的安慰和信心，因为我们拥有随时可以动用的武装部队，随时准备应对任何突发需求。
武装部队的经验
对我来说，能够在服役多年后进入政界是一种荣幸。和许多新加坡人一样，我开始时是全职国民服役人员，曾在荷兰路基地的第二步兵营服役。后来，我获得了武装部队奖学金，成为了一名正式军人。在那个时代，我们是永久性的职业军人，也就是说，会一直服务到退休。之后，我有幸指挥部队——从排、炮兵到一个营。我在总参谋部服务，帮助建立了第一个联合参谋部门，这使武装部队走上了成为三军合一的道路。这是极其充实的经历。训练和激励我的部下，使部队具备作战准备。协助制定武装部队的能力、概念和编制。参与规划和塑造武装部队的发展和未来。我早已离开了武装部队，但其他人接过了接力棒，在过去40年里将武装部队推进了更高的水平。顺便提一下，新加坡武装部队军训学院——我们今天所在的地方——对我意义非凡。当我在1971年作为军官候补生时，见习军官学府和军训学院在巴西立营，对面而已。直到1987年，我们才决定建设这个军训学院校园。作为当时的国防部第二部长，我参与了这一决定，并有幸在武装部队军训学院的委任游行晚宴上宣布这一消息！我感到非常高兴，也非常高兴看到武装部队军训学院继续履行其使命，培养一代代来自各军种、各级领导的军官、专家和军事人才。
个人而言，我从在武装部队的经历中获益良多。我结识并了解了来自各行各业的同袍，学会了如何团队合作、如何领导和关怀部下，承担指挥责任。这些经验在政府工作中极为宝贵，并伴随我一生。
同样持久的是与那些曾与我并肩作战的战友们建立的友谊和联系。其中包括在视频中慷慨而热情发言的朱维良中将、Chan Jwee Kay上校、Mukhtiar Singh中校、Lim Puay Sia军士长。他们和许多其他人曾指导我、指导我、支持我，在必要时纠正我，成为了我亲密的朋友和终生的战友，我对此深感感激。每当遇到老战友，或有人走到我面前说：“先生，我曾在某某单位和某某营是您的兵，虽然那个营不复存在，但我还在这里”，或者说：“我们在1970年代在同一个营地服役，我不在您的单位，但我们在同一个营地待过，我认识您。”这总是让我感到温暖。这意味着他为自己在武装部队中的服务感到自豪，为曾认识我并与我共事感到自豪，我们之间有着一种无形而强大的纽带，将我们永远联系在一起。我为武装部队以及我们的战友情谊感到骄傲。我们的心绪回溯到那些岁月，回忆起我们经历的训练演习、克服的困难和挫折，以及那些我们至今仍感到自豪的成就。
我的经历并不是独一无二的——这是我们所有穿上军装的人共同经历并珍惜的宝贵体验。这种战友情谊和自豪感正是国家服务对我们作为新加坡人的身份和社会凝聚力如此重要的原因。这也是为什么几代新加坡人支持他们的儿子服兵役，积极参与保卫国家的原因。这使得武装部队成为一个新加坡人全心认同的国家机构。
武装部队必须始终保持新加坡人民的信任和支持。履行国家服务责任是一项沉重的承诺——两年的全职服役，以及之后许多年的战备国家服务人员职责。政府将确保我们的人员得到良好的装备、培训和领导；武装部队将确保他们的安全，并提供积极的国家服务体验；新加坡人民将为我们的军人感到自豪，并给予你们充分的道义和实际支持。我们将全力支持你们！
如果没有我们的军人付出的辛勤工作和牺牲，也没有他们的家人和新加坡人民的强力支持，我们不可能建立一个强大的武装部队。没有强大的武装部队，新加坡也不会享有近六十年来的和平与进步，更不会与邻国保持如此稳定和友好的关系。我们彼此尊重，相互欣赏，这也是我们成为朋友的原因。这就是为什么每年在武装部队日，我们都会铭记并尊敬那些为建设和服务武装部队做出贡献和牺牲的人们，使新加坡能够走到今天。我想对所有过去和现在的军人说一声：非常感谢你们！
结论
展望未来，我们面临的是一个日益动荡和危险的世界。60年前，我们无法预测会享有如此多年的和平与安全。这一美好的结果，不仅归功于武装部队和我们的全面防御，也因为我们幸运遇到了亚太地区的稳定，以及战略形势使得一个小而脆弱的国家能够通过自身的努力生存和发展。
今天，我们当然不能自信地预测接下来的60年会像过去60年那样平静。我们也不能假设未来的事件会像之前那样顺利和平。虽然我们希望一切顺利，但我们必须为最坏的情况做好准备。我们绝不能自满或措手不及。我们必须继续为自己挺身而出，保持我们的防御力量强大而准备充分，并与友好的邻国合作，共同维护区域安全。这要求我们拥有一支在国内外都受到尊重的可信赖的武装部队，并且得到我们所保护的人民的强力支持。
各位士兵、海员、飞行员以及武装部队的守护者们，
武装部队誓词中写道：“我们将以生命保卫国家的荣誉和独立。”近60年来，武装部队一直践行这一誓词。新加坡人能够安稳地入睡，因为武装部队的男女们在默默守护，时刻保持警觉。如今，武装部队比以往任何时候都更加需要保持战备状态。我们依赖于你们以及未来几代的军人继续履行这一神圣的任务，保卫我们称之为家的国家。
在此，我祝大家武装部队日快乐。前进吧，新加坡！
以下是英文质询内容：
Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen,CDF, Vice Admiral Aaron Beng,Distinguished Guests,Men and women of the SAF,Ladies and gentlemen,
A very good evening to all of you,
I thank MINDEF and the SAF for inviting me to join you on this wonderful evening. I am very glad to be back in SAFTI MI today, celebrating the SAF Day Dinner with all of you. I am very happy to see so many familiar faces, including old comrades now quite long retired, who served with me many years ago. I also thank the SAF for doing me a great honour tonight. I am very moved by the video you made, and the remarks which the Defence Minister generously delivered earlier. It is more than I deserve.
Growing the SAF through the decades
The SAF story parallels the Singapore story. When Singapore found itself an independent nation on 9th August 1965, it started off with very little. The SAF too started off with precious little. Just two infantry battalions, two wooden boats, and no air force. Konfrontasi was still ongoing, relations with Malaysia and Indonesia were difficult. The continued presence of British forces in Singapore, securing our safety, was uncertain, with London under fiscal pressure to withdraw from east of Suez.
There was therefore great urgency to build up the SAF to defend ourselves in a dangerous world. Our founding leaders moved quickly. They introduced National Service. We created new SAF formations – artillery, armour, engineers, signals, logistics. Roughly in alphabetical order, but starting with artillery. We created and built up the Air Force and Navy. We procured new (actually often second-hand) equipment, and trained our troops to operate them. We developed the command structures and operational concepts to employ the new units. Progressively, we learnt to operate and fight as a combined armed force, and then as one integrated, tri-service force. Year after year, as Singapore developed and prospered, we allocated a steady budget for defence. Year after year, we modernised our forces, upgraded our capabilities, and strengthened the long-term security of Singapore.
Today, Singapore is a successful, developed nation, and the SAF is a professional, credible, and respected force. The 3G SAF is a reality. We have created a fourth Service – the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) – our guardians in the digital domain. But the work of building Singapore and upgrading the SAF never ceases. Singapore is moving ahead with the Forward SG agenda, and the SAF is transforming itself again into the Next Generation SAF, operationally ready to handle all sorts of new threats.
Achieving mission success
For almost 60 years, Singapore has enjoyed peace and security. And one major contributing factor has been the existence and readiness of the SAF. As a result, the SAF has never had to fight a war to defend our homeland. It is a great blessing and long may this continue.
But the price of peace is eternal vigilance. Our servicemen are on guard 24/7 – in the air, on land, at sea, and in the digital domain. During these decades, whenever we have needed the SAF, it has always been there, and it has always delivered.
The SAF has conducted deterrence patrols, counter-terrorism operations, and security deployments for extraordinary events, like the Trump-Kim Summit a few years ago. Regularly, we conduct recall and mobilisation exercises, for men as well as equipment. Occasionally, we have had to raise our alert status, sometimes overtly, sometimes quietly, perhaps in response to some exigency or to quietly signal our resolve.
The SAF has also proved its mettle in overseas operations. It has participated in UN peacekeeping operations, including in Timor Leste. It has joined international missions to counter terrorism and piracy. For example, on anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, and the multinational stabilisation and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
Besides carrying out operations, the SAF also participates in combined exercises with regional and international partners. Our units go through their paces, flying our flag high, and quietly showing our partners that we know our stuff, and deserve to be taken seriously.
The SAF has also mounted swift and effective responses to regional and international humanitarian crises and disasters. When the Boxing Day tsunami struck in 2004, the SAF launched our first transports just 48 hours later, delivering much needed relief supplies to Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, and other affected areas. When an earthquake hit Christchurch in 2011, a Guards contingent that happened to be there on exercise, including full-time National Servicemen, quickly joined the quake relief efforts. And in March this year, the SAF conducted airdrop operations over Gaza, to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to the civilian population there.
In national emergencies too, such as SARS in 2003, and more recently COVID-19, the SAF stepped up to and contributed greatly to the fight against the novel pathogens.
Each time, whatever the mission, the SAF was ready, our units and servicemen have shown what they could do, and they did the SAF and Singapore proud. Very few other organisations in Singapore have the capability, readiness, and resourcefulness to respond to any situation at short notice, and to make things happen, like the SAF. And so it gives great reassurance and confidence to the government and to Singaporeans that we have the SAF at the nation’s disposal, ready to respond whenever the need arises.
The SAF experience
It has been my privilege to have served for many years in uniform, before entering politics. Like many other Singaporeans, I started out as a full-time National Serviceman, I was a recruit in 2 SIR, then at Holland Road Camp. Later, I took up an SAF Scholarship, and signed on as a Regular. In those days, we were permanent regulars, that means you served until retirement. Later, I had the great privilege of commanding troops – platoons, batteries, and later a battalion. I served in the General Staff, and helped to set up the first Joint Staff elements, which set the SAF on the path to becoming a tri-service force. It was an immensely fulfilling experience. To train and motivate my men, and make the units operationally ready. To help work out the SAF’s capabilities, concepts, and force structures. To help plan and shape the development and future of the SAF. I left the SAF a long time ago, but others took over the baton, and have taken the SAF so much further forward over the past 40 years. Incidentally, SAFTI MI – where we are today – holds special meaning for me. When I was an officer cadet in 1971, OCS and SAFTI were in Pasir Laba Camp, across the road. Only many years later, in 1987, did we decide to build this SAFTI campus. As then Second Minister for Defence, I was involved in that decision, and had the privilege of making the announcement at the SAFTI Commissioning Parade Dinner! I was very happy, and I am very happy that SAFTI MI continues to fulfil its mission, training generations of officers, specialists and military experts from all Services, and at all levels of leadership.
Personally, I have benefitted enormously from my time in the SAF. Getting to know and understand fellow servicemen from all walks of life. Learning how to work as a team, how to lead and take care of men. Taking on command responsibility. These lessons proved invaluable in government, and have lasted me a lifetime.
Also lifelong are the friendships and bonds formed with those who have served alongside me. Including those who spoke so generously and warmly in the video just now – LG Winston Choo, COL Chan Jwee Kay, LTC Mukhtiar Singh, MWO Lim Puay Sia. They and many others have guided me, mentored me, supported me, put me right when necessary, became good friends and lifelong comrades, and I am eternally grateful. It is always heartwarming to run into an old comrade, or to have someone come up to me and say “Sir, I was your soldier in such and such unit and such and such camp, the camp is no more but I am still here”, or to say, “we served in the same camp, in the 1970s, I was not in your unit but we were in the same camp together, I knew you”. It means he is proud of his service in the SAF, he is proud to have known me and served with me, and we share something intangible and powerful that will always bind us together. And I am proud of the SAF and I am proud of our comradeship too. Our minds go back through the years, and conjure up the training exercises we went through, the difficulties and disappointments we overcame, the achievements and successes that we still feel proud of.
Mine is not a singular experience – it is something precious that all of us who have served in uniform have experienced and treasured. This camaraderie and pride is the reason NS is so important to our identity and social cohesion as Singaporeans. It is also why generations of Singaporeans have supported their sons to serve in their turn, and to play their part to defend our nation. It makes the SAF a national institution that Singaporeans identify with wholeheartedly.
The SAF must always retain the trust and support of Singaporeans. It is a heavy commitment, to fulfil your National Service duty – two years full-time, and for many years after that as Operationally Ready NSmen. For their part, the Government will always ensure that our personnel are well-equipped, well-trained, and well-led; the SAF will see to it that they are kept safe and have a positive NS experience; and Singaporeans will take pride in our servicemen, and give you full moral and practical support. We are with you all the way!
We could not have built a strong SAF without the hard work and sacrifices of our servicemen, and the strong backing of their families and of Singaporeans in general. And without a strong SAF, Singapore would not have experienced the peace and progress that we have had for almost six decades now, nor enjoyed such stable and friendly relations with our neighbours. We are friends because we respect each other, and have a healthy regard for each other. That is why, every year on SAF Day, we remember and honour all those who have contributed and sacrificed to build up and to serve the SAF, so that Singapore could get here today. To all our servicemen and women past and present, I say: a very big Thank you very much!
Conclusion
Looking ahead, we see an increasingly turbulent and dangerous world. 60 years ago, we could not have predicted that we would enjoy so many years of peace and security. This happy outcome owes not a little to the SAF and our Total Defence. But it was also our good fortune that the broader Asia Pacific region was stable, and the strategic situation enabled a small, vulnerable country to survive and thrive through its own efforts.
Today, we certainly cannot confidently predict another 60 years as peaceful as the last 60. Nor can we assume that events will turn out as favourably and peacefully as they did the last time. While we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst. We must never let ourselves be lulled into complacency or caught by surprise. We must continue to stand up for ourselves, to keep our defences strong and ready, and to work with friendly neighbours on regional security. That demands a credible SAF that is respected both overseas and domestically, and enjoys strong support from the population that it is defending.
Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and guardians of the SAF, The SAF Pledge says – “we will protect the honour and independence of our nation – with our lives”. For nearly 60 years, the SAF has lived by that Pledge. Singaporeans can sleep peacefully at night, because the men and women of the SAF are there – quietly watching, always alert. Now, more than ever, the SAF needs to remain combat-ready. We count on all of you, and the generations of servicemen and women yet to come, to continue upholding this sacred task of defending the nation which we call home.
On this note, I wish you all a very happy SAF Day. Majulah Singapura!
KS丨编辑
HQ丨编审
新加坡总理公署丨来源
李显龙脸书丨图源