The Commando Training Wing (abbreviation

Abbreviation

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...

: CTW) is one of two training wings in the School of Commandos

School of Commandos

The School of Commandos is part of an army unit in the Singapore Armed Forces. It was established in 1967. The school moved to Changi Camp in 1971 and was renamed 1st Commando Battalion.-External links:*...

 of the Singapore Armed Forces

Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...

 in Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. Established in 1974, it is primarily tasked with the training of military leaders in the Commando Formation. Courses conducted by the CTW include the Commando Section Leaders' Course (CSLC), the Commando Small Boat Operators' Course, the Commando Officer Conversion Course (COCC), and the highly esteemed Singapore Armed Forces Ranger Course.

Section leader training

The Commando Section Leaders' Course (CSLC), as its name implies, trains Commando trainees to be section leaders, taking in selected candidates from those who have completed the Basic Commando Training phase. These candidates are put through a range of tests, including the Physical Readiness Test, the Commando Common Tasks test, and an interview by the Commando Chain of Command, before acceptance.

The course is a physically demanding one, with trainees expected to complete the Standard Obstacle Course immediately after a 10 kilometre run, all in combat gear and within timing. They must also pass two fast marches in Full Battle Order over a distance of six and twelve kilometres. In the meantime, various fieldcraft skills are inculcated to enable them to lead a section effectively and to improve survivability.

Officer training

Commando Officers are selected from within its own ranks and over a year-long period of assessment, unlike the majority of those from the rest of the SAF who are selected during the 3-month centralized Basic Military Training phase. Potential candidates are accessed from the time they are enlisted into the Formation, and only the top graduands of the Commando Section Leaders' Course are selected for further screening. About 15 successfully go on attend the Infantry Officers' Cadet Course at Officer Cadet School in the SAFTI Military Institute

SAFTI Military Institute

The SAFTI Military Institute is a tri-service military training institution for officers of all ranks of the Singapore Armed Forces . Located within an 88 hectare campus in Jurong West, it was officially opened by the then-prime minister Goh Chok Tong on 25 August 1995...

.

Upon successful completion, they are commissioned as Commando Officers, and attend a Commando Officer Conversion Course (COCC) at the CTW for a seven week period, where they are trained to take on the role of Platoon Commander with the 1st Commando Battalion. Other graduands from Officer Cadet School, as well as commissioned Officers in the SAF may also apply to join the COCC to become Commando Officers.

Ranger training

The Singapore Armed Forces Ranger Course is reputed to be the toughest course in the SAF, with 65 days of intense training conducted by the CTW. Initially developed based on the experiences of Singaporean Rangers trained at the US Army Rangers School in Fort Benning

Fort Benning

Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, it was first conducted in Singapore in 1978, and is now an annual affair at the training wing's Hendon Camp base. Any regular or national serviceman of the SAF may apply for the course, so long that they have attained a minimum rank of Corporal

Corporal

Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....

, after which applicants are assessed physically to ensure suitability. Commando regulars are strongly encouraged to enroll.