Winston Choo
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Winston Choo Wee Leong is a retired Singaporean general who served as the first Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces
from 1974 to 1992. He is currently Singapore
's ambassador to Israel
.
and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in December 1961. He was sent to the 1st Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment
(1 SIR), where he served as platoon commander of ‘C’ Company. During his time with 1 SIR, he was deployed to Sebatik Island
in Borneo
between 1963 and 1964, during the Confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia; as well as to assist with domestic security operations in Singapore such as street patrolling during the 1964 racial riots.
He was the battalion signals
officer at the time of Singapore's independence in August 1965. In the same year, he was appointed the first military Aide-de-Camp
to President Yusof bin Ishak
, and then recalled to the SAF in 1966. When the 1st Signal Battalion was formed in 1967, he was Commanding Officer from 1967 to 1968. He attended the Long Telecommunications Course at the School of Signals in the United Kingdom from 1968 to 1969, returning to Singapore to serve as Second-in-Command of 1st Signal Battalion (BN 2IC). In 1970, he was appointed Chief of Communications and Electronics (now known as the Chief of Signals).
In 1971, he served briefly as Commanding Officer of 4th Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment (4 SIR) before attending the Command and General Staff College at Fort Canning. The following year, he became the first Singaporean to attend the 11-month US Army Command and General Staff course at Fort Leavenworth
. Upon returning to Singapore in September 1972, he took up command of 1 SIR. In the same year, he was named an honorary Aide-de-Camp to President Benjamin Sheares; became the youngest olonel] in the SAF at the age of 31; and took up command of the 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (2 SIB). He was later posted to the Ministry of Defence
headquarters, where he was appointed Head of Training and Head of Organisation and Plans in 1973. In 1974, he succeeded Brigadier
Kirpa Ram Vij as Director of General Staff.
In 1976, the position was renamed and he became Chief of the General Staff. In the same year, at the age of 35, he became the youngest officer to rise to the rank of Brigadier-General. Two years later, he was the first professional soldier in the SAF to reach the rank of Major General
.
In May 1981, Choo was closely involved in organising the funeral of President Benjamin Sheares. Several months later, he left for the United States, where he completed a Masters degree. During his absence, Brigadier-General Tan Chin Tiong was appointed Acting Chief of the General Staff. Choo resumed command upon his return to Singapore in 1982.
In 1988, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General, becoming Singapore’s first three-star general. When the position of Chief of the General Staff was renamed in May 1990, he became the first Chief of Defence Force (CDF). He retired from the SAF on 30 June 1992.
He served as Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia
and Fiji
between 1994 and 1997. He also served as Singapore's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea
and South Africa
between 2000 and 2006.
During this stretch time, he was also the volunteer Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross
for 12 years till 2008.
He is currently Singapore's non-resident Ambassador to Israel
.
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Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Winston Choo Wee Leong is a retired Singaporean general who served as the first Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed ForcesSingapore 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...
from 1974 to 1992. He is currently 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...
's ambassador to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Career
Choo enlisted in the Singapore Military Forces in December 1959. He completed his officer cadet training at the Federation Military College in Port DicksonPort Dickson
Port Dickson or PD to locals is a beach and holiday destination situated about 32 km from Seremban and 90 km from Kuala Lumpur. It is located in the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia...
and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in December 1961. He was sent to the 1st Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment
Singapore Infantry Regiment
The Singapore Infantry Regiment is the main formation of the Singapore Army. It consists of eight full-time battalions and a number of National Service , or Reservist battalions.-History:...
(1 SIR), where he served as platoon commander of ‘C’ Company. During his time with 1 SIR, he was deployed to Sebatik Island
Sebatik Island
Sebatik Island is an island off the eastern coast of Borneo, partly within Indonesia and partly within Malaysia. It has an area of approximately 452.2 square kilometres...
in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
between 1963 and 1964, during the Confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia; as well as to assist with domestic security operations in Singapore such as street patrolling during the 1964 racial riots.
He was the battalion signals
Military communications
Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...
officer at the time of Singapore's independence in August 1965. In the same year, he was appointed the first military Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore of Minangkabau descent. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999.-Early life:...
, and then recalled to the SAF in 1966. When the 1st Signal Battalion was formed in 1967, he was Commanding Officer from 1967 to 1968. He attended the Long Telecommunications Course at the School of Signals in the United Kingdom from 1968 to 1969, returning to Singapore to serve as Second-in-Command of 1st Signal Battalion (BN 2IC). In 1970, he was appointed Chief of Communications and Electronics (now known as the Chief of Signals).
In 1971, he served briefly as Commanding Officer of 4th Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment (4 SIR) before attending the Command and General Staff College at Fort Canning. The following year, he became the first Singaporean to attend the 11-month US Army Command and General Staff course at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
. Upon returning to Singapore in September 1972, he took up command of 1 SIR. In the same year, he was named an honorary Aide-de-Camp to President Benjamin Sheares; became the youngest olonel] in the SAF at the age of 31; and took up command of the 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (2 SIB). He was later posted to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Singapore)
The Ministry of Defence is a ministry of the Government of Singapore entrusted with overseeing the national defence needs of the Republic of Singapore. It is the headquarters of the Singapore Armed Forces...
headquarters, where he was appointed Head of Training and Head of Organisation and Plans in 1973. In 1974, he succeeded Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Kirpa Ram Vij as Director of General Staff.
In 1976, the position was renamed and he became Chief of the General Staff. In the same year, at the age of 35, he became the youngest officer to rise to the rank of Brigadier-General. Two years later, he was the first professional soldier in the SAF to reach the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
In May 1981, Choo was closely involved in organising the funeral of President Benjamin Sheares. Several months later, he left for the United States, where he completed a Masters degree. During his absence, Brigadier-General Tan Chin Tiong was appointed Acting Chief of the General Staff. Choo resumed command upon his return to Singapore in 1982.
In 1988, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General, becoming Singapore’s first three-star general. When the position of Chief of the General Staff was renamed in May 1990, he became the first Chief of Defence Force (CDF). He retired from the SAF on 30 June 1992.
He served as Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
between 1994 and 1997. He also served as Singapore's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between 2000 and 2006.
During this stretch time, he was also the volunteer Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross
Singapore Red Cross
The Singapore Red Cross started out in 30 September 1949 as part of the British Red Cross Society. In 6 April 1973, the Singapore Red Cross was officially incorporated by the Parliament of Singapore...
for 12 years till 2008.
He is currently Singapore's non-resident Ambassador to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Notable Awards
-
Public Administration MedalPingat Pentadbiran AwamThe Pingat Pentadbiran Awam was instituted in Singapore in 1963 and has three grades:* Emas * Perak * Gangsa...
(Gold) in 1978 - Public Administration Medal (Military)Pingat Pentadbiran Awam (Tentera)The Pingat Pentadbiran Awam is awarded to members of the Singapore Armed Forces for meritorious service in command or staff positions, and has three grades:* Emas * Perak * Gangsa...
(Gold) in 1981
External links
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