“When I came into the army I found a new vision; what I really wanted to be, cause you got to do something you really like. When you’re doing something you really like, then you can go all the way out.”
A true force of positive energy to be around, 19 year-old Javier Wong is sometimes ebullient, sometimes pensive – manifested in part due to his outlook on life, which weighs in equal measure both optimistic and realistic.
It is precisely this approach to life that has guided his path, from being an adolescent to a young man who places his family and country above self – two reasons he cites as key to wanting to serve in the army.
“I want to protect them. I want to be able to, at the end of the day, tell my mum that I am training hard because I am doing this for you. I am doing this for my sisters, because my sisters are only 11 years old. I want to be a role model for them. I believe that if I can do it then it will be a great inspiration for them and they will work harder in life.”
For Javier, the concept of purpose, hard work and leadership are inexplicably intertwined.
“As an officer, you need to impact lives. You need to let your men see purpose in serving the nation and this is not something that is easy – especially for a country like Singapore where what we have is a conscripted army.
As a good leader, you must be committed and competent in whatever you do. It is quite common for us to forget whatever we have learnt, so in terms of commitment, you have to know your mission. If there are things you do not yet know, you have to find out. Eventually that’s how you will also be able to lead confidently and competently, and to help others be competent as well.”