The recent incidents involving kind or brave acts by our Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers (Training prepared us for task, says RSAF crew, April 7; and SAF medic lauded for helping sick boy in plane, April 9) were inspiring and demonstrate that our SAF is a credible force and our servicemen are well-trained and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.

SAF soldiers routinely train with their foreign counterparts and participate in overseas programmes to benchmark themselves.

For instance, SAF officers who have earned their commission go on to graduate from elite institutions such as Sandhurst in Britain, West Point in the United States and other premier military staff and command colleges.

Then, there are the SAF commandos and naval divers who graduate from US Navy SEAL and Special Forces programmes, and Republic of Singapore Airforce pilots who graduate top of the US' elite "Topgun" programme.

Our servicemen also take part in overseas missions with distinction - Lieutenant Colonel Lo Yong Poo, who was appointed Singapore's first Military Adviser to the United Nations Special Mission in Afghanistan in 1997, comes to mind, as well as the many SAF men and women who participate in overseas humanitarian missions.

Let us salute our SAF soldiers.

Woon Wee Min