maverick-edmunde

Day 8.. 9 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

Day 8 - I absolutely love my Nike sneakers.. It makes me want to run and run (mentally).. The body sure takes longer to recover.. I enjoy running at the track that is nicely tucked inside the HDB blocks where my parents live.. It is less boring compared to jogging inside a stadium.. It wraps around this exercise corner and has this undulating terrain with a nice long down slope to help you relax in between but also a hilly up slope to burn off some calories.. Anyway, this time i had Phyllis was my pacer.. The first 824m was feeling fresh and i had no problem keeping up with her.. The next 824m was really torturing as the calf muscle tightened.. That's when she started to sped ahead of me.. The last 824m felt better probably the body is warmed up.. From 2.5km to 42km in 8 months? Hmm.. looks like i have a little work cut out for me.. ha ha.. Never mind, Just Do It!

Day 6 and 7.. 7 April and 8 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:47:00.003-07:00

Day 6 and Day 7 - Rested. God children came visit on Saturday so was kept busy and reasonably entertained by the buzz. Children have enormously ability to self entertain. Seeing them happy and having fun gave me reason to be happy while in hibernating mood. Ethan and Eloise stayed up late and we were all sedated on Sunday thus were confined to doing homework and watching tv.

Day 5.. 6 April

2012-04-09T20:46:00.002-07:00

Day 5 - Did i give myself a break? Ehh... nope. Am probably the most worthless person when at home.. So today i decided to do something about it.. Do 2 rounds of laundry, fold the clothing, vacuum the floor, change bed-sheets, shop for new remote control for our air-con, bought and fixed the broken handle of the toilet door.. Then attended the SSO Gala Concert @ Esplanade in the evening, First part "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's - Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major, K.361 'Gran Partita'" with Darrell Ang as conductor and after the intermission was "Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Op.8" with Sarah Chang on violin.. Seated among Dr Lee Boon Yang and S. Iswaran.. Great performance which i enjoyed in particular 3rd movement of Gran Partita and Vivaldi's Winter.. I didn't feel happy until i end my day by sweating it out.. So cycled 10km in 22mins.. Despite doing so much but still feel unfulfilled.. hmm.. must be Mid-life crisis.. ha ha ha

Day 4.. 5 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:45:00.004-07:00

Day 4 - Went for a slow jog and ran 2.4km.. The calf muscle was really tight.. This time with Ethan as my pacer.. Am happy that he accompanied me throughout.. Hmm.. He has grown up.. Think he's more ready for Kids' race compared to Daddy.. Well done Son.. Daddy lousy ha ha..

Day 3.. 4 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:45:00.001-07:00

Day 3 - The battle continues.. The mind is telling me to take a break.. It's telling me to eat.. I said, how about let's cycle today.. And I did.. Did 10km slowly in 25 minutes and burned 172 calories.. Hmm.. That's poor returns.. So I did a few sets of the dumb bells to tone my arms etc etc.. Am done for the day.. Thumbs up

Day 2.. 3 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:44:00.003-07:00

Day 2 - 45 mins brisk walk with wife to pace me.. Each of us plugged in to our iPhones ha ha.. Mine has Clubcast Episode 38 by DJ Kaos (read as Chaos).. Dance tracks to pump up the cardio.. Makes you want to walk faster to the beat..

Day 1.. 2 April 2012

2012-04-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Day 1.. Follow the iPhone Run Trainer app lesson 1.. Completed the 18 mins regime.. (Run 1 min & Walk 1 min) x 2 sets, (Run 2 mins & Walk 2 mins) x 2 sets, Run 3 mins & Walk 3 mins.. That was about 2.8km.. Not bad but tomorrow such aching.. Seeking views, when should be my next run? Any break or it should be daily.. What should i start lesson 2 the 20 mins regime.. Hmm, the app never say ha ha..

Training season begins... Long and painful journey to be ready

2012-04-09T20:43:00.001-07:00

If i am prepared to take an annual salary of $S500K as a President, i'll still accept the S$4 mil. Why?

2011-08-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

If i am prepared to take an annual salary of $S500K as a President, i'll still accept the S$4 mil. With the extra i'll launch a Singapore Charity Challenge of pledging to match S$1 for every S$1 donated (cap at S$3.5 mil). For 6 years, i would have donated S$21 mil x 2 to the charitable organisation of my choice with greater effect. Or i'll setup a President Trust Fund to manage & grow this money to fund all Presidential projects in Arts, Social, Charity or Sports. If only it's so simple.

I wish to "handover" a stable Singapore to my children and their children too

2011-05-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

As an observer, i think the political situation is irreversible.. We can just hope that any parties can deliver and make good of each 5 years when they are elected.. In the old days, people say doesn't matter who forms the government as long as the commoners can live peacefully, freely, people can afford essential goods, have some spare to go for holidays overseas and the country is secured and prosperous.. l wish to "handover" a stable Singapore to my children and their children so that they live in the same prosperity that i have enjoyed too.. I can only prayed for years of continuous prosperity for Singapore..

Tribute to MM Lee

2011-05-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

For all the power that he had, he made sure it was passed on smoothly. For all the fortune his government has accumulated, it was protected safely and invested wisely. For all the wealth he could have amassed, he lived simply and frugally. For all the speech he made, he walked the talk and made things happened. For all the power he could hold on to, he was willing to lower his status for the good of Singapore. For all the fame and status he has, he describes himself as just a Determine, Consistent & Persistent Trier. Singapore is and still is his lifelong passion. For all he has done, he is still faulted in the eyes of many Singaporeans. To me, he is our knight and I will fight with him and ride alongside him willingly anytime. Thank you MM.

What George Yeo's loss means for Singapore by Simon Tay

2011-05-11T10:06:00.001-07:00

What George Yeo's loss means for Singapore

by Simon Tay

04:47 AM May 09, 2011

One of the most significant outcomes of May 7 has been the defeat of Foreign Minister George Yeo in the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC). It is the People's Action Party's first GRC loss, and Mr Yeo is the first core member of the Cabinet to be lost to the Opposition in a General Election.

Aljunied was considered vulnerable, for this was where the People's Action Party scored its lowest margin of victory in the 2006 GE. And for all of Mr Yeo's many brilliant qualities and strong presence in the new media, when the Workers' Party nominated its star team, led by secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, the contest to secure the ground was always going to be hard.

Yet the result cannot be read simply as a question of personalities and local politics. Nor should the defeat obscure Mr Yeo's many achievements - his electoral loss is a loss for Singapore.

Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2004, Mr Yeo was in many estimates possibly the best mind in this job since the late Mr S Rajaratnam. In both Singapore's emergence as a global hub and ASEAN's move to become a community by 2015, Mr Yeo has been a leading architect and a prime mover.

While foreign policy achievements are often hard to measure, Mr Yeo has overseen a sea change to make ASEAN and Asia more central, not just to Singapore's foreign policy but also, in the many connections to our society and domestic policy.

He moulded responses to critical events in the region. On the difficult issue of Myanmar, he shaped the landmark ASEAN condemnation of the crackdown on the saffron revolution led by monks, as well as the response to the tragedy of the Nargis cyclone.

Mr Yeo's work in foreign affairs built on his earlier role as Minister for Trade and Industry, when free trade agreements were negotiated to link Singapore economically and strategically to major partners - the United States, Japan and Australia. Major economies entrusted him to chair difficult negotiations in the World Trade Organization on the critical issue of agriculture.

Mr Yeo has emerged in the international community as among the best-recognised and respected of this generation of Singaporean leaders. The next Cabinet has no ready replacement for him.

NEW LIFE IN THE ARTS

Mr Yeo's domestic legacy, too, is significant. He was a star from the moment he left the Armed Forces to enter politics in 1988 at the age of 34. First appointed Minister of what was then the Ministry of Information and the Arts, he breathed life into what had previously been a marginal portfolio.

The arts scene grew strongly in his time there and he also oversaw the first liberalisation of censorship. He found support and funding for the Esplanade, museums and the National Library - key projects that are enduring foundation stones for today's far livelier arts and culture scene.

In 1991, Mr Yeo also spurred discussion of Singapore's political scene, with a speech about "pruning the banyan tree" of PAP dominance. His thinking framed the discussion through the '90s and into the new century for a more liberal politics in Singapore.

Throughout his career, Mr Yeo continued to be one of the more progressive thinkers in the establishment. He foresaw the factors now coming to the fore as demands for greater space for participation and views to be heard.

He himself pioneered the effort to reach out to wider circles through new media, with his Facebook page attracting some 5,000 friends. It is therefore an irony that he should be the first ministerial victim of these very same shifts.

In his last rally speech, Mr Yeo promised to be a voice for reform from within the PAP. While some discounted this as a last-minute tactical pledge, those familiar with his record know it to be a sincere wish. A voice for a more liberal PAP has been lost.

In his concession speech, Mr Yeo was exemplary in his gracious acceptance of the voters' decision. Throughout the campaign, he declined to make personal attacks on the Opposition. His conduct, at perhaps his most trying hour in politics, exemplified the tradition of learned and cultivated gentlemen, of which the Minister often spoke.

WHAT NEXT?

The Aljunied electoral loss should not be the end to Mr Yeo's public life. There are many avenues in which he might yet serve Singapore.

Indeed regional and global institutions would gain if he were at their helm. This includes the Nalanda University project, to revive a key educational institution that existed during the life of the Buddha. Mr Yeo has mentored this proposal as part of a larger aspiration for an Asian renaissance to accompany the region's economic rise.

Mr Yeo himself once mused that he might want a second career in business; after all, he distinguished himself by graduating from Harvard Business School with high distinction as a Baker scholar. He is too brilliant to be lost and will re-emerge in one capacity or another.

While the Workers' Party win will be celebrated by voters who want to see a democratic evolution of the political system, the loss of Mr Yeo as a Foreign Affairs Minister and a core Cabinet member is a cost of this victory - not just for the PAP but for Singapore.

Simon Tay is chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

George Yeo: A man for all seasons by Tommy Koh

2011-05-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

George Yeo: A man for all seasons

May 9, 2011

By Tommy Koh

ONE of my hopes for the 2011 General Elections was that those who won would be magnanimous and those who lost would be gracious.

Foreign Minister George Yeo was gracious in defeat. In his concession speech, he congratulated Mr Low Thia Khiang and his Workers' Party team on their victory and wished them success. Of the other defeated candidates, only Mr Desmond Choo of the People's Action Party and Ms Nicole Seah of the National Solidarity Party were just as gracious.

A man's character can be gleaned from his conduct, both in victory and in defeat. Mr Yeo is a gentleman and an honourable man, whatever the conditions.

I have had the pleasure of working under his leadership in three of his ministerial portfolios. He was our first minister of the then Ministry of Information and the Arts, or Mita. During nine years at Mita, he changed Singapore from a so-called cultural desert to a cultural oasis.

He appointed Mr Tan Chin Nam chairman of the newly created National Library Board - and Mr Tan, together with Mr Christopher Chia, revolutionised our library system and made it one of the best in the world. Mr Yeo also appointed Mr Lim Chee Onn chairman of the National Heritage Board, and me, chairman of the National Arts Council.

It was under his leadership that the Esplanade was built, the Asian Civilisations Museum was envisioned, the Arts Festival was made an annual event, the LaSalle College of the Arts took off, and the Government agreed, for the first time, to subsidise arts education. Today, Singaporeans enjoy a rich and varied cultural life. They should not forget the person who planted the seeds that have blossomed.

Mr Yeo brought the same energy, imagination and enthusiasm to the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He realised that because trade is Singapore's life blood, it should play a proactive leadership role in global trade forums like the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He quickly won the admiration and trust of his peers. They asked him to chair the negotiations on agriculture, one of the most contentious issues. WTO director-general Pascal Lamy is an admirer of Mr Yeo.

In order to enlarge Singapore's economic space, Mr Yeo championed the idea of linking Singapore's economy with other economies by way of free trade agreements (FTAs) and comprehensive economic partnership (CEP) agreements. During his watch, he launched more than a dozen FTA and CEP negotiations.

He appointed me chief negotiator in our negotiations with the United States. During the journey of two years, we encountered many difficulties. Throughout, Mr Yeo remained calm, optimistic and creative. He worked relentlessly with the different stakeholders in the US to earn their support and to find acceptable solutions to the difficulties.

In the final stage of the negotiations, there was a shortlist of issues that the two chief negotiators could not resolve. Those issues were finally resolved by Mr Yeo and his American counterpart, Mr Robert Zoellick, in a marathon negotiating session that extended through the night without dinner and ended successfully at dawn. Members of the Singapore delegation were deeply impressed by the cool and masterly way in which Mr Yeo had negotiated with Mr Zoellick.

Mr Yeo has been Singapore's Foreign Minister for nearly seven years now. He inherited a ministry in good order as a result of the legacy of Mr S. Rajaratnam, Mr S. Dhanabalan, Mr Wong Kan Seng and Professor S. Jayakumar. What contributions did Mr Yeo make to that heritage? I would single out three.

First, he taught us to think strategically and to prioritise. He constantly asked his staff to ensure that our most important bilateral relationships were in excellent order. He scanned the horizon for new opportunities - such as in the Middle East and Latin America.

Second, he was the first foreign minister to use history and culture as instruments of diplomacy. He persuaded the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to restore the Sun Yat Sen Villa and to turn it into a historic site linking Singapore, China and Taiwan. He requested that the National Heritage Board restore the memorial to Subhas Chandra Bose, who is celebrated in India as a nationalist and independence fighter. It was due to the leadership of Mr Yeo, a Roman Catholic, and of former Indian president Abdul Kalam, a Muslim, that the ancient Buddhist university at Nalanda, Bihar is being reincarnated.

Third, Mr Yeo believes in the importance of friendship in diplomacy. He often invited his foreign guests to his home to have dinner with him and his family. He went out of his way to show warmth and friendship to his foreign interlocutors. When Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar was Malaysia's foreign minister, Mr Yeo visited him in his constituency in Malaysia to pay his respects during Hari Raya.

Mr Yeo is blessed with high IQ, EQ and CQ - cultural intelligence. He is an exceptionally gifted man. Although an engineer by training and a soldier by profession, he is also a philosopher and historian. Although a devout Roman Catholic, he is a champion of inter-faith dialogue and understanding.

Mr George Yeo is ideally qualified to play a leadership role on the global stage, and I sincerely hope he will do so.

The writer is special adviser to the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore.

Singapore Politics has cancer

2011-05-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

All is not well. I think we've just pressed the self-destruct button. Mark my words.

The anti-PAP sentiments, like cancer cells are growing and divide at an unregulated, quickened pace. Yes, am pessimistic about it.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua said she was also surprised by the depth of resentment felt by citizens towards the government, which surfaced during the campaign.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1128134/1/.html

How MM Lee wants to be remember by Singaporean Youth

2011-05-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

I do not consider myself as a statesman, i'll put myself down as a Determine, Consistent and Persistent Trier. - MM Lee in Hard Truth

Changing Singapore Political Landscape

2011-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

A lot of heart decisions made that has changed the political landscape of Singapore. Whether it is a good or bad thing, only time will tell, but this is what democracy is all about. One man one vote and the majority wins.

What i think about MM Lee recent statements/remarks?

2011-05-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

I would like to share this video which i estimate took place after 1981 (video mentioned about PAP losing election in Anson to JBJ) but to me this conversation holds great significance. MM Lee spoke with eloquence and depth as he took on questions from the Foreign press who cast doubts on Singapore. A superb mind in action at age 57-58. The key for Singapore is to continue to convince foreign investors that we are politically stable, attractive to invest and skilled workforce. We must always be ahead of competition.

Video 1

MM Lee meet Foreign Press 30 years ago Part 1

Video 2
MM Lee meet Foreign Press 30 years ago Part 2

"Everyday is a challenge and Everyday is a problem to be solved" MM Lee in Hard Truth.

Give it another 25 years or 50 years, whatever happened now will not be significant to our children or grandchildren. Look at the forum article posted today by a chap, in summary says "thank you PAP, yes u did good but so what, let's move on and don't lecture me". Its interesting to watch how a government of envy is so hated by 40% of the population and jeered when they fumbled. Its a weird phenomenon.

Yes, what he said can be dampening and doesn't sounds good hence i guess some ranks are not looking at the quality and merits of his argument. What he said 30 years ago and Hard Truth bare stark similarity. He is still as concerned as with the well being of Spore. He has always said that if a plausible alternative emerge and takes over PAP, so be it. He also said that if PAP become corrupt, it will be voted out too. Why nobody praise him for saying this?

He wants to ensure Spore succeed and run by quality man. Transition plan is always on his mind. He also said that he never need to go knuckle duster with Low TK and Chiam because they are not duds. To MM, he has already hand over power in 1990 and his finger is not on the pulse (e.g. walk the ground). At 87, he is not out to prove anything more. He is still useful to the cabinet for his database (Brain) and his overseas network, hence is just an advisor. It is the responsibility of the PM and Ministers to run the country. He tells it as it is and there's really no need to second guess him. I have observed MM very closely all these years. His speeches, his memoirs, SPH's interview via Hard Truth and the CD. I believe him.

In his words, he had to speak candidly in Hard Truth otherwise he will not be adding value. We should look at his ideas and viewpoint objectively. I am sad that we're not able to download all his knowledge for analysis. Each day passes by is wasted.

I don't think my view matters much to MM Lee. As he said, even he himself will be determined by researchers who do PHDs on him, doesn't want to be remembered as statesman (he thinks anyone who think of himself as a statesman needs to see a psychiatrist) and wants the government to demolish his residence instead of preserving it when he is gone. He is a very unique person.

He is influential and has shaped my thinking.

Mr George Yeo voted out.. It is a big loss for Singapore

2011-05-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Singapore has lost more than just an intellectual voice on the world stage in Mr George Yeo.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/heavy-loss-to-my-cabinet--pm-lee-.html

Mr George Yeo (centre) arrives at the Hougang Avenue 1 PAP branch office as Mdm Cynthia Phua (second from right) briefs her PAP activists on how to distribute letters which detail plans for the Aljunied GRC to the residents as a form of outreach to them on the final day of campaigning. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Lord, i commit my day's work to you

2011-05-05T21:25:00.001-07:00

Lord, i commit my day's work to you. May i continue to find favour with You, my supervisor, staff, peers and even customers. May i complete tasks ahead of time. More importantly, complete them well with Your grace and wisdom. May what i do honour You. In Jesus' Name, amen.

United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group

2011-05-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), commonly known as DEVGRU and informally by its former name SEAL Team Six (ST6),^[1]^[2] is one of the United States' two secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units (SMUs); the other such group is 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force).

The vast majority of information surrounding DEVGRU is highly classified and details of its activities are not commented on by either the White House or the Department of Defense^[3]. While DEVGRU is administratively supported by the Naval Special Warfare Command like the other SEAL Teams, it is operationally commanded by the Joint Special Operations Command.

History

The origins of ST6 can be traced to the aftermath of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed 1980 attempt to rescue American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Iran.^[4] ^[5] ^[6] During the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979, Richard Marcinko was one of two Navy representatives for a Joint Chiefs of Staff task force known as the TAT (Terrorist Action Team). The purpose of the TAT was to develop a plan to free the American hostages held in Iran, which culminated in Operation Eagle Claw. In the wake of the operation's disaster at Desert One, the U.S. Navy saw the need for a full-time dedicated Counter-Terrorist Team and tasked Marcinko with its design and development.

Marcinko was the first commanding officer of this new unit that he named SEAL Team Six. At the time, the US Navy had only two SEAL teams. Marcinko purportedly named the unit Team Six in order to confuse the Soviet intelligence as to the number ofSEAL Teams in operation. It became officially operational in 1981.^[6] ^[7] The men in the unit were handpicked by Marcinko himself from across the U.S. Navy's Special Operations personnel. SEAL Team Six would be known as the U.S. Navy's premier counter-terrorist unit. It has also been compared to the US Army's Delta Force.^[3]^[5] Marcinko held the command of SEAL Team Six for three years from 1980–1983 instead of what was typically a two-year command in the Navy at the time.^[6] SEAL Team Six was formally created in October 1980, and an intense, progressive work-up training program made the unit mission-ready six months later. Prior to this, the existing SEAL teams had already begun counter-terrorism training, including 12 platoons in SEAL Team One on the West Coast. On the West Coast, elements of the SEAL Team One had taken the issue one step further. They formed a dedicated two-platoon group known as "MOB Six" (Mobility Six) in anticipation of a maritime scenario requiring a counter-terrorism response and had begun training to that end.^[7]

Richard Marcinko, founder of SEAL Team Six, and its first C.O.

In 1987, a new unit was formed, given the official title of "Naval Special Warfare Development Group" (abbreviated to NAVSPECWARDEVGRU, or DEVGRU) after SEAL Team Six was dissolved. Reasons for the disbanding are varied.^[6] But the name SEAL Team Six is often used in reference to DEVGRU because of their similarities as a maritime counter-terrorism unit.^[7]

[edit]Recent renaming

In a recent article, Marc Ambinder wrote that DEVGRU's designation had been changed by the Defense Department to a new name.^[8] However, the new name is currently classified. This has also been the case for Delta Force, which was originally designated 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, and is now known as Army Compartmented Elements," or "ACE." ^[9]

[edit]Recruitment, selection, and training

In the early stages of creating SEAL Team Six, Marcinko had been given only six months to get ST6 up and running. This meant that there was a timing issue and Marcinko had little time to create a proper selection course, similar to that of Delta Force, and as a result hand-picked the first plankowners of the unit himself after assessing their Navy records and personally interviewing each man. It has been said that Marcinko regretted not having enough time to set up a proper selection process/course. All applicants came from the UDTs and East and West Coast SEAL teams. Marcinko's criteria for recruiting applicants was combat experience due to the fact that he would know they could perform under fire; language skills were vital, as the unit would have a worldwide mandate to be able to communicate with the local population if needed; union skills, in order to be able to blend in as civilians during an operation; and finally SEAL skills. Each member of SEAL Team Six was selected in part because of the different specialty skills each man brought with him to the unit.

The training schedule was intense. The claim had been made by one former Team member that in one year SEAL Team Six fired more rounds of ammunition than the entire U.S. Marine Corps.^[10]^{[dubious – discuss]} The emphasis was on shooting skills, range firing, close-quarters battle (CQB), and stress shooting in a variety of conditions.

As with most aspects of the unit being highly classified, information regarding the process of recruitment and selection for the NSWDG ("DEVGRU") is also scarce, but what is speculated and is known is that the selection and training for the unit hasn't changed dramatically since its creation. All applicants come from the "regular" SEAL teams and the Navy'sExplosive Ordnance Disposal units, unless applying for support positions (in which there have been open advertisements on the web for support personnel).

It can be inferred from the quality of their pool of applicants that those considered are in peak physical condition, maintain an excellent reputation as an operator within the Naval Special Warfare community, and have done operational deployments with a SEAL Team where an operator will have picked up invaluable experience. As a result, the candidate will usually be in his 30s. As ST6 was recruiting the best and brightest SEALs/UDTs from the regular teams, this created animosity between the unit and the "regular" teams that their best SEALs were being poached for the unit.

Those who pass the stringent recruitment and selection process will be selected to attend a six- to seven-month Operators Training Course. Candidates will join the unit's training wing known as "Green Team." The training course attrition rate is extremely high; at least half the class will fail the course. During one selection course, out of the original 20 candidates, only 12 completed the course.^[10] All candidates are watched closely by DEVGRU instructors and evaluated on whether they were suitable to join the individual squadrons.

Like all Special Operations Forces units that have an extremely intensive and high-risk training schedule, serious injuries or death among operators can result. SEAL Team Six/DEVGRU has lost several operators during training, including parachute accidents and close-quarters battle training accidents. It is presumed that the unit's assessment process for potential new recruits is different from what a SEAL operator experienced in his previous career, and much of the training tests the candidate's mental capacity rather than his physical condition, as he will have already completed Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL training.

Candidates will be put through a variety of advanced training courses that can include courses led by civilian and/or military instructors. These can include free-climbing, advancedunarmed combat techniques, defensive and offensive driving, advanced diving, and "survival, evasion, resistance, and escape" (SERE) training. All candidates must perform at the top level during selection, and the unit instructors evaluate the candidate during the training process. Any candidate not performing to the highest level will be returned to his previous unit.

Once a candidate has been selected, he will be assigned to one of the Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadrons.

[edit]Commanding Officers

Commander Richard Marcinko – Nov 1980 to July 1983
Captain Robert A. Gormly – 1983 to 1986
Captain Thomas E. Murphy – 1986 to 1987
Captain Richard T.P. Woolard – 1987 to 1990
Captain Ronald E. Yeaw – 1990 to 1992
Captain Thomas G. Moser – 1992 to 1994
Admiral Eric T. Olson – 1994 to 1997
Vice Admiral Albert M. Calland III – June 1997 to June 1999
Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan – 1999 to 2002
Rear Admiral Edward G. Winters, III – 2002 to 2004
Captain Eric Prescott
Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey
Rear Admiral Scott P. Moore

[edit]Roles and responsibilities

When SEAL Team Six was first created it was devoted exclusively to counter-terrorism with a worldwide maritime responsibility; its objectives typically included targets such as ships, oil rigs, naval bases, or other civilian or military bases that were accessible from the sea or inland waterways.

SEAL Team Six was originally also tasked with covertly infiltrating international hot spots in order to carry out reconnaissance or security assessments of U.S. military bases and U.S. Embassies.

Although the unit was created as a maritime counter-terrorism unit, it has become a multi-functional Special Operations unit with multiple roles that include high-risk personnel/hostage extractions. Such operations include the failed rescue of Linda Norgrove, the successful rescue of an American businessman,^[11] and in 1991 the successful recovery of Haitian PresidentJean-Bertrand Aristide and his family during a coup that deposed him.

After SEAL Team Six was disbanded and renamed, the official mission of the currently operating NSWDG is to test, evaluate, and develop technology and maritime, ground, and airborne tactics applicable to Naval Special Warfare forces such as Navy SEALs; however, this is presumed this is only a small part of the group's work assignment.

DEVGRU's full mission is classified but is thought to include preemptive, pro-active counterterrorist operations, counter-proliferation (efforts to prevent the spread of both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction), as well as assassination or recovery of high-value targets (HVTs) from unfriendly nations.^[12]^[13] DEVGRU is one of only a handful of U.S. special mission units authorized to use preemptive actions against terrorists and their facilities.^[14]

DEVGRU and the Army's Delta Force train together and deploy together on counter-terrorist missions usually as part of a joint special operations task force (JSOTF).^[3]^[7]^[15]^[16]

The CIA's highly secretive Special Activities Division (SAD) and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group (SOG) recruits operators from SEAL Team Six.^[17] Joint Navy SEALs and CIA operations go back to the famed MACV-SOG group during the Vietnam War.^[18] This cooperation still exists today and is seen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[19]^[20]

[edit]Operational deployments

The majority of the operations assigned to the NSWDG are classified and may never be known to the public. However, there are some operations in which the unit has been involved where certain details have been made public.

[edit]Operation Urgent Fury

Main article: Operation Urgent Fury

On October 13, 1983, the Grenadian Army, controlled by former Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard, overthrew the government of Grenada in a bloody coup d'état, creating aCommunist regime. The severity of the violence, coupled with Coard's hard-line Marxism, caused deep concern among neighboring Caribbean nations, as well as in Washington, D.C. Adding to the US's concern was the presence of nearly 1,000 American medical students in Grenada.

The new leader of the Grenadian government, Maurice Bishop, aligned Grenada with Cubans, Soviets, and communist organizations. The Reagan administration reviled the leftist government for being too closely allied to Cuba and the Soviet Union.^[21] On October 25, Reagan decided to act and United States invaded the small island of Grenada.

SEAL Team Six's Assault Group Three was to conduct a static line drop with boats a few miles away from the Grenadian coast.^[22] One of two C-130 cargo planes transporting the SEALs to their drop point veered far off course. A rain squall accompanied by high winds broke out just before the SEALs conducted the drop. Four out of the eight SEALs that made the drop drowned and were never seen again.^[22] After the disastrous insertion, Assault Group Three was told to stand-by and began preparing for the next mission. The next mission was to go to the governor's mansion and secure Governor-General Paul Scoon, protect him and his family and move them out of the combat area.^[23] A second mission was to capture and secure Grenada's only radio station so that it couldn't be used by the local military to incite the population or coordinate military actions.^[23] There was almost no intelligence for either of these operations.^[22]

[edit]Governor-General's mansion

To reach the governor-general's mansion, the SEALs were flown in on Blackhawk helicopters that morning, and fast-roped to the ground while under fire.^[22] As they approached from the back of the mansion, the team found Scoon hiding. The SEALs then continued to clear the rest of the house and began to set up a perimeter to ensure security.^[22] Soon the mansion started to take fire from men armed with AK-47s and RPGs. As the incoming fire started to increase, Governor-General Scoon and his family were moved to a safer location in the house. After the incoming fire had decreased, three men wearing Cuban uniforms approached the mansion, all of them carrying AK-47s. The SEALs shouted for the three men to stop where they were. When the three men heard the yells, they raised their weapons. The SEALs opened fire on the Cubans and killed them almost instantly.^[22]

Soon afterward, two BTR-60PBs rolled up to the mansion's gates. One of the BTRs at the mansion's front gate opened fire. Just as the SEALs were about to fire a LAW anti-tank rocket, the BTR backed off and left with the other BTR.^[22] When the SEALs had inserted on to the compound, they left behind their long-range SATCOM radio on a helicopter.^[22] The only communications the team had were through MX-360 radios. The team used the radios to communicate with a SEAL command post on the island to call in air strikes. As the radios started to die, communications with the SEAL command post became weak. Once all the radios had finally died and the SEALs urgently needed air support, the SEALs used a regular house phone to call JSOC.^[22] JSOC was able to get an AC-130 Spectre gunship to hold station over the SEALs' position to provide air support.

When morning came, a group of Force Recon Marines arrived to extract the SEALs, Governor-General Scoon, and his family to a helicopter extraction point. As the team left the compound, they noticed splattered blood and discarded weapons all around. The helicopter finally arrived and extracted everyone to safety.^[22]

[edit]Radio station

A Soviet-made BTR-60PBarmored personnel carrier

Assault Group Three and another squad from SEAL Team Six flew to the radio station on a Blackhawk helicopter.^[24] The helicopter took small-arms fire on the insertion. Once the team unloaded it overran the radio station compound. The SEALs were told to hold the station until Governor Scoon and a broadcast team could be brought in.^[22] After the team took control of the compound, it was not able to make radio contact with the SEAL command post. The SEALs set up a perimeter while they continued to try to make radio contact. As this was happening, a BTR-60 rolled up to the compound and 20 Grenadian soldiers disguised as station workers piled out.^[24] The soldiers carried weapons even in disguise.^[24] The SEALs ordered the soldiers to drop the weapons. The soldiers opened fire but were shot down almost instantly. Afterward the SEALs continued laboring to make radio contact when another BTR and three trucks were spotted coming towards the station.^[24]

The trucks carried a dozen soldiers each. The SEALs quickly conducted a defensive maneuver as the soldiers flanked the building. The BTR covered the front entrance with its 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine gun. The incoming fire on the SEALs position was becoming devastatingly heavy and the SEALs were running out of ammunition. The SEAL team knew that their only option was to change their original plan of holding the radio station and instead destroy the radio transmitter, and head to the water following their pre-planned escape route out behind the station across a broad meadow that led to a path that cut between cliffs and a beach.^[24] The meadow was terribly exposed to Grenadian fire. The team leapfrogged across the exposed ground and took heavy fire. The team finally reached the end of the field, cut through a chain-link fence and ran into dense brush. The SEALs quickly followed the path to the beach. One SEAL had been wounded in the arm. The Grenadians were still in pursuit, so the SEALs waded into the water and began swimming parallel to the shore until they found cliff ledges to conceal themselves.^[24] The SEALs remained hidden until long after the Grenadians had given up the search. Once the SEALs were convinced that the Grenadians had given up, the team jumped back into the water and swam out to sea. The SEALs were in the water close to six hours before a rescue plane spotted them and vectored a Navy ship to pick them up.^[24]

[edit]Operation Restore Hope

During Operation Restore Hope and Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia, DEVGRU was a part of Task Force Ranger. TF Ranger was made up of operators from Delta Force, the 75th Ranger Regiment, the 160th SOAR, the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, and unknown number of SEALs from DEVGRU. Eric T. Olson, John Gay, Howard Wasdin, Homer Nearpass, and Richard Kaiser were the five SEALs that fought in the Battle of the Black Sea during the last mission of Operation Gothic Serpent to capture the warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.^[16]

[edit]Hunting war criminals, Bosnia

The NSWDG operated alongside other members of NATO's Implementation Force, such as its Army counterpart Delta Force and the British SAS. These units were tasked by The Haguewith finding and apprehending persons indicted for war crimes (PIFWC) and returning them to The Hague to stand trial. Some of DEVGRU's PIFWC operations included apprehendingGoran Jelisić, Simo Zaric, Milan Simic and Miroslav Tadic.

[edit]Operation Enduring Freedom

In Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) U.S. Special Operations forces have led the fighting.^[25] During the crucial Battle of Takur Ghar part of Operation Anacondasmall teams of DEVGRU Tier One operators assigned to an Advanced Force Operations task force were tasked with establishing observation positions (OPs) on the high ground above the proposed landing zones of US conventional forces. It was one of the most violent battles of Operation Anaconda. Late at night on March 2, 2002 a MH-47 Chinook helicopter piloted by the 160th SOAR was carrying a team of Navy SEALs from DEVGRU. The original plan was that the SEALs would be inserted at a point 1300 meters east of the peak, but circumstances led the SEALs to choose the summit of Takur Ghar itself as the insertion point. As the helicopter was nearing its landing zone both the pilots and the men in the back observed fresh tracks in the snow, goatskins, and other signs of recent human activity. Immediately, the pilots and team discussed a mission abort, but it was too late. An RPG struck the side of the aircraft, wounding one crewman, while machine gun bullets ripped through the fuselage, cutting hydraulic and oil lines. Fluid spewed about the ramp area of the helicopter. The pilot struggled to get the helicopter off the landing zone and away from the enemy fire. Neil C. Roberts, a SEAL operator, was poised to exit the ramp when the aircraft was hit and he slipped on the oil as the helicopter took off. He was thrown from the helicopter dropping about 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 m) to the snowy ground below. Roberts immediately engaged Al-Qaeda forces with the weapons he carried including his M249 light machine gun, SIG Sauer 9mm pistol and grenades. He survived at least 30 minutes before he was shot and killed at close range.

[edit]Operation Geronimo: Death of Osama bin Laden

Main article: Death of Osama bin Laden

On May 1/2 2011, DEVGRU was involved in the operation, codename Geronimo,^[26] that killed Osama bin Laden at his compound in the affluent suburb of Abottabad, Pakistan.^[27]^[28] In the 40-minute mission, there were no injuries or casualties to the team. The team practiced the mission in a segregated section of Camp Alpha at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in early April, 2011, using a one-acre replica of bin Laden's compound. ^[29] ^[30] Modified MH-60 helicopters from the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, carried Navy SEALs and were supported by other personnel with tactical signals, intelligence collectors, and navigators using highly classified hyperspectral imagers from Ghazi Air Base in Pakistan. It has been speculated that these helicopters may have spoofed transponder codes and been painted to resemble Pakistan Air Force equipment by other JSOC units, the Technical Application Programs Office and the Aviation Technology Evaluation Group. The raid involved close collaboration with the CIA. A May 1 memo from CIA Director Leon Panetta thanked the National Security Agency, which by some means determined that there was no telephone or internet service in the compound, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which creates mapping and pattern recognition software which was likely used to determine that Bin Laden lived in the compound with "high probability". Members of these agencies were paired with JSOC units in forward-deployed fusion cells to "exploit and analyze" battlefield data instantly using biometrics, facial recognition, voice print databases, and predictive models of insurgent behavior based on surveillance and computer-based pattern analysis.^[31]

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEVGRU

Shadow Budget - Questionable Intent - Keeping Singapore Safe??

2011-05-02T03:37:00.000-07:00

Page 20 point C(74).

Given the current capacity of our Armed Forces, this Budget will not make any allocation for increase in our defence capabilities. An allocation of 2% of the Developmental Budget will be assigned to maintaining strong community safety and internal security. The Internal Security Department (ISD) will be abolished in the context of the repeal of the Internal Security Act. The Whitley Road Detention Centre will be closed.

Page 21 point C(76)

The Chief of Defence Force will commission a committee to study the feasibility of converting the Singapore Armed Forces, including the Air Force and Navy, into a scaled-down, fully professional Defence Force, taking advantage of our military capacity to reduce the costs of a conscript army. The first task of the committee will be to report on the reduction of National Service to one year and the feasibility of channelling surplus personnel to civilian sectors such as hospitals, ambulance services, social services and environmental clean-up units.

My comments

I think this is a very dangerous proposal and should not be taken lightly.

Shadow Budget - Questionable Intent - Taxation

2011-05-02T03:06:00.000-07:00

Page 12 point C(6)

"Taxation will be orientated away from consumption to income, which is the fairest way of levying taxes. A graduated GST to take account of essential goods versus luxury goods will be introduced and a tax levied on property sale transactions above S$3 million, in addition to current stamp duty liability. In line with this, all government fees and licenses will be frozen at their current amounts. The habit of profiteering from basic services and from enterprise must be removed from all public sectors of the economy and society."

Page 12 point C(7)

"This Shadow Budget is based on several basic, people-oriented standards designed to enhance the nation’s resources and its output. These standards encompass the ideas and values that have emerged from key thinkers and economists in the recent period:

• Minimal expenditure increase;

• Redirecting of priorities;

• Efficiency savings;

• Removal of subsidies in favour of fair income;

• Reorienting of taxation away from consumption, and

• Divestment of government control in the economy.

They will ensure a stronger economy, a more cohesive community, and a happier, healthier and better educated population."

My comments
SDP is proposing to levy taxes on income and to orientate it away from consumption. I think this proposal is regressive in nature and totally missing the fundamentals.

Shadow Budget - Questionable Intent 3 - NGOs

2011-05-02T02:41:00.000-07:00

Page 5 point A(14)

The markets of the future will require us to watch and listen more closely to what people are buying, doing, and wanting. Singapore must develop an open approach to ‘niche markets’, for example, in eco-friendly and organic products, lifestyle pursuits, and even the opening up of our shores to regional and global non-profit organisations, social enterprises, and non-government organisations (NGOs). Such an openness is the result of enabling and allowing the people - the consumer and the merchant - to dictate where the market should go. Co-opting successful entrepreneurs into state-mandated committees is counter-productive because, governed by the internal logic of the establishment, they become hidebound by the culture of conservatism, hierarchies, and ministerial edict and become reified, unable to identify the trends and patterns of consumer behaviour.

Page 12 point C(12)

"The government will also repeal the Political Donations Act in order to encourage local NGOs to flourish and regional and international NGOs to relocate to Singapore, thus opening up a new economic sector."

My comments
Why was it mentioned in the Shadow Budget? Why do we need NGOs presence in Singapore? For purpose of transparency, SDP should list those NGOs they would like to be in Singapore. Who are they? Are they political in nature? Are they active groups in advocating human rights? What is their purpose here? How does it benefit Singaporeans socially and economically? Please elaborate.

Shadow Budget - Questionable Intent 2 - GST on Luxury Goods

2011-05-02T02:32:00.000-07:00

Page 29 point E(13)

"......Goods and Services Tax will be rescheduled to take account of basic services which will be zero rated. Luxury goods will be subject to an increased GST tax. Property sales transactions above S$3,000,000 will be subject to a transaction tax. Inheritance tax on estates above S$10,000,000 will be returned to the tax structure."

Page 18 point C(57)

"A graduated GST will be introduced. It will range from zero-rated basic goods and services (food, medical care and products, and educational products and services) to a maximum of 10% for luxury goods (i.e. non-essential goods costing over S$500 each.)"

My comments

It is an over simplistic view.

Shadow Budget - Questionable Intent - Foreign Worker Levy

2011-05-02T02:23:00.000-07:00

Page 13 point C(31)

The Foreign Worker Levy payable by employers will, instead of being returned to the Government, be divided equally between the employees on Work Permits and the employer. In this way, both employee and employer benefit instead of the Government. We will encourage, through tax subsidy, the use of the employer proportion for productivity enhancements. The Security Bond will be abolished because there is no evidence that migrant workers will abscond or engage in criminal behaviour in its absence.

Page 28 point E(12)

"Foreign Worker Levy: The foreign worker levy will not be retained by government but be divided equally between the employee and employer, this benefitting employee and employer. The Security Bond will also be abolished as it leads to perverse and unjust outcomes for workers."

My comments
Why is SDP raising a foreign worker issue in their Shadow Budget? Is it a policy error? Who is the employee? Who is the worker? How does it affect a Singaporean worker? What is the economic benefit?