Organisation and Structure

Brigadier-General (BG) Tan Tiong Keat

Commandant, SAFTI Military Institute

BG Tan Tiong Keat assumed the appointment of Commandant, SAFTI Military Institute on 7 July 2022. He believes in the importance of grooming Leaders of Character for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and is responsible for the professional military education and training of all Officers, Warrant Officers, Specialists and Military Experts in the SAF.

BG Tan joined the SAF in 1998. He held various command and staff appointments, including Commanding Officer, 30th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers; Military Assistant to the Chief of Defence Force; Commander, Army Combat Engineers Group; Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Personnel); and Head Joint Manpower Department. In his last appointment as Commander, 2nd People’s Defence Force / Island Defence Task Force, he led the military forces deployed for homeland defence and homeland security operations through the COVID-19 pandemic, including round-the-clock protection of key civilian and military installations. He also worked closely with the Home Team to ensure the security of key events and respond to major civil emergencies in Singapore.

BG Tan was actively involved in the organisation of key national-level events, notably as Chairman Show and Dynamic Defence Display for National Day Parade (NDP) 2017. That year saw the first time that a drone light show was integrated as part of NDP. He was also part of the pioneering team that organised the first NDP at the Marina Bay Floating Platform in 2007.

BG Tan was awarded the SAF Merit Scholarship in 1999 and graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (USA) with Honours degrees in Political Science and Psychology in 2003. He also attained a Master of Military Art and Science degree from the US Army Command and General Staff College in 2009. In 2014, he was awarded the SAF Overseas Postgraduate Award (General Development) and graduated with a Master in Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management in 2015.

BG Tan received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Military) and the Commendation Medal (COVID-19) in 2023. He is married to Mdm Ong Han Han, and they have three sons – Isaac, Jacob and Kyler.

SAFTI MI Organisation Chart