Melvyn Ong

Education

Ong was educated in Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and National Junior College. He received the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Overseas Scholarship in 1994 to study at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Second Class Honours). He also completed a Master of Science in economics at the LSE in 1998.

Ong attended the Indonesian Army Staff and Command School in 2005. He also completed the United States Army's Infantry Officer Course in Fort Benning, Georgia in 1998.

Military career

Ong enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in January 1994 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in October that year. He has held various appointments in the SAF, including the Commander of the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade from 2010 to 2011, and Head of the Joint Plans and Transformation Department. In 2011, he led the Singapore team which assisted in rescue operations and provided humanitarian aid to the victims of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand. He also chaired the executive committee of the 2015 National Day Parade. He served as Chief Guards Officer from 18 June 2014 to 14 August 2015.

Ong succeeded Perry Lim as the Chief of the Singapore Army on 14 August 2015.

Ong was promoted to the rank of Major General on 1 July 2016.

Non-military career

In addition to his career in the SAF, Ong is concurrently engaged in the Singapore Administrative Service, operating under a dual-career scheme. From 2013 to 2014, he served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Early Childhood Development Agency, an organization established through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education.

Awards

Ong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Military) in 2012.

Personal life

Ong is married to Nicole Lynn Mccully. They have three children.