In Singapore, 40-year-old Kumar Rohit Zariwal spends his weekdays in a climate-controlled office, working as a bank cyber security engineer to protect digital applications. But for two weeks this October, he has traded his laptop for a military uniform, standing guard in the harsh environment of the Australian outback.
Mr Rohit, who relocated to Singapore in 2010, is deployed at Exercise Wallaby 2026 as an Auxiliary Security Trooper with the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC). Established as a uniformed volunteer scheme, the SAFVC allows Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who are not liable for National Service to directly contribute to the nation’s defence alongside regular personnel and conscripts.
Stationed at Camp Tilpa within the sprawling Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Mr Rohit’s primary responsibility is managing vehicle and personnel access control at the camp’s main entrance. The outdoor deployment presents a stark physical contrast to his civilian profession. Sentry duty requires him to manage the outback’s unpredictable weather, which frequently fluctuates between sudden downpours and scorching heat.
When asked why a civilian father of two would voluntarily leave his comfort zone for such conditions, Mr Rohit points to a strong sense of civic duty.
“I always wanted to serve and volunteer,” he explained. Having made Singapore his home, he saw the SAFVC as a direct avenue to actively contribute to the country’s security. Furthermore, he viewed the volunteer corps as a practical way to understand how the military operates and to forge deeper, more meaningful connections with Singaporean society and culture.
That pursuit of integration has translated into genuine camaraderie on the ground. Operating alongside regular military personnel and full-time National Servicemen (NSFs), Mr Rohit has found a highly supportive working environment. The shared duties in the dust have fostered a strong sense of brotherhood, allowing him to learn from the military framework while offering his own civilian maturity to the team.
Despite the demanding terrain, the primary challenge for Mr Rohit is the separation from his family. With one daughter preparing to enter Secondary One and another currently in kindergarten, he feels their absence deeply.
He attributes his ability to participate in this overseas deployment entirely to his wife.
“Managing two kids alone is difficult,” he noted with gratitude. “I am incredibly thankful for her support, and to my kids as well”.
Through the quiet dedication of volunteers like Mr Rohit, the SAF’s largest overseas exercise demonstrates that national defence is a shared community effort.
