Jia Hui Ong.
- Jia Hui Ong enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces when she was 20.
- Ong, 26, served for five years before she left for the private sector. She is now on a career break.
- Ong said that serving in the army helped develop her sense of identity.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jia Hui Ong, who left the military to join the private sector. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her employment history.
I felt quite directionless as a teenager.