S'pore army captain marries NSman in uniform, flanked by all-female sword bearers

A captain in the Singapore Army and her NSman husband chose to celebrate their love in a manner befitting their military backgrounds: in uniform.

Koh Xinci, 30, an army Regular, also opted for an all-female sword bearers team at her 2024 wedding, instead of the more commonly seen male team.

Love story

Pioneer, the media arm of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), documented Koh's love story with her now-husband, 3rd Sergeant (3SG) (NS) Nitro Chan, in their Valentine's Day letter.

Chan, 31, is an operationally ready national serviceman (NSman) who served with the Military Police during his NS days.

He now works as an indie game publisher and serves his reservist under the 2nd People's Defence Force.

Koh, meanwhile, joined the army after completing her A' Levels in 2015.

She is currently completing her tour of duty as a company commander in the 11th Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence Battalion and is set to begin a new role as staff officer at Headquarters Army Intelligence.

The couple met on the dating app "Coffee Meets Bagel" and had their first date at the National Museum, they said.

In contrast to Koh's more reserved nature, Chan was the wittier and funnier of the pair, and they bonded over their respective NS experiences.

A unique wedding

After getting engaged in Hokkaido, Japan, in 2024, their wedding paid homage to their military backgrounds with Koh's friends from her different services serving as sword bearers.

One of them was even from her Basic Military Training (BMT) days, she said.

The couple also showed up in their ceremonial dress uniforms, or Number One, in place of the traditional suit and dress.

Challenges

Reflecting on their marriage, Chan said among the toughest parts was Koh's demanding work schedule as an army personnel.

She typically wakes up before him each morning, as Chan stays up till late due to the nature of his work.

"It’s almost like we’re living in different time zones," he said.

The pair even missed their first wedding anniversary in 2025 as Koh was in Australia for a training exercise.

Nonetheless, they support each other through their respective endeavours, such as Chan cooking for Koh often and preparing a "gigantic" wedding anniversary card.

"It’s not easy to be a military spouse," Koh said, adding that she felt sorry for missing important events like birthdays or anniversaries.

"I’m so grateful to have you."

Top images via Pioneer