National Service in Singapore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

National Service (NS) is the name given to the compulsory conscription in Singapore of all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents upon reaching the age of 18. They serve a two-year period as Full Time National Servicemen (NSFs) in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

When a conscript completes his full time service, he is considered to be "operationally ready", and is thereafter known as an Operationally-Ready National Serviceman (NSman). NSmen are the equivalent of other militaries' reservists. The difference in nomenclature is because these NSmen will form the bulk of the Singapore Armed Forces in time of war. The term Operationally-Ready National Servicemen conveys more importance than the reservists.

On an annual basis, NSmen either go through a high key training or low key training until they reach the age of 40 or 50 depending on their rank. 'High-key' or intensive training involves operations and In-Camp Training (ICT), which last for seven days or longer. 'Low Key' training refers to training duration of six days or less.

The overwhelming majority serve in the Army, as part of the SAF. The reasons for this phenomenon include the relative manpower needs of the Army, compared with the other armed services, the SPF, and SCDF. Also, compared with the Army, the Air Force and Navy are smaller services composed primarily of regular servicemen. As their manpower needs tend to be more specialized, a constant turnover of staff would be very disruptive.

Contents 1 History 2 Enlistment 3 Military service 4 Police Service 5 Civil Defence Service 6 Refusal to serve 7 Humanitarian effort 8 National Service in arts and popular culture 8.1 Film 8.2 Theatre 9 References 10 External links

[edit] History

The NS (Amendment) act was passed on 14 March 1967, as the Singapore government felt that it was necessary to build a substantial military force. The country only had about 1000 soldiers at the time of independence. In the late 1960s, the British government had decided to withdraw its troops and bases East of Suez, which included the troops stationed in Singapore. That prompted the government to implement a conscription program for the country's defence. It adopted a conscription model similar to that of the Israel Defense Forces, as Israeli military advisers were closely involved in the establishment of the Singapore armed forces.^[1]

The stated rationale behind conscription is two-fold. Firstly, because Singapore has a population of about 4 million (as of 2004), an army solely comprised of regulars would be too small to defend the country. Secondly, national service is supposed to foster racial harmony among the Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other ethnic groups in the country by requiring all males to go through similar experiences and thus being able to identify themselves to a common purpose of protecting the country (see multiracialism).

In practice, racial integration is not fully applied across the various services. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) are disproportionately composed of Malays, and Malays are being excluded, with some exceptions, from certain military vocations and units such as Armour, Signals, Intelligence, Navy, and Air Force.^{[citation needed]}

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has never fought in a war and the set-up of the military is largely designed for deterrence. The SAF also has the important role of participating in humanitarian missions overseas.

[edit] Enlistment

Male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents are required to register for national service upon reaching the age of 16½, during which they undergo a medical examination. They are then called up for enlistment at the age of 18, although their enlistment is usually deferred until after they complete their secondary education in polytechnics, high schools, junior colleges, pre-university or other institutions. Some are also allowed to commence their fulltime national service at the age of 16½ if they so choose.

Exemptions are rare and are usually due to disability or serious medical conditions certified by the SAF Medical Board. A person could also be exempted if the enlistment would cause hardship to his family, but this exemption is rarely granted.

Children born to foreigners after they have taken up permanent residency in Singapore are required to serve National Service. However, foreigners who take up jobs in Singapore or become permanent residents of Singapore are themselves not required to serve National Service.

[edit] Military service

There are several types of Basic Military Training (BMT) conducted by the SAF at its BMT Centre on Pulau Tekong, which is an island off the north-east coast of Singapore. Medically fit NSFs who hold educational qualifications from Junior Colleges and other institutions of higher learning undergo a 9-week Enhanced BMT program. Those from lower educational backgrounds undergo a similar program (Standard BMT program), but without a Sit Test (Situational Test), which is a test used to assess trainees for posting to command schools like the School of Infantry Specialists (SISPEC) and Officer Cadet School (OCS), occasionally a select few will later be posted to the Police service for training as an Inspector.

NSFs who are less medically fit, depending on their particular medical condition, either have to go a 7-week Modified BMT or just a 5-day Residential program at one of the 2 Schools of the BMTC. NSFs who are medically fit, but have failed the pre-enlistment Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), will have to undergo an additional 4-week Physical Training Phase (PTP), making it a 13-week BMT program for them. Conscripts who are overweight go through special BMT programs, depending on the severity of their obesity, with the longest BMT program lasting for just over 6 months (26 weeks) for the most obese trainees. The obesity of a conscript is determined by his Body Mass Index (BMI) during the pre-enlistment medical checkup.

Medically fit NSmen also have to take the IPPT every year as part of their training program.

[edit] Police Service

Though a majority will serve in the army for their National Service, a considerable number of enlistees will serve their NS years in the Police Force. For those who are chosen to serve in the Police Force, they will undergo training at the Home Team Academy where they will study the Penal code and standard police protocol. After training at the Academy, they will be posted to various Departments of the Force eg. Special Operations Command (SOC), Logistics, Land divisions, Airport Police, etc. Those who are posted to the Police Coast Guard (PCG) will undergo further training.

[edit] Civil Defence Service

The SCDF is the emergency rescue force of Singapore and they provide firefighting, rescue and ambulance services. Those who are enlisted into the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will go through a 7-week Basic Rescue Training at the Basic Rescue Training Centre (BRTC). Selected NSFs are also posted to the Civil Defence Academy (CDA) to undergo the Firefighter course or an Emergency Response Specialist (ERS) course. NSFs can become Firefighters, Paramedics, Dog Handlers, Hazardous Materials Specialists (HAZMAT), Provosts, Logistics or Instructors among many other vocations.

[edit] Refusal to serve

Those who are liable to serve national service, but refuse to, are charged under the Enlistment Act. If convicted, face imprisonment for a period of three years and a fine of S$10,000. The penalties were increased in January 2006 after a Singapore-born pianist, Melvyn Tan, received a fine for defaulting on his national service obligations. This caused many to complain that they had wasted 2 years of their life, when they could just pay it off with a meager fine. Tan has lived in Britain since 1978.

Each year, a small number of people are convicted for their failure to enlist or refusal to serve in the military. Most of them are Jehovah's Witnesses, who are usually court-martialled and sentenced to three years of imprisonment, although they are usually held in a low security detention facility and separated from other military offenders. Conscientious objection is not a legal reason for refusing to serve NS. Since 1972, Jehovah's Witnesses as a religious group has been banned in Singapore. ^[2]

In addition, male Singaporeans who did not serve National Service, and subsequently relinquished their Singaporean citizenship have been refused work permits or even student visas.

[edit] Humanitarian effort

Some NSFs have participated in the humanitarian efforts following the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake.

[edit] National Service in arts and popular culture

[edit] Film

• Army Daze (1996)

[edit] Theatre

• Army Daze (1987, 2006)

[edit] References

1. ^ A Deep, Dark, Secret Love Affair, by Amnon Brazilai, originally published by Haaretz Newspaper, July, 2004.
2. ^ "Government to impose stiffer penalties for NS defaulters", Channel NewsAsia, 2006-01-16.

[edit] External links

• Ministry of Defence(Singapore)
  • The NSmen Website
  • The NSmen's portal
  • Enlistment Act