Military Life: Memoirs of a Conscript in the Lion City

Tio NDP

2011-11-14T00:37:00.001-08:00

[Source: http://sporesays.blogspot.com/]

How apt.

Training to Endure

2011-08-18T18:22:00.002-07:00

One of the key lessons I learnt during my two and a half years of full-time national service in a signaller in an armour unit and as a signaller in the People's Defence Force (infantry) was endurance. Basically, to survive your conscript experience is to endure the hardships, physical training, field training and other miscellaneous duties heaped onto one's plate as a conscript in the Lion City.

To be fair, the NSF and NS experience is all hard. In general, units kept to office hours unless there was scheduled field training or night training or if you were on duty for the various tasks that soldiers were expected to carry out e.g. guard duties, COS/BOS (Company orderly sergeant, battalion orderly sergeant) depending on your rank.

But it is during those periods of hardship such as Standard Obstacle Course training or defence exercises in digging defence positions that endurance comes in. One needs to just endure and endure and endure to get through the task or exercise.

Singapore male citizens who have endured tough times and assignments during their NS makes them "tougher" in that you can take physical discomfort and hardship a bit better after NS compared to someone who has not. So far, this did help me when my daughter was born as I dealt with sleep deprivation for the first three to four months when 3-4 hourly feeds were common and having to help pacify the baby at all hours was the norm.

Endurance really did help me and now that my daughter is 3.5 years old, it's such a fun time to be with her as I can communicate to her and play with her. I think part of my ability to survive fatherhood comes from my NS experience because I know that it is about surviving that day, that hour, bit by bit by enduring that we get through the situation.

Now that I've completed my NS liabilities and am in Mindef reserve and still waiting for my official demobilisation letter since I'm already 40 and not an officer, I think back about how conscription did shape me to have better endurance in life. Although I still think 2.5 years and the reservist obligations take up too much of our precious time and resources given the competitive pressures we face in Singapore.

Majulah Singapura.

No Country for Young (Singaporean) Men

2011-08-12T01:56:00.001-07:00

I am surprised that our mainstream media allowed this letter to be published. Many parents of male Singapore citizens and 2nd generation permanent residents must worry as they read about news of fatalities happening during national service to their precious children.

As a father myself, I too worry about my child but count my blessings that she was born a girl so she does not have to go through what I went through for duty, honour and country.

My parents had two of their sons serve national service in combat vocations for 2.5 years and 10 years reservist. They too worried when we were overseas for training as well as undergoing field exercises in ulu places in Singapore. Fortunately, both sons went through their NS stints safely but not without encountering news of unit mates passing away due to accidents or to IPPT.

Conscription as it stands cannot continue to go on like it is. I cannot fathom why we cannot even start the discourse to consider professionalising the military into an all volunteer force. Taiwan is going that direction. Germany has ended mandatory conscription in the military. Policy makers have to understand that we are living in a very different geopolitical world compared to when Singapore attained self-rule in 1959 and independence in 1965.

As it stands, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and Navy are already fairly professionalised. It is high time for the Army to consider gradually transiting away from reliance on a conscript force and move fully into a professional force. Detractors will accuse me of saying that I'm advocating throwing away our defence force.

Rubbish. If you read carefully, I am advocating that we consider re-thinking about our reliance on this model of mandatory conscription that is imposed only on the male citizen population. Given a defence budget of $15billion, I believe we can professionalise the army and reduce the number of soldiers we need without compromising our defence and security needs. We do not have to look far to see that the Police Force has many regulars who are PRs and not citizens and we also induct the Gurkha contingent made up of native Nepalese who serve in the SPF.

Our home team is already staffed with many paid professionals supplemented with full-time Police national servicemen. Similarly, full-time Civil Defence Force officers work alongside SCDF conscripts. Why can't the army start to professionalise itself and wean itself off conscripts? The US Army takes into many naturalised citizens from other countries into combat service. I say we should do the same. If you want Singapore citizenship, you can be prepared to shed your blood alongside locally born Singaporean men who continue to do so to defence our motherland Singapura.

Majulah Singapura.

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Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_701212.html

National service: A mother's constant worry

Published on Aug 12, 2011

AS A mother of a full-time national serviceman (NSF) who is nine months into his national service and who has just graduated from the Specialist Cadet School, I feel the pain of the parents of Third Sergeant Ee Chun Sheng ('NSF on training exercise dies'; Aug 3).

Each day, since my son began fulfilling his NS obligations, I have lived in fear of the telephone ringing, or of a soldier in uniform calling at my house, to break some painful news.

We can live with the sores and cuts that he comes home with, but we fear the day we will never see him come home again.

Every year, thousands of our boys leave their homes, their studies or their jobs to fulfil their obligations to the nation. All they and we, their parents, ask for is their safe return two years later.

Why are there fatal accidents involving our NSFs almost every year? Why do they happen even after inquiries and investigations reveal that procedures were followed and safety measures were in place?

The Defence Ministry should correct this distressing record. Let us, the parents of current and future NSFs, live and sleep in peace.

Looi Pek Hong (Ms)

The Blood Price of Defence and Security in the Lion City

2011-08-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Another of our brethen has fallen in serving his duty to his country. Condolences to the family of the late SCT Ee Chun Sheng. All of us who serve and have served in the SAF, SCDF and SPF for our country as conscripts grieve for another brother lost for the defence of our nation.

The price of blood is the true price we conscripts of the Lion City pay. I wonder how it feels for people who have served in a non-combat vocation such as 'Defence Medical Scientist' in air-conditioned comfort day-to-day while others need to go for navigation (or topographical) exercises carrying SBO, helmet and rifle go walking around with map and compass in SAF training areas.

I have said it once and I'll continue to say it again. The price of conscription at times can be DEATH OR INJURY. If you talk to any of your brothers, spouses, fathers, cousins who have served especially in combat vocations in the SAF as conscripts in the Lion City, you would at times hear of fatalities they have encountered or heard about whilst doing their 2-2.5 years of full-time national service and 10-13 years of reservist training.

We who are liable to pay the ULTIMATE price for the defence of the Lion City are marginalised in our own country by the current administration's opaque policies that allow foreigners to flood our country and compete against citizens in public-funded educational institutions of higher learning, in jobs, in scholarships.

I am not against competition. I welcome it. But it has to be FAIR competition. What country creates a marketplace where its own male citizens are handicapped by the two years of NS? Increasingly, even Taiwan is looking to reduce its NS term and Germany (as part of NATO) has ended conscription.

We take up university studies 2 years later than foreigners and female citizens. We enter the workforce 2 years later. We start families 2 years (or more) later.

The 2 years of NS in combat vocations see NSFs being paid marginally better than foreign domestic workers but we risk life and limb to protect the country. We bear the social costs of the defence of the Lion city but get precious little (especially for those of us who MR or completed NS prior to the $9,000 award announcement) in terms of tangible benefits. The positive externalities generated from the defence umbrella held by us is enjoyed by all and sundry who do not serve a single day of NS.

The laughable tax relief (and not even tax rebate!) of a few thousand dollars annually is the price the country puts on our sacrifice to our nation. Of course, old reservists like myself who completed our reservist obligations get nothing from the additional $9,000 award from Mindef as we missed the boat for serving our country earlier. Even if you look at $9,000, it's not much if you are dead at age 21 since your potential lifetime earning for 30-40 years of economically productive life should be in the range of a couple of million SGD.

At the end of the day, such cases of fatalities only serve to reinforce the bitter pill that NSFs and NSmen continue to swallow, in that we are 2nd class citizens in our own country. We male citizens and 2nd generation PRs who have to serve NS undertake MORE responsibilities and liabilities without commensurate benefits.

It seems strange in the Lion City that in the highest echelon of "public" (political) office you can be paid world class salaries as a minister under the lightning banner. But a male citizen risking his life for the country is paid marginally more than your foreign domestic worker.

Go figure as National Day approaches.

Majulah Singapura.

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Source: Mindef Website

Death of Singapore Armed Forces Full-Time National Serviceman

Posted: 03 Aug 2011, 0001 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) full-time National Serviceman (NSF), Specialist Cadet (SCT) Ee Chun Sheng, 21, was found to be unconscious at about 5.11 pm on 2 Aug 2011 while participating in a navigation exercise at Ama Keng Training Area at Lim Chu Kang

An SAF medic went on site and tried to resuscitate SCT Ee at about 5.15pm. The serviceman was evacuated via a safety vehicle to the Tengah Air Base Medical Centre and arrived at about 5.39pm where an SAF doctor attended to him. SCT Ee was then sent via an ambulance to the National University Hospital (NUH) at 6.05pm and arrived at 6.32pm. The SAF doctor and medic continued to resuscitate him enroute to the hospital. SCT Ee was pronounced dead at 9.03pm at NUH.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the late SCT Ee. The SAF is assisting the family in their time of grief and is investigating the incident.

Have you ever wondered? Why we must serve?

2011-08-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Whenever I read about SAF training accidents that cause injury (and sometimes even death) to Singapore male citizens and 2nd generation Permanent Residents, the old army song comes to mind (caveat: the actual lyrics may vary with your own army experience as these marching songs typically are passed down from trainers to the NSFs during the NS time)

Training to be soldiers

To fight for our land

Once in our lives

Two years of our time

Have you ever wondered

Why we must serve

(Be)'cause we love our land

And want it to be free, to be free.. *yah*

Stand up and be on your guard

Come on everybody

Do your part

Come on everybody

With you soul and heart

Do it for the nation (x2)

I think there are more lyrics than that my my rusty 40 year old memory fails me since my enlistment was in 1989.

The price for defence is not just paid by the two long years (in my time was two and a half-years for Corporals and above) of full-time national service plus 10 years (previously was 13) of annual reservist training ranging from 2 days to up to 3 weeks. The price of defending the Lion City serving as a conscript is sweat, tears and sometimes the blood of our 18 to 21 year-old young men from training accidents and other injuries or even fatalities.

Based on what limited information is available so far, the accident appears to be a "cook-off" round that prematured fired from a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. I have not fired a 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) but have trained with the "curry-powder" or training rounds in the M203 grenade launcher.

For a grenade to launch, the weapon's firing pin has to be activated to hit the percussion cap to ignite the propellent charge to fire off the round. In this case, based on the information below by Mindef, the propellant in the round exploded prematured, presumably before being loading into the barrel of the AGL.

From my experience with the M203, once you load your grenade into the barrel of the weapon, even if the propellant of the round is prematurely ignited, so long as your barrel was pointed at your target, you are safe since the barrel is designed to use the expanding gases from the propellant ignition to propel the grenade towards the target.

I hope SCT Percy Toh recovers from his injury. The sad fact about this accident is that it again highlights the risks we NSmen and NSF face that 1st generation PRs, foreigners and women do not, i.e. we risk dying or being maimed because we have to serve to fight for our land working with lethal arms and ammunition.

The SAF is not a social enterprise nor place for volunteer work. It is a place where citizens are conscripted and those who are medically fit are sent (not asked) to serve in combat vocations. Combat vocations (as opposed to the "Defence Medical Scientist" vocation) are where we learn the trade of killing the enemy and destroying his capacity to wage war against us. To do that, one has to train with lethal weapons, i.e. to do live-firing of our individual weapons such as M16, SAR 21, fragmentation grenade, M203.

In so doing, some of our brothers-in-arms do pay the ultimate price of blood for the defence of the Lion City.

Majulah Singapura.

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Source: Mindef Website

Injury to Full-Time National Serviceman

Posted: 31 Jul 2011, 2330 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) full-time National Serviceman (NSF), Specialist Cadet (SCT) Percy Toh Cheng Kai, 21, was injured during a live-firing training on 31 Jul 2011. SCT Toh was firing a 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher at the SAFTI Live Firing Area as part of his Specialist Armour Course when a 40mm round's propellant exploded prematurely in the weapon.

SCT Toh sustained shrapnel injuries to his chest, right arm and right cheek. He was attended to immediately by SAF medical personnel and sent to National University Hospital (NUH) where he underwent treatment for his injuries. SCT Toh is currently in stable condition and is expected to be discharged from NUH within the next few days.

The SAF is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

Last updated on 31 Jul 2011

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Military Films via iPad

2011-05-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

I just picked up a second hand ipad (1st generation) and downloaded PPTV which allows me to watch films over WIFI connection. As I enjoyed military films partly due to my own experiences serving as a reservist conscript in the Lion City so I like to vicariously experience the thrill of combat situations whilst nicely seated in my home sofa with a nice cup of coffee next to me :-)

Caught these films over the last week or so. Both are highly recommended:

1. Armadillo

It's about a Danish platoon that is posted to the Helmund Province in Afghanistan. Is a documentary hence the action you see in this film is very real. Shows the reality of combat as well as the risks from improvised explosive devices (IED) as well as mortar and small arms fire that an infantry platoon receives as part and parcel of its patrols.

2. Full Metal Jacket
Stanley Kubrick's classic on the de-humanising effects of the US military during Vietnam conflict. The boot camp drill instructor segment is worth it for every pre-enlistee to catch. Of course, the SAF no longer allows such harsh derogatory language to be used as freely.

Majulah Singapura.

If this is the oratorical ability of our SAF ex-Chief of Army, we'll probably scr*wed

2011-04-18T01:34:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to hear how an ex-Chief of Army speaks, you may want to watch this Razor TV clip of MG (Ret) Chan Chun Sing speaking at the YPAP 25th anniversary on the topic, "100 Years and Beyond for Singapore".

He's basically telling us what most of us already know. That Singapore's small size means we at forever at risk of being swallowed up by larger neighbours. And he goes on to cite two fairly obscure examples of Lanfang republic and Sultanate of Demak. Citing these examples as why city-states or small independent states cannot survive without a strong defence force.

He cites the question on why Lanfang republic didn't defend itself and instead relied on tribute to Qing dynasty for its defence. MG Chan goes on to exhort citizens not to buy insurance as the Workers' Party is using the insurance analogy for voters to vote in more opposition members of Parliament as a check and balance against over-dominance of one political party. The hokkien vernacular comes out:

"mai liao lui, mai buay sar-lah insurance"

(loosely translated: don't waste money, don't buy the wrong insurance)

It is interesting to note the hesitant applause after his punchline above at around 4:26. Personally, I also don't get his joke because he's stringing together two things are are very different, i.e. the Workers' Party is not mandating a total dismantling of the defence force but rather that funding of its proposals can come from budget rationalisations e.g. cutting defence budget. Mind you, this is cutting by small % and not advocating for a total dismantling of the defence forces. MG (Ret) Chan is trying to counter that by using this obscure example of two states most people have never heard of and attributing to them nebulous reasons for their collapse i.e. it's because they didn't "defend" themselves.

I won't go into his other policy observations but suffice to say the following points strike me:

1. As a President's scholar, why does he speak like a warrant officer with O levels instead of someone with a degree from overseas?

2. His public speaking style is totally, for lack of a better word, "ah-bengish". During my reservist, I meet so many specialists and officers who speak much better than that. And he was the previous Chief-of-Army. I wonder what type of meetings they had at Mindef with him speaking that way.

3. Was he deliberately dumbing down his delivery style to "connect" with the PAP rank and file or it this really his natural speaking style? If this is the way he conducts his briefing for the top brass in charge of Singapore's defence, then seriously, I think we're all scr*ewed because communication skills and leadership comes hand in hand.

Top leaders don't have to be top public speakers but if you are to convince and lead 3G (or even 4G) leadership, where the bulk of your NSF and NSmen have diplomas, degrees and some post-graduate qualifications, speaking like my BMT ex-regular platoon sergeant who was not highly educated is not the way to go. Don't forget, in a shooting war, the reservists form the bulk of cannon fodder, not the NSFs and regulars by numbers.

Majulah Singapura.

P.S. Found this interesting "open letter" to MG (Ret) Chan Chun Sing on hardwarezone forum. It appears that what we see in the video is truly when he is. Let the voters decide.

P.P.S This post got tweeted by none other than Mr. Brown - thank you SIR!

P.P.P.S. Check out MG (NS) Chan's Facebook comment as reported by ST Online Buzz.

P^x degree Script: Other interesting commentary on Army Boy Chan Chun Sing talking c*ck (Where Bears Roam Free). Wake up Chun Sing (Singapore Election Watch).

Sucker Punch: Babes, Bullets and Banzai!

2011-04-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

I just catch the film, "Sucker Punch" and was literally blown away by its concept. It is not your run of the mill Hollywood blockbuster because it doesn't have any readily identifiable "A-list" stars featured nor a tried and tested plot. In fact, when I walked out of the cinema, I overhead some young twenty-somethings asking, "What the f*** was that?"

I'll share why I enjoyed the film and what I think it's about. Plot spoilers ahead.

P.S. (4 April 2011) Check out the weapons used in the film courtesy of imfdb.

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Ostensibly, the plot revolves around the character Babydoll. She has been committed to a medical institution for the insane after she accidentally shot and killed her own sister whilst trying to defend her against the evil stepfather.

The stepfather committed her to the institution and pays off the orderly, Blue who will arrange for an unauthorised lobotomy to keep Babydoll silent about what actually happened that resulted in Babydoll's sister's death.

Babydoll is shown being led into the institution where the resident psychiatrist treats them with therapy by putting them on stage on a bed with music playing for them to release their fears, doubts and worries.

It looks interesting but what warps your mind is when Babydoll transits from her world of the institution to the first alternate world, that of a sleazy nightclub/brothel run by Blue who turns into a mobster like figure who makes the girls perform cabaret and make the customers feel special. The Doctor who Blue has arranged to perform the lobotomy on Babydoll would be arriving in 5 days and in this alternate reality, he is a Highroller who will arrive to "buy" Babydoll.

Within this alternate reality, when Babydoll practices for the cabaret dance performance, she goes into a second alternate reality where she emerges in a Japanese school girl get up with knee high socks and sailor girl school uniform where a wise man mysteriously leads her to the path of escape from the mental institution.

She is to get a map, fire, knife, key and a 5th item that she must discover for herself.

The story then goes in/out of her alternate realities and her actual situation and depicts the various fantasy/real world scenarios as it develops. IMDB has a detailed plot synopsis.

What blew me away was the fight sequences where you see matrix-type of maneouvres and martial arts between Babydoll and the three ronin. The balladic mix of rock, firepower, and swordplay was breath-taking in its intensity.

The other scenarios where the girls fought the dragon for the fire was also amazing. A world war I trench battle coupled with zepplins, fighters and German undead soldiers coupled with a mech really blows one's mind away.

I enjoyed the film because it reminded me of "Inception" of worlds within worlds and it was also a allegory for how your own life situation is mostly fought in the battleground of your mind and that we all have weapons we need to succeed in this battle for survival in our lives. :-)

If you are into anime, war themed films and enjoyed "Inception", you would probably enjoy "Sucker Punch". Alteratively, you may end up as those guys who went, "What the f***?" after the film. :-)

Can I carry your full-pack, Sir?

2011-03-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

(Source: STOMP)

This photo that was submitted on STOMP (which I don't usually read unless I'm feeling particularly voyeuristic and kay-poh) perhaps gives us a glimpse into the current state of our NS conscripts. Those who enlist in full-time national service around 2010-11 would have been born around the early 1990s. By then, having a foreign domestic worker (FDW) in your home would not be a luxury. Many middle income families can afford to have a FDW to help the young sirs and ma'ams with the housework, cooking and other domestic chores.

While we don't know the exact circumstances of the photograph above, what it appears to imply is that our NS boys are becoming softer and softer. But it's true. Even my time when I was enlisted in 1989, the "lau peng" or old soldiers of our uncles and teachers told us of their deprivations and suffering with all the "tekan" or punishment type of military training with a strong focus on regimentation, drill and discipline versus the evolving then 3G army that was starting to focus more on training outcomes and combat effectiveness.

The fact that more and more of our NSFs are coming into national service with "A"-levels or polytechnic diplomas with smaller cohorts with only "O"-level qualifications and below show that our conscripts are becoming more educated and better able to respond to well reasoned instructions instead of fear and intimidation which was still widely used to get conscripts to move to the army's requirements.

Thus, the "change parades" that were well known by reputation were less common even during my time in the late 80s and early 90s and was fairly mild by the time I was posted to a combat unit for the remainder of my 2.5 years of full time national service.

The reality is that our generation Y and so-called "strawberry" generation have it good materially. They were born into smaller families where there was more resources available to nuture them to young adulthood.

Even as a reservist, I found that after full-time NS, you revert back into your original state which is that of being a civilian. Our soldiering days are actually an anomaly. How many foreigners you meet have served their countries in their respective militaries?

Perhaps it is time to re-examine conscription that sweeps all and sundry to bear arms to defend the State. We know that not all are inclined to do so by talent or interest. If given a choice, would anyone who practiced rational economic choice throw away 2 years of their economically productive life to serve as a conscript in the military for low pay and risky working conditions by choice if they could be earning double or triple that as a clerk or go on with their further studies?

It is interesting to note that Germany has decided to end mandatory conscription (which was only for 6 months). Their voluntary enlistment (or volunteers as regulars to the German military) is sufficient for their post-cold war defence needs.

I wonder why Singapore still clings on to the anarchronism that is conscription in its current form. Is it dogma or is it inertia? There is no sacred cows in policy and that includes defence policy. Considering an all volunteer system should be evaluated as conscription sees us with soldiers who have FDWs carrying their full-packs for them.

Majullah Singapura.

P.S. 30 March 2011 - Even the Taiwan media has picked on this picture in the following news clip:

P.P.S. (5 April 2011 - The recruit who was featured has since owned up and received counselling. Not sure whether he will get confinement or extra duty for this infraction. The BBC has also carried this news in their website.)

New Male Citizens Can Aspire to Political Office Without NS

2011-03-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

The first official batch of PAP candidates to be unveiled included Dr. Janil Puthucheary which became a citizen in 2008. According to media reports, he settled in Singapore in 2001, presumably got his PR sometime between 2001 and 2008 before being sworn in as a newly minted Singapore citizen.

This is not new, the Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is also a ex-Malaysian who became a Singapore citizen and is now in the cabinet.

It is interesting to note that in Singapore, it appears not to be a liability to standing for political office if you have not served your country in the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force or the Singapore Civil Defence Force as many of us born and bred Singaporean male citizens have.

In the US, previous President George W Bush was in the National Guard. President John F Kennedy served in a patrol boat in Vietnam and Senator McCain who was the Republican nominee for the US Presidential elections in 2008. US politicians who have served their countries military typically have in their campaign publicity materials trumpeting this fact as evidence of their record in serving the country.

We currently have many ex-SAF generals/admirals in the likes of Foreign Minster George Yeo, DPM Teo Chee Hean etc.

Only in Singapore do we have aspiring politicians who gun for public office not worrying too much that they have never served their country under its mandatory conscription policy. In US, many who volunteer to serve in the US military do so in order to obtain citizenship. Over here, you can aspire for political office under the auspices of the PAP even if your citizenship tenure is shorter than the average 10 years served in reservist plus 2 to 2.5 years in full-time national service by most Singaporean male citizens.

Majullah Singapura.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others

2011-03-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

I read the news report on the Straits Times that the Second Minister for Defence says that there's, "no operational needs to justify drafting women for National Service".

The Minister was further reported by the Straits Times, "Dr Ng also said national service is based on the three fundamental principles: National security and survival, universality and equity. And to impose conscription unnecessarily on a large segment of the population would dilute its purpose."

I am amazed at how the Minister can claim mandatory conscription as being equal and universal when it only applies to male citizens and second generation male permanent residents (PR)? Female citizens and permanent residents as well as first generation male permanent residents are not subject to national service. Can we say something is equal when it is not applied universally regardless of sex and to some extent, nationality or residency status?

Mind you, national service is MANDATORY for male citizens and 2nd generation male PRs. There is no such thing as conscientious objection and serving in another capacity. If you do that you will be charged under the Enlistment Act and jailed for three years using Jehovah Witnesses' detainees in Kranji Detention Barracks as the "market" for the penalties for not complying with the Enlistment Act.

What universality are we talking about in a system that forcibly conscripts 18 to 20 year olds male citizens (and 2nd generation male PRs) into service into the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Police Force?

What equality are we talking about when male citizens have to go through 2 years (previously up to 2.5 years) of full-time national service followed by 10 year (previous 13 years) reservist obligations that requires one to:

Take and pass annual individual physical proficiency tests (or be subject to remedial training regime) and also risk dying from running the 2.4 km (a soldier from my reservist unit died during in-camp IPPT).
Be away from work or business ranging from 2 days to 3 weeks for annual in-camp training which does not help your career or business when competing against foreigners who compete with you for your job.
Join the workforce or go for further studies in the university two years later than your female peers and foreign peers.
Report to Mindef Notification Centre every time you leave Singapore for more than 24 hours.
Subject to annual operations manning and have half to three-quarters of a weekend burned to report for mobilisation exercises.
Waste 2-2.5 years in national service doing fatigue (i.e. odd jobs) in the camp such as area cleaning, weeding, cleaning drains, manholes, washing staircases, cleaning the cookhouse in between training exercises and actual soldiering.

Let's call a spade a spade. Conscription is forced upon male citizens and 2nd generation male PRs. It sucks but many of us male citizens have fulfilled our obligations to duty, honour and country. I personally have served my full 2.5 years in operational combat units plus 10 years in a reservist battalion that did two tours of operational duties. I never deferred any of my annual ICT training (even when they changed the dates giving us less than the required 3-6 months notice) and cleared all my IPPT obligations.

There is no EQUALITY and UNIVERSALITY to speak of in NS. It only applies to some extent within those of us who are male citizens and 2nd generation PRs. And this group is closer to 25-30% of the population given that only 60+% are citizens and half are male. Effectively, only 1 in 3 serve for protect the rest of Singapore.

That is why many NSmen are asking the fundamental question that has been festering in our minds since our first reservist ICT to the last before we were transferred to Mindef Reserve.

What are we fighting for?

What equality does the Minister speak of in a system where the rights and responsibilities are skewed AGAINST the male citizen. We bear the brunt of national service obligations and duty but are not granted any really significant privileges. The recent election budget only doles out an additional $100 for the Growth Dividends. Do you think it is worth risking your life for the system that doles out that little $100 extra (during election years)? When the reality in the workplace is that 1st generation PR or foreigner on employment pass is competing in your face without any of the obligations of national service to take him away from the job for 2 days-3 weeks? (Update: I note that the Government will give $9,000 to NSFs and NSmen depending on their NS cycle but this only applies to those who have not finished their operationally-ready national service cycle. Those of us "old" NSmen who are in Mindef Reserve or demobilised are not entitled to this CPF top-up of $9,000).

Let's ask the families of those NSFs/NSmen who died in their service to duty, honour and country. Would they think NS in its current form is based on equality and universality?

Majullah Singapura.

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Source: The Straits Times (3 March 2011)

NS for women? No need, says minister

By Chong Zi Liang

Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen said there were no operational needs to justify drafting women for National Service.

THE Singapore Armed Forces will not draft women for national service because there are no operational needs to justify doing so, said Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen yesterday.

Dr Ng also said national service is based on the three fundamental principles: National security and survival, universality and equity. And to impose conscription unnecessarily on a large segment of the population would dilute its purpose.

'From time to time, there have been calls to extend NS beyond this remit, to fulfil social objectives or otherwise. While these objectives are laudable, we must not dilute the restriction of NS only to critical needs of national security and survival, and base it on the three fundamental principles.

'At present, there are no operational needs that justify imposing upon women to serve NS,' he said.

Dr Ng was responding to Nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan's call to let women volunteer for NS. Mr Viswa described such a move as a 'meaningful gesture' that would 'send a potent signal'.

'The numbers may not be large, but I am confident we have a critical mass of Singaporeans who will step forward,' he said during the debate on the budget of the Defence Ministry.

Accidents and Deaths as a Conscript in the Lion City

2011-01-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

Condolences to the family of the late LCP Wee Yong Choon Eugin who was killed in an accident while serving his full time national service in the Singapore Armed Forces.

This accident comes at a time when Mr. Ngiam Tong Dow's TODAY article, "How to Secure Our Future," was published. Mr. Ngiam's statement,

"The recent rapid intake of PRs is disruptive and, to say the least, distracts us from our quest to be "One People, One Nation, One Singapore".

was most incisive.

It is what many of us NSmen and NSF feel when it comes to nation building. Many of us male citizens have sacrificed our time, energy and effort serving the nation by putting ourselves at harm's way. In return, we get a Singapore that is flooded with new immigrants and first-generation Permanent Residents who are exempt from national service. Only second generation PRs have to serve and those first-generation PRs are free to leave Singapore anytime before they decide (if ever) to lay their roots in Singapore.

We NSmen and NSF compete on an unequal playing field. We sacrifice ourselves and shoulder our burdens and responsbilities for the security of Singapore and yet face competition from these male PRs (and female citizens) who do not have the same obligations but enjoy the umbrella of our security. They start working or get on with their further studies 2 years ahead of us NSmen/NSF. They do not have to called up for annual Individual Physical Proficiency Tests (IPPT) nor annual reservist call-ups lasting 2 days to 3 weeks (or statutory maximum of 40 days).

In return, we are given token top-ups to CPF and $50 to $100 extra in GST offset credits and cheaper tutition fees at Government funded education institutions. These money doesn't do much for you if you are injured or killed during your NS service. You can't enjoy the lower tuition fees studying at the four local universities if you are not alive to enrol.

One People, One Nation, One Singapore rings hollow when the rights and responsibilities of male citizenship are unfairly distributed between male citzens, PRs and female citizens.

Majullah Singapura.

---------
Death of Full-Time National Serviceman
Source: http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/home.html
Posted: 28 Jan 2011, 1250 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

A full-time National Serviceman (NSF), Lance Corporal (LCP) Wee Yong Choon Eugin, a Signal Operator, was hit by a truck driven by another serviceman in Jurong Camp 1 at about 7.00am on 28 Jan 2011. LCP Wee was about to unload stores from the back of the truck when it reversed into him.

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) medic attended to LCP Wee immediately. At 7.05am, an ambulance was activated to evacuate LCP Wee to the National University Hospital (NUH). He was sent to the hospital at 7.15am and arrived at NUH at about 7.45am. LCP Wee was pronounced dead at 7.59am.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the late LCP Wee. MINDEF is assisting the family in their time of grief and is investigating the incident.

Veterans: The French in Algeria

2010-12-20T18:25:00.001-08:00

An interesting historical documentary by Al-Jazeera on their war in Algeria. It is sobering to hear of French military conscripts who were sent to fight in Algeria to preserve French rule in the former colony similar to US conscripts sent to fight in the Vietnam war. Also, the atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict reminds us of the brutality that war brings out amongst the combatants and the suffering. Imagine 1 million Algerians are thought to have perished in the 8 year war.

HBO Mini-series: The Pacific

2010-12-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

You can tell by now my interest in war-theme films and I recently caught the excellent HBO series, "The Pacific" which tells the stories of three marines who fought in the various campaigns during World War II with the United States Marine Corps.

Youtube has quite a few of the battles scenes uploaded as well as the official (and unofficial content).

Having served in the Singapore Armed Forces for 2.5 years in an operational unit as well as completing my 10 years reservist cycle of annual in-camp training (and two tours of operational duties), I can relate to what the marines went through in the Pacific theatre of operations. They talked a lot about being wet and it is really one of the worst things that you can experience as a soldier. To have your clothes and especially your socks and boots soaked in water and to have your skin wrinkle like a prune and become sensitive and painful is something I went through during field exercises lasting 2-3 days.

I cannot imagine how I could survive to be in wet clothes and feet for 30 days or even 60 days at a stretch! Would probably suffer foot rot which was common for soldiers who fought in South-East Asia and in the Pacific where torrential rains were common.

With rain comes mud and my previous experiences in Area D with an armour unit as well as digging foxholes and trenches in the infantry also exposed me to the dirt, wetness and generally miserable conditions of trying to carry out operations in such conditions.

Even my generation would find it challenging to survive the conditions the marines went through as depicted in the film, I wonder how our current generation would handle it?

Hopefully, we never get to find out as the devastation, death and destruction wrought by wars have such a huge human cost that it is unthinkable to go through one again in this day and age.

I believe war films have a role to teach us about the past. To portray the human costs of using violence to settle our differences or to distribute resources and territory.

For those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.

Majullah Singapura.

71 into the Fire

2010-10-29T01:03:00.001-07:00

Besides the excellent Korean military who-dun-it "Guardpost 556", I caught another Korean military themed film, "71 into the fire" recently. It was an intense experience although the action was over-the-top at some points of the film, it is a watchable war film by my standard as an MR reservist in the Lion City.

Check it out.

Intense War Films: Saving Private Ryan

2010-10-27T02:37:00.000-07:00

I remember watching "Saving Private Ryan" many years ago in the cinema and the experience was pretty intense. The opening 20 minutes of the film is where the D-Day landings on Normandy occurred and provides the most realistic scenes of combat for a coastal assault. As a MR reservist who served in a coastal defence battalion in the People's Defence Force, I have been through live-firing while we were in Pulau Sudong in trenches firing away at targets in the sea so I can understand how it feels to be like the Germans firing down on the American troops trying to assault the beach.

If I flip the scenario around and imagined myself as being part of the American forces assaulting the beach, the horror and devastation of combat is fully reflected in the opening scenes.

Enjoy.

Welcome the New: Frack the Old (NSmen)

2010-08-31T22:27:00.001-07:00

The National Day Rally Speech was different this year. The Prime Minister actually announced what appears to be a tangible recognition of the contributions of male citizens who serve full-time National Service (NSF) and Operationally Ready NS (ORNS) or more commonly known by NSmen who serve our reservist liabilities.

Goodies for the New NSF/NSmen
The Mindef article, "Details of award to recognise citizens' NS contributions unveiled" shared more about the actual details of the award. What the Government is doing is giving $9,000 to $10,500 depending on whether you have completed your key milestones:

Completes full time NS
Midway through ORNS cycle
Completion of ORNS training cycle (typically end of 10 years comprising 7 high key and 3 low key in-camp training or age 40 for Warrant Officers, Specialists and Enlisted (WOSE) and 50 for officers)

Based on reading of Singaporean male NSF and NSmen netizens feedback, my sense is that the scheme appears to be aimed at appeasing the generation Y or millenials who are the ones just going into or completing their full-time NSF as they stand to gain up to the maximum amounts of the award. Those who are still serving their 10 year ORNS cycle will get either 1/3 or 2/3s of the payouts.

The consequence of the Government's measure is predictable, many including myself, feel that it is a way to recognise those who are pressed into NS for duty, honour and country. However, this award has the (unintended?) consequence of pissing off most of the NSmen who have already reached Mindef Reserve, i.e. they have completed their 10 years (earlier was 13 years) of ORNS and/or those officially demobilised upon reaching age 40 (WOSE) and 50 for officers.

I am in this group as I was transferred to Mindef Reserve Status a few years ago after serving 10 years of 7 high key (including two operational deployments doing protection of KINS) and 3 low key in-camp training. I never missed any of my reservist obligations and did my IPPT annually without fail and without ever getting RT.

The Government is trying to mitigate the consequences of their "grow the GDP by importing all and sundry foreigners" policies which result in direct job/educational competition for male citizens who are unfairly handicapped by joining the work force or higher education two years behind their female citizens and foreigners.

Frack the Old (NSmen)
While those who receive the $9,000 may applaud the Government for this award, many of us who have sweated blood and tears for duty, honour and country cannot feel bitter about the treatment given to the newer male citizens who are now serving NS. Those who serve the 13 year cycles feel even worst given they had long reservist liabilities coupled with relatively poor compensation as they will not be receiving anything beyond the additional GST credits given out by the Government now and then.

While some observers may feel that we old NSmen are just being sore for being left out, I for one feel that the Government has still failed to address the fundamental issue, that is the lack of a level playing field in jobs and education for male citizens vis-a-vis female citizens and especially foreigners.

No amount of money can compensate NSF and NSmen who die in their service to their country. I have seen a fellow reservist collapse and subsequently die, during the 2.4km run of the in-camp Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). How does any monetary amount compensate us for the risks of dying and permanent injuries caused by our NSF or ORNS stints?

In putting a dollar value on NSF/NSmen contributions, Mindef has inadvertently opened up pandora's box. They have monetised the value of us risking our lives. For older NSmen, the value is near to ZERO. For newer NSF and NSmen, it is $9,000. The Temasek Review article on this issue is pretty spot on with some of its observations on how meagre this sum is if we use the market to determine if the $9,000 fairly reflects the opportunity cost lost by male citizens vis-a-vis a foreign counterpart or female citizen.

This $9,000 award basically doesn't go enough to address the inequalities between male citizens and foreigners/female citizens. To add insult to injury, old NSmen are all left out totally in the cold. I for one don't need the $9,000 as it's not enough to even pay for the interest costs I incurred on funding my own home. The bigger issue is how does the country recognise the role we play in protecting Singapore for all residents regardless of whether they are citizens, permanent residents or transient foreign workers?

Why not give children of NSmen priority in education i.e. priority in good schools?

Why not given NSmen privileges to cut queues at the post office, the cinema etc?

In Singapore, as a male citizen, you are good enough to die for your country, but not good enough to given a level playing field to compete against female citizens and foreigners for jobs and education.

Majullah Singapura.

World World Z by Max Brooks

2010-08-12T00:24:00.000-07:00

I read the novel, "World War Z" by Max Brooks and found it a blast! As a Mindef-Reserve status reservist in the Lion City, I am interested in films, books and media with themes of war and combat. The irony is that I hugely disliked my NS and NSF experience but admit that I did learn some useful skills. These include understanding what it takes to rough it out in the field and to be able to handle weapons such as the M16, SAR-21, survival skills such as how to dig a foxhole and being prepared for outdoor living.

The novel revolves around a reporter who talks to various survivors from the zombie plague that swamped the entire world. It weaves the individual stories of the people involved in World War Z and how they survived while others didn't.

What I liked about the book was the breadth and span of the storyline. It paints a bleak future that had humanity at the brink due to the zombie hordes that basically devoured human and animal flesh and was only stopped through implementing a draconian survival plan by the countries of the world.

This TEOWAWKI or "The end of the world as we know it" type of post apocalyptic scenarios scares me when I think about what happens if the story painted by the author becomes reality. Would I even survive the initial wave of panic and dispair when the shit hits the fan?

Having gone through NS in the Singapore Armed Forces, I am better prepared than the average non-military trained civilian but I am as equally unprepared in terms of actual logistics. For example, I don't yet have a bug-out bag or a emergency pack for at least three days of food, water, supplies, clothing in the case of a disaster or civil emergency. My family also doesn't have a shelter and adequate supplies of drinking water and food to last 1-2 weeks as recommended by the Singapore Civil Defence Guide on emergency preparedness.

If I want to be serious about being prepared, the bug-out bag is the first item on my list to get ready. I'll do this as a hobby and see how it goes.

Have you considered developing a bug-out bag or emergency bag?

Majullah Singapura.

Weapons Used in Predators 2010

2010-07-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

I caught "Predators" (2010) and felt that is was an enjoyable film although its NC-16 rating was not unwarranted. There was some gory scenes which is kind of normal for any film in the Predators franchise.

What was interesting was the weapons used in the film. Adrien Brody's character uses a AA-12 automatic 12 gauge shot gun which I found out after watching the film and googling "weapons used in predators 2010". So far, in my 2.5 years of full-time and 10 years of reservist in the Singapore Armed Forces, I've never had the chance to fire or handle a shotgun although I've fired live ammunition with M16, SAR21 and handled the GMPG, Ultimax 100 (SAW) and M203 (fired curry powder/dummy rounds).

I understand that the Singapore Police Force does use shotguns in addition to HK MP-5s besides their taurus revolvers, I've seen gurkhas in training using M16s when I was training in Pulau Tekong many years back.

One of the few useful things about serving in the Singapore Armed Forces is that you better appreciate weapons used in films. :-)

Have you watched "Predators" film yet?

Guards Unit Exercise in Tekong

2010-07-19T20:25:00.001-07:00

Combat Art

2010-07-19T00:38:00.000-07:00

Caught this interesting story about how the US Marines has an combat artist program to get active or reservist marines who work full-time as an artist to capture the history of the Corps through art.

This is the blog of their current combat artist.

Also an interesting comics panel of real-life marines who were killed in the line of duty.

I wonder if the Singapore Armed Forces will have anything close to that to chronicle the lives (and deaths) of SAF servicemen especially conscripts in the Lion City who made the ultimate sacrifice for duty, honour and country?

Generation Kill

2010-07-09T02:47:00.000-07:00

I happened to catch a few episodes of "Generation Kill" (HBO) on Starhub Cable and thought it was one of the more realistic combat drama series set in the backdrop of the Iraq war. Ever since I had been enlisted into the Singapore Armed Forces as a conscript in the Lion City, I've had an interest in military themed films and television series because I can appreciate what some of the soldiers go through even though I've never been in actual combat before.

The nearest I ever got to a combat situation was to carry out two operational tours of duty performing protection of installation duties where it entailed being equipped with live ammunition along with the SAR21 assault rifle and rules of engagement in the fight against terrorism.

Check it out if you already have HBO.

How many wolves are there in Singapore sheep?

2010-07-06T02:44:00.000-07:00

The shocking news in the Straits Times Online "Self-Radicalised Singaporean Held" raises questions about how many other SAF soldiers full-time NSFs or regulars may be acting against the interests of the State while serving their full-time national service?

Conscription sweeps all able-bodied male citizens into bearing arms for the country if they serve the Singapore Armed Forces or the Singapore Police Force. Whether all who serve are willing volunteers to bear arms varies. Many of us if given a choice would not want to fulfil our national service as a soldier. I for one would have preferred to serve the country in other capacities i.e. as a volunteer in volunteer welfare organisation. Unfortunately, conscription doesn't allow us to choose. We are pressed into service.

Even as the system takes in each of us as a cog in the wheel that turns the SAF, SPF or SCDF, not all the cogs do it willingly. We do it because of the penalties. If you do not serve and go AWOL, you can be charged and sentenced to serve time in SAF Detention Barracks. Your NS record will be darker than any shade of black you can find in a colour scheme. You risk being ostracised by fellow male citizens who serve and even female citizens who do not. Some of us do serve in genuine heed to duty, honour and country but most of us just do it and f*** off is the attitude.

This case raises the question of how many other cases that are not detected? I would say that one of the real risks that could strike Singapore would be an insider, i.e. a disgruntled male citizen who has gone through NS in combat vocation go berserk during reservist when he has access to weapons and ammunition and even explosives. If a NSF or NSman went postal in an SAF camp, the damage within would be more frightening that what a potential terrorist from outside could inflict.

Is the SAF really aware of what is going on in their camps? How do they mind-read what the NSmen and NSF are truly thinking of? Servitude to the State can breed resentment especially given that NSmen and NSF take on big personal risks in their conscripted service but receive little in way of economic benefits vis-a-vis female citizens and first generation PR male citizens who do not have to serve any form of national service.

The SAF's reassurance in the article "Systems to Check Threats" doesn't sound very convincing. It appears that it is ISD that detected this case and not MSD or the unit itself. We don't know as there is scant information so far about this case. As the soldier involved has been detained under the Internal Security Act, there wouldn't be an open court for the public to know the full facts of the case and we would have to rely on the State to reveal the facts of the case.

How sure are we about the loyalty of conscripts? Perhaps it is timely to review if a fully-volunteer system replace conscription that feeds the Army's insatiable appetite for the two plus ten years of annual ICT from male citizens.

Majullah Singapura.

No More Reductions in NS and the SAF in Afghanistan

2010-06-30T17:53:00.001-07:00

I read with dismay DPM Teo Chee Hean's pronouncement that Mindef would not be reducing National Service below the current two years. I think it is premature in today's times to say for sure that NS will be for at least two years.

National Service as a defence policy has its pros and cons. It does serve to build some form of national identity building among Singaporean male citizens as it brings together Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian (and "Others") together living and undergoing shared trials and challenges that help create bonding. I for one understood at a deep personal level that varying socio-economic backgrounds and histories of my fellow platoon and section mates throughout Basic military training, vocational training and unit deployment. I realised that Singapore was not made up of people who studied in JC/pre-U and went to the University. I started to view Singapore not just from the lens of my socio-economic upbringing but also to view Singapore from fellow comrades-in-arms who work hard and still barely keep their head above water in Singapore Inc.

However, NS is a liability to Singaporean citizens who compete on an uneven playing field against male Permanent Residents as well as female citizens when it comes to career, personal development and risk to life and limb. The poor benefits of Safra membership, marginal $100+ increases in GST or other credits from Government and the tax reliefs of $1,500 to $5,000 or so does little if you die during NS. And male citizens do die in NS from reasons as noble as performing their duties to stupid accidents like the Motor Transport Officer who was killed by negligent act of a fellow soldier who was a driver. Reservists die during IPPT tests and training accidents claim victims of both regular servicemen as well as full-time NSFs or reservists.

Many countries that face more hostile environments are already reducing conscription below 2 years. Taiwan for instance is one. It is interesting to note that the SAF is beefing up its deployment of soldiers to Afghanistan ("Record Levels of SAF Abroad"). It should be interesting to find out what proportion of the soldiers sent for overseas missions are regulars and what proportion are full-time NSFs and reservists.

Traditionally regulars have made up the bulk of such deployments but increasingly, the recent news of SAF reservist medical officers going through deployments to Afghanistan gives us a glimpse that the trend could be changing.

I wonder if not cutting down conscription would have anything to do with the SAF's enhanced involvement in overseas missions?

I hope that Singaporean soldiers (reservist, NSFs or regulars) posted on such missions will be safe. The reality is that they are volunteering to go into areas where there is armed conflict and they are performing combat support roles. Peace keeping and manning radars to track incoming artillery and rockets for counter-battery operations as well as using unmanned drones (likely for surveillance, target spotting etc) are closer to supporting offensive rather than defensive operations. Make no mistake, even as the ISAF is helping the Afghan forces to combat the Taleban, this goes way beyond peacekeeping with the UN charter. Singapore as a country is taking an active role in supporting ISAF who brings the fight to the Taleban with its offensives.

What is Singapore's role in such operations? Where do we draw the line between peacekeeping e.g. sending medical personnel for humanitarian and relief vs sending combat support units to help international forces attack other forces? Are we putting our servicemen/women in harm's way for the good of Singapore?

There's little in the way of debate now given that there has been no casualties. I hope that all SAF servicement are safe in their overseas deployments and especially in a dangerous place such as Afghanistan but we should not wait until such tragedy happens to discuss how sending our servicemen into Afghanistan keeps Singapore safe?

Majullah Singapura.

Risking Life and Limb as a Conscript in the Lion City

2010-05-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

The recent news of how not just one but two SAF servicemen (one a regular, the other a full-time NSF) were shot and injured by Thai farmer discharging his shotgun shows how one risks life and limb in mandatory conscription in the Singapore Armed Forces.

It was fortunate that no-one was killed but the regular serviceman now has a serious eye injury. The NSF is now living with pellets embedded in his skin possibly for life. How is he going to be compensated (if any) by the SAF for this accident?

Again it shows up how the scale of benefits and responsibilities is tilted against the Singaporean male citizen who has to serve full-time and reservist national service in the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Forces.

Our young male citizens are risking life and limb; protecting us with their lives and in return, they are amply rewarded with Safra/Home Team Club memberships (which they have to pay their own subscriptions) and get the few thousand tax relief (and not rebate!). Do you think that human life is worth a few hundred dollars in tax savings and the additional $50 or $100 top-ups from the Government that occurs on the occasional year?

Do you think this is a fair exchange given that female citizens do not serve the same responsibilities and neither do first generation male Permanent Residents, female PRs and foreigners who enjoy the economic benefits of working and living in Singapore but none of the requisite responsibilities imposed by this archaic and wasteful system of conscription?

Is duty, honour and country the only thing male citizens can cling to in understanding why there is an uneven playing field for competing for jobs in Singapore Inc?

Why are we still clinging on to an out-dated system of mandatory conscription when many developed countries have either shortened their NS liabilities (e.g. Taiwan, South Korea etc) and even our neighbours Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand depend mostly on regulars and supplemented with a small group of conscripts (Thailand by lottery) or volunteers (Malaysia)?

Don't give me the old propaganda/national education spiel about Singapore being too small to deploy a fully professional force type of argument. When your defence budget of about $13 billion annually is 2-3x your neighbour's, you can afford to plough some of that budget into funding a fully professional army. It should be noted that our Navy and Air Force is staffed mostly by regulars or professional soldiers.

Conscription is an anarchronism in today's world. It is less about mobilising the citizenry to military defence than a mechanism to enslave the young male citizens to a system of compliance, obedience and fear of authority.

Why else do we have a system when clearly there is sufficient money to fund a fully professional army that is more suited to fight the low intensity conflict that is characterised by the war on terrorism?

Majullah Singapura.