National Service After Separation from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore needed to build up its own defence force. It decided on the model of a citizen army similar to Israel, Finland and Switzerland. Singapore attempted to get assistance from India and Egypt to build up its armed forces, but was unsuccessful. In the end, Singapore accepted Israel’s offer of assistance. On 14 March 1967, the National Service (Amendment) Act was passed and four months later, the first batch of 900 National Servicemen reported for duty.

Apart from a defensive role, national service (NS) is also seen as a nation- building tool, fostering ties between young men of diverse backgrounds. Enlistees are usually conscripted at age 18, but a fraction of draftees (mainly those who leave school early) are enlisted at 16 or 17. Some are exempted for medical reasons.

Operationally fit enlistees go through a Basic Military Training (BMT) phase which includes drill, physical, weapons and fieldcraft, training. BMT ranges from 9 to 26 weeks, depending on an individual’s physical fitness. Enlistees who are not operationally fit take on modified training schemes that match their medical status.

After BMT, recruits are posted to combat, technical or service vocations based on their performance and aptitude. Those with leadership potential are selected for officer or specialist training. Some full- time national servicemen get posted to the Air Force or Navy, while about 15 per cent of them are placed in the Police or Civil Defence Force.

Under the NS (Amendment) Act of 1967, officers had to serve three years of NS while non- officers had to serve two years. The Enlistment Act of 1970 provided for 30 months of NS liability for those ranked corporal or above while all other servicemen continued to serve for two years. Since 2004, all full- time National Servicemen (NSF) serve two years of NS, regardless of rank. This reduction was due to the move towards a technologically advanced third- generation force.

On completion of mandatory full- time military service, NSF become Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen). They were previously known as ‘reservists’, but the name was officially changed to emphasize their front- line status. After completing full- time service of two years, they serve in the reserves for a maximum of 40 days per year until the age of 40. Officers serve until the age of 50.

NSmen form the bulk of Singapore’s military might. Their mobilization boosts the total strength of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to 350,000 men; the strength of the full- time Army is 50,000. Active units and reserve NS units are integrated within the same divisions.

From 1983, the NSmen training cycle was 13 years. The cycle includes ‘high key’ in- camp trainings (ICT), each at least a week long, and ‘low key’ ICTs, lasting no more than six days. Those who complete their training cycle are put on the MINDEF (Ministry of Defence) Reserve List. In 2006, the training cycle was reduced to ten years.

In order to keep NSmen fit, MINDEF started providing reservists with exercise facilities in 1979. In the following year, the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) was introduced. NSmen have to take the IPPT annually. Those who fail undergo Remedial Training (RT). In 2006, the IPPT Preparatory Training (IPT) programme was introduced. It complements RT, providing differentiated training packages for NSmen to improve their physical fitness.

Photo credit: PIONEER/ Ministry of Defence