Less well-off NSFs to benefit in new ACCORD's NS proposals!

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SINGAPORE- Less well-off national servicemen who receive financial aid from the Singapore Armed Forces may continue to receive help even after they have completed their full-time stints.

Under a proposal by a feedback body to the Government on defence matters, these servicemen will not have to re-apply for financial assistance after their mandatory stints. Instead, they will be automatically referred to the Ministry of Social and Family Development, which will likely to pick up the tab to help them.

This is one of the 18 proposals submitted by the Advisory Council for Community Relations in Defence (Accord) to the Defence Ministry on Wednesday.

They include partnering women's groups to organise small group information sharing sessions to improve the understanding of defence issues among women; notifying employers and firms earlier when their staff are called up for in-camp training; and grooming ambassadors to promote the SAF Volunteer Corps and encouraging more people to sign-up as volunteers.

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The Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) on Wednesday (Feb 25) announced it has submitted 18 proposals to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) aimed at boosting support and recognition for National Service (NS).

The 18 proposals include initiatives to help ease the transition for servicemen returning to school after full-time NS, encourage community organisations and small businesses to show appreciation for those in uniform and strengthen MINDEF's engagement with women's organisations, according to the ministry's press release.

ACCORD also proposed that MINDEF enhance the way it recognises and commends employers, businesses and organisations that go the extra mile to support NS.

The full list of recommendations:

Proposals for Employers and Businesses

1. Encourage more employers and businesses to receive early notification of their employees’ In-Camp Training call-ups through the NS portal

2. Encourage recognition of employees’ skill sets by providing performance feedback of employees who undergo Leadership Training Courses during NS

3. Introduce the “NS mark” to recognise supportive employers, businesses and organisations supportive of NS, and engender broad based support for NS

4. Implement the revamped Total Defence Awards to recognise supportive individuals and organisations, and strengthen advocacy for NS

5. Enhance new companies’ and Human Resource practitioners’ understanding of NS policies through NS Awareness Seminars

6. Collaborate with the business community to organise enhanced career fairs to assist NSFs’ transition to the workforce

Proposals for Families and the Community

7. Partner women organisations to engage women (mothers, wives, young women) and raise their awareness, understanding and support for Total Defence and NS through information sharing and small group engagement sessions

8. Partner community organisations and small businesses to recognise the contribution of NSFs and NSmen by offering benefits and discounts

9. Collaborate with Families for Life to create support for NS among families of NSFs and NSmen by raising their awareness of NS and national defence matters

10. Partner Integration and Naturalisation Champions from People’s Association, and work with associations and clans to reach out to New Citizens and Permanent Residents so as to raise their awareness, understanding and support for national defence and NS

11. Work with Ministry of Social and Family Development to support NSFs who require financial assistance beyond their full-time NS

Proposals for Educational Institutions

12. Review programmes currently available for Returning NSmen to better support their transition back to Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) after NS

13. Partner IHLs to help NSmen manage their NS ICT call-ups and academic commitments

14. Encourage the broader community to contribute to national defence by joining the SAF Volunteer Corps (SAFVC), and groom SAFVC Volunteers to become ambassadors for the SAFVC

15. Partner MOE and Singapore Discovery Centre to create a Total Defence cohort experience for Primary Six students

16. Strengthen engagement of secondary school students on National Education issues through alumni and staff who are better able to identify and connect with students from their school

17. Implement in Post-Secondary Education Institutions a pilot programme to build up the fitness of their pre-enlistee students prior to full-time NS

18. Work with Foreign Systems Schools and Privately Funded Institutions to organise engagement sessions for pre-enlistees and parents to raise their awareness, understanding and support for NS and national defence

Chairman of ACCORD and Minister of Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he was encouraged by the council's efforts to engage key stakeholders as well as families to explore ways to boost support for NS.

“I am heartened by the strong societal support for national defence and NS, and look forward to more of ACCORD’s good work in strengthening collaboration between the community, MINDEF and the SAF," Mr Chan said.

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Source: http://iprep.ns.sg/financial-assistance.html

Should you and your family face financial hardship, you can apply for financial assistance. The quantum of financial assistance is the difference between your family’s minimum subsistence level and monthly income. It’s best to talk to your officer on how to apply for this scheme upon enlistment.

To alleviate your family's household expenses, you can apply these.

Financial Assistance Term Grants
For needy NSF whose families encounter financial hardship as a result of their enlistment into the SAF

Welfare Financial Assistance Grant/Loan
Assistance provided to active servicemen who are in a financial predicament beyond their control eg. theft, fine, medical bills, spouse retrenchment. Assistance takes the following form:

Grant: (a) CO Contingency Grant (b) Welfare Grant
Loan: Welfare Loan

For full detail, please refer to welfare circular 3-39.
For Term Financial Assistance enquiries please call 6373 1150; 6363 1161
For other Welfare Financial Assistance enquiries please call 6373 3338; 6373 3336

The SAF Finance Clinic
The Finance Clinic is set up with the aim to assist servicemen who are financially distressed. Servicemen in financial distress must come forward and they must go through the formal channel of declaration before assistance can be rendered. The SFC aims to provide debt management to distressed servicemen, so as to mitigate their situation from deterioriating into an indebtedness cycle. Credit Counselling Singapore (CCS) had been engaged to assess and structure the debt management plan. Servicemen who does not meet the CCS criteria will be referred back to SFC for other forms of help e.g. through welfare grant or loan.

SAF Financial Assistance Schemes to NSFs

Should you and your family face financial hardship, you can apply for financial assistance. The quantum of financial assistance is the difference between your family’s minimum subsistence level and monthly income. It’s best to talk to your officer on how to apply for this scheme upon enlistment.

Before his National Service (NS) enlistment, Private (PTE) Max Al-Fyan Yew bin Abdul Hafiz Yew drew a stable income of about $700 a month working in sales and was the breadwinner in his family. Hence, he was understandably worried when he learnt that his monthly NS allowance would be half of what he used to earn.

Fortunately, with the intercession of his superiors in the SAF, the SAF Personnel Services Centre (SAFPSC) was able to help him through SAF Financial Assistance Schemes. Said the supply assistant of Supply Hub East: "I’m thankful for the extra $600 that I receive every month on top of my regular NS allowance as it has greatly contributed to the payment of my family’s bills."

1st Warrant Officer (1WO) Kng Ter Sern, Officer-in-Charge Asset Management Team, Pasir Ris Camp, went one step further by following up on PTE Yew’s case when his initial Term Financial Assistance Scheme expired. Said 1WO Kng: "Caring for our soldiers is one of the SAF core values...when Max’s initial financial assistance scheme ended in December last year, I conducted a house visit and recommended that he receive further financial help from the SAF."

PTE Yew is just one of many examples of how the welfare schemes administered by the SAFPSC have benefitted around 65,000 in-service personnel of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF, as well as Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen).

"The SAFPSC’s primary role is to strategise and design welfare structures in order to support the SAF’s philosophy on welfare... We believe in the virtues of commitment and engagement, and to achieve that, we are concerned with the well-being of personnel and their families," said Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) Koa Boon Teck, Head of SAFPSC.

As secretariat to the SAF Welfare Council, the SAFPSC introduces, implements and reviews the proposed welfare schemes and services. Its welfare efforts cover five broad areas: health care, work-life balance, finance, vacations and insurance.

On the SAFPSC's latest efforts in improving welfare support, LTC (NS) Koa said: "We want to move away from the mental model of welfare as a reactive element, where people subscribe to welfare only when they are in need..we felt that there was an impetus to changing the image of welfare."

Here are some of the latest welfare initiatives spearheaded by the SAF Welfare Council and the SAFPSC:

SAF Central Welfare Fund Bursary Awards
2nd Warrant Officer (2WO) Tanusha Tan of Headquarters 9th Division, whose 19-year-old daughter, Natasha, received the Bursary Award at the polytechnic level worth $1,200 last year, remembers her daughter being ecstatic at receiving the notification of her successful application.

"It was a very good morale booster for Natasha, and it will surely further encourage her to do well," added 2WO Tan.

Starting from February this year, the award, which is given to the children of MINDEF/SAF personnel to recognise their academic excellence up to the local degree level, now has a qualifying family income cap of $4,000 levied on each level of study, compared to the previous staggered qualifying income caps across all levels of study. In addition, the quantum awarded for all levels of study, less the junior colleges, polytechnics and local universities, has been increased.

SAF holidays/ vacation spots
The SAF Seaview Resort, Bintan Lagoon Resort & Golf Club, as well as the Joondalup Bungalows in Perth, Australia, are examples of resorts which recently underwent their first major revamp to ensure the highest levels of modernity and aesthetic appeal for holiday-makers.

More exciting locations have also been added to the stable of SAF vacation spots, including the Amara Sanctuary Sentosa, Ascott Kuala Lumpur and Club Bali. This means that active servicemen and NSmen can enjoy relaxing stays at a wider array of resorts, at exclusive prices of up to 60 percent below published rates.

In addition, a new travel portal will soon be introduced to allow MINDEF/SAF personnel and NSmen greater flexibility, choice and cost savings when booking rooms, airfares, car rental and even travel insurance when they go on vacations. Named Free Independent Travel, the interactive and user-friendly one-stop portal will be launched tentatively on 1 Apr.

SAF Group Term Life (GTL) Insurance Scheme
From 1 Jan 09 onwards, the scheme automatically covers newly-recruited MINDEF/SAF personnel for $100,000, and now has a maximum coverage of up to $600,000, unless they choose to opt out. Spouses and dependants are included in the coverage, which extends beyond the serviceman’s stay in MINDEF/SAF. NSmen are also eligible for the competitively-priced scheme.

More information can be obtained via the Aviva-SAF Insurance Infoline at 68278000.

SAF Financial Assistance Schemes
Last September, monetary lifelines such as the Term Financial Assistance Scheme, which aims to alleviate the financial stresses of servicemen, were improved. This scheme, which helps needy NSFs, had its period of assistance extended from six months till the serviceman's Operationally Ready Date but subjected to review after 12 months. A term financial loan scheme was also launched for needy servicemen.

100% subsidy for Defensive Riding Course (DRC)
As of 1 Oct 09, the DRC, which is designed specifically for MINDEF/SAF personnel, became fully subsidised. Held at the Singapore Safety Driving Centre (SSDC) located in Woodlands, the half-day course aims to encourage road safety among those who regularly commute to work or perform despatch duties by motorcycle.

*Applications for most of the welfare schemes can be found on the Integrated Welfare Applications and Disbursement System (iWADS) on the MINDEF/SAF intranet. All queries should be directed to the SAFPSC. Their numbers can be found via the iWADS.

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As an NSF, you will be given a starting monthly NS allowance of $480.
It will be credited to your bank account as stated in the pre-enlistment documentation.

Your monthly NS allowance will progress with your rank as follows:

Rank Allowance
REC/PTE $480
LCP $500
CPL $550
SCT $570
CFC $590
3SG $800
2SG $900
OCT $760
2LT $1000
LTA $1180

Source: http://iprep.ns.sg/

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MINDEF has accepted recommendations made by the ACCORD councils to strengthen support for national servicemen (NSmen), said Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in Parliament on Thursday (Mar 5).

One of the proposals is for the Total Defence Awards to be revamped to recognise more people and organisations who have contributed to the defence of Singapore. Instead of just recognising employers, the awards will now also recognise colleagues and immediate superiors who are supportive of NSmen when they answer the call of duty.

MINDEF will also continue to strengthen its partnership with employers and businesses to provide strong support for NSmen.

Some NSmen undergo leadership courses during their In-Camp Training (ICT) and it would be useful for employers to know of their employees' performance during these courses, so they can maximise their skills at work. Hence, MINDEF will consider implementing a pilot trial for this initiative for NSmen attending the NS Command and Staff Course.

"The performance of the NSmen in SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) provides valuable signals to the companies on the potential, energies, capabilities and commitment of their employees. Hence, MINDEF and the employers can work together to let employers know (about) the talent and attributes of the NSmen, their employees, to allow employers to appreciate and make best use of the talent of our NSmen," said Mr Chan.