Okay, I went digging ... Found an oldie article that announced
the revamped cycle.
NS has been the bedrock of
Singapore's peace and prosperity for the past 34 years of our
history as an independent state. For a small state like Singapore,
our survival depends on the ability of our NSmen to go into action
within a very short time. After all, the bulk of the SAF's strength
comes from our NSmen who fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the
regulars in the defence of Singapore.
From
R TONY TAN KENG YAM DPM AND
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE MARCH 2001
Under the Enlistment Act, Chapter 93 of the Singapore Statutes
1992, NSmen will continue to fulfil your military obligations up to
the age of 40 for NS Warrant Officers, Specialists and Enlistees
(WOSEs), and 50 for Officers.
National Service Training Cycle
NSmen will be required to undergo a national service training
cycle, which comprises several 'high key' and 'low key' training.
'High key' or intensive training involves operations and in-camp
training, which last for seven days or longer. 'Low Key' training
refers to training duration of six days or less.
Completion of the Training Cycle
Upon completion of your NS training cycle, you will be posted to
the MINDEF Reserve (MR) List. While in MR, you may still be called
up for national service, as you remain liable for national service
up to the age of 50 for Officers and 40 for WOSEs. You are to
disregard your previous unit's mobilisation codewords as you are
not required to report for mobilisation activation for your
previous units. Should you be required to be mobilised while in MR,
you will be informed of your codewords accordingly. However, you
are still required to abide by the existing exit controls up to
your statutory age limit. Please see the section on Overseas Travel
for information regarding exit control requirements.
REVISED NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING SYSTEM (WITH EFFECT FROM APR
03)
Revised Training Cycle
With effect from April 2003, a revised National Service (NS)
training system has been introduced for Operationally Ready
National Servicemen (NSmen).
Under the previous NS training system, NSmen had to perform 13
years of NS training, of which, at least nine must be high-key
in-camp training (ICT). With the revised NS training system, the
majority of NSmen will only need to serve at least seven
high-key ICTs. A two-day Basic Individual Training (BIT)
programme that focuses on physical fitness, marksmanship and
refresher training has also been introduced in the last three years
of their 13 years of NS training. This ensures that NSmen maintain
their currency in basic soldiering skills. Mobilisation exercises
will also be conducted during the BIT phase to maintain operational
readiness.
To minimise inconvenience to NSmen pursuing full-time local
university studies, specific periods during the university vacation
have been set aside for NS training. No academic programmes are
conducted during these periods. This arrangement enables NSmen to
better manage their academic studies and NS duties.
Training Improvements
Performance-oriented training has been introduced as part of the
revised NS training system. Through a modular approach, training is
customised to focus on the specific training needs of each NS unit
instead of adhering to a standard training syllabus. This achieves
more effective and purposeful utilisation of training time.
The revised NS training system also incorporates an incentive-based
component to motivate NSmen to put in their best. Those who achieve
good results at the individual or unit level need not undergo
additional training. For example, NS units that perform well in
major evaluation exercises could have a subsequent high-key
training replaced by low-key training.
Conclusion
Over the years, NS training has progressively become more effective
and efficient with improvements in technology and administrative
efficiency. The revised NS training system capitalises on these
improvements to effect a reduction in the number of high-key ICTs
and the introduction of BIT, without compromising the operational
readiness of the Singapore Armed Forces.
Our citizen soldiers have to shoulder the multiple demands of
family, work and duty to country. We recognise that this requires
significant commitment and sacrifice. The Ministry of Defence
continually reviews the NS training system to optimise training
time and ensure a meaningful NS experience. The revised NS training
system is the latest of a series of improvements to NS management
and administration, following the increase in NS allowance in July
2002 and the revised Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT)
system in April 2003.
