Command School Choices

Quirinus SG

As every person who's gone through Basic Military Training at BMTC Tekong knows, enlistees are asked to complete an Express Interest (EI) Survey that asks them whether they would or would not like to be a commander during their period in National Service.

OCs and PCs in BMT have often been reported to have persuaded (sometimes quite forcefully) their recruits to select "Yes" to be a commander. At times, PCs and OCs may use peer pressure to get recruits to select "Yes". On other occasions, officers may even use near-intimidation by asking all who intend to select "No" to see them repeatedly until they are assured the answer will be "Yes".

My question is:
Is this Ethical? Are BMT commanders keeping their recruit's welfare and wellbeing in mind when they do this?

I ask this because now that I'm in a command school, I've come across a few trainees who SHOULD have and WANTED to select "No" but didn't do so because of similar persuasion. These trainees suffer more than the rest of us and most eventually find ways to OOC anyway.

What are your views on this?

will4 SG

Originally posted by Quirinus:
As every person who's gone through Basic Military Training at BMTC Tekong knows, enlistees are asked to complete an Express Interest (EI) Survey that asks them whether they would or would not like to be a commander during their period in National Service.

OCs and PCs in BMT have often been reported to have persuaded (sometimes quite forcefully) their recruits to select "Yes" to be a commander. At times, PCs and OCs may use peer pressure to get recruits to select "Yes". On other occasions, officers may even use near-intimidation by asking all who intend to select "No" to see them repeatedly until they are assured the answer will be "Yes".

My question is:
[b]Is this Ethical? Are BMT commanders keeping their recruit's welfare and wellbeing in mind when they do this?

I ask this because now that I'm in a command school, I've come across a few trainees who SHOULD have and WANTED to select "No" but didn't do so because of similar persuasion. These trainees suffer more than the rest of us and most eventually find ways to OOC anyway.

What are your views on this?[/b]

R u in SISPEC or OCS? I think it ie best for recruit to be given a choice. If forced
to be a sergeant or officer, need to serve the reservist on average longer.
I thinkit is better
to call their father or mother to talk CO SISPEC or Commander OCS to let their son to opt out of the course if better.

lwflee SG

What is up with you and your mum and dad? Are you not old enough to stand on your own two feet? FFS! If i were the commander i would be pretty damn pissed that one of my soldiers is so useless.

LazerLordz SG

If you wish to drop out, use the proper channels or use your brain for the more creative ways.

Be a man. Cool

will4 SG

If being forced to go SISPEC or OCS, what method is best to opt out?
Sometimes if never call our father or mother to talk, they will try to be fierce to force u to continue.
I have a fren kena astma but vocation is combat medic, he asked to change vocation but the MO said cannot, his mother had to step in by calling the MO everyday to reason until everybody at medical centre became scared.

Quirinus SG

I, myself am in SISPEC. Personally, I want to be a leader but I am posing this topic because I’ve seen and met people who are just hoping to OOC. I’ve also heard about a few people like this in OCS though I guess these are more rare.

LazerLordz SG

If you have a medical reason, be persistent.If you can handle it, go through it.If not, it's another different story, I mean, you don't need people to teach you how to make yourself ineligible for such postings right?

There are such things like exclusion codes, but I won't go into them further.Do what you want, but do not get caught.

alwaysdisturbed SG

y dun wan command sch?
b commander is gd manz...

so shiok...
i'm enjoyin...

storm_freaky13 SG

i will put yes without hesitation.

mr_sotong SG

be a commander, u mus have good leadership skill... n earn respect from your men.... but if u r a lousy commander u will b known as low class animal... Cool

Fatum SG

there there .....

I guess times are different now ... boys don't always become men after 2.5 years now ... (oops, sorry, 2 year Mr. Green ...) ...... balls are now optional ... Laughing

but back to the topic, .... you know it, I know it ... we all know it .... to be honest, there ARE some pretty good NS commanders around ... the sort whose men will follow them into war with ... but then, the selection isn't always as straight forward as that, as we all know ... education plays an important role ... if you're pes A and got 5 A's for your A levels, or was a diploma medal holder, chances are, you'll end up being shunted to OCS, or SISPEC at the very least, even though you may pee in your pants when left alone in the jungle at night ... or cry in front of your platoon when scolded by your encik ... (seen that before) .... but that's 3G SAF for you eh ... when they talk about RMA and net-work centric warfare, where battles are fought on TV screens with drones and joysticks ... I simply hope the brass doesn't get so enamoured by all this jargons and slogans and ideas that they forget the fundamentals of war never change ... Confused ... so there ... you end up with a bunch of commanders who can absorb a manual in 6 hours and regurgitate everything out, but whose men would perhaps never follow them into war ...

LazerLordz SG

This is why I've always said that selection for command schools has to weigh both field experience/ability with some form of adequate academic ability to plan and operate these new fangled tools.

I've seen some really brilliant chaps, who are clearly not psychologically and emotionally suited for combat, do great work as a non-combat commander.

alwaysdisturbed SG

juz serve n fark off la...

lwflee SG

Seriously though, what the F is happening to the SAF when soldiers try to influence command decisions by using their parents. The lack of backbone and shame is appalling.

Gordonator SG

siao ah the commanders? force the recuits to opt 'yes'? LOL! Laughing

yes i'll say being a commander is good, but it takes skills and having a strong sense of leadership to be a good commander, forcing them to do what they don't wanna do will get them nowhere.

and anyway, need so many commanders for what? what we need is more capable men, men fight the war and do all the sai kang ok?

beavan SG

i am in BMT now,nobody's forcing me to put yes..rather they are threatening to block us from command school..

seems like 45 out of 50 of my platoon wants to go to command school, me included..but seriously speaking, i am beginning to have doubts about wanting to be a commander

LazerLordz SG

Usually those that are very enthusiastic in wanting to be a commander, end up as a man.

It's interesting to note that in my BMT platoon and coy, those who were wayang kings and fitness gurus, ended up as men while the silent types who got things done, ended up in OCS, Guards Spec Conv.Course and yes, even three of us OOC personnel ended up in non-combat specialist courses.

Strange but true.If you brag and wayang your way, you won't get there.

SMAPLionHeart SG

1.Our conscripts are basically students who have graduated from schools.
Compared to conscripts from other countries who are about 25-30.

The significant age difference.

2.The choice

It's a compulsory serve.

Which gives parents a bigger bargaining chip when it comes to negotiations with the army. Unlike the army in USA , in which it's done purely for an employment , and you choose to suffer .

will4 SG

ignorantsoup SG

highest rank is 2nd sgt duing NSF days. You'll only get the 2SG rank provided that
1) You passed out of Platoon Sergeant Course
2) You have already held the 3SG rank for a year..

considering NSF life = 2years. Getting a 3SG takes 8mths fastest. It'll be 1 year 8mths before you get 2SG. Tell me how to get 1SG.