NSFs or NSmen, all will be compensated at same rates as regular
soldiers if they're killed or injured during service
By Soh Wen Lin
FULL-TIME national servicemen (NSFs) and operationally ready NS men
(NSmen) who get injured or killed during service will now be
compensated at the same rates as regular soldiers.
Thus, they will get an additional lump-sum pension of at least one
year's pay of an equivalent regular, on top of the current
compensation rate, if they die due to service.
Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean announced the new scheme in
Parliament yesterday when he gave an update on the review of the
national service training safety system.
He was responding to concerns about military training and safety
expressed by several MPs, in light of three servicemen dying last
year during training.
After a full review, the system was deemed robust. Improvements
centred on taking more preventive action.
In the works are a knowledge management system for safety
information, trend forecasting methods to anticipate and address
potential safety problems. Near-accidents are thoroughly
investigated to glean lessons.
Other measures taken include providing better resuscitation
equipment and better-trained medical staff at training centres,
introducing safety hotlines to encourage feedback, and stepping up
audits and senior commanders' visits.
On the issue of compensation, the Defence Ministry (Mindef) is
formalising a framework for compensation to make the guidelines
clearer.
Currently, basic compensation is based on provisions in the
Workmen's Compensation Act. Mindef also has the flexibility to pay
up to 30 per cent in extra compensation on a case-by-case basis. In
some cases Mindef paid more than the 30-per-cent
cap.
Additional sources of benefits include the SAF Benevolent Fund, a
dependants' pension, and an insurance scheme which provides
coverage of up to $400,000 at a premium of $16 a month for every
$100,000 of coverage.
Said Rear-Adm (NS) Teo: 'Mindef knows that no amount of
compensation or benefits will alleviate the grief or make up for
the loss of the serviceman's family.
'However, with these improvements... we will be in a better
position to compensate our serviceman's families as fairly as
possible.'