Safety of
NSmen outfield reservist training needs urgent
review
The >60% who are excused IPPT should be tested in some other way
(swimming/ cycling options as are available to regular servicemen).
With so many Singaporeans suffering from diabetes and the like and
dropping dead @ work etc, all persons doing any outfield training
should undergo a medical examination etc before ICT, the equivalent
as if they were required to perform the IPPT test: otherwise it is
only commonsense to permanently by default excuse them from
running, marching, jumping, heavy loads since their physical
fitness for reservist outfield activities is effectively suspect,
dubious /unknown.
===========
>80% of NSmen are
actually physically UNFIT for reservist military
training/war...
(<20% NSmen actually manage to pass physical fitness test;
>50% NSmen so terribly disabled/ infirm, they are excused from
taking physical fitness test in SAF of any kind (no modified
fitness options available (swimming, cycling etc)
either)).
Operationally-ready
national servicemen (NSmen) running as part of IPPT Preparatory
Training (IPT) programme in Maju Camp on Sept 8, 2014. -- ST PHOTO:
ONG WEE JIN -
Calculation:
'300,000-plus operationally ready national servicemen
(NSmen) who form the backbone of the
SAF':
[SAF
bends and stretches over IPPT: My Paper; 01Jul2014]
'...Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT)... ...The 2010
figures from the Ministry of Defence - the most recent available -
showed that half of the 116,000 NSmen who take the
test annually fail it.'
[Tougher
penalties for NSmen who skip IPPT; ST 31Oct2014]
% of all NSmen who are
able to achieve minimum pass @ IPPT =
[(116,000/2) / 300,000+] = <<19.33333%
Or much less than 20% considering
that denominator is in excess of 300,000
personnel.
% of all 'operationally
ready' NSmen who are actually medically fit to take
IPPT=
116,000 / 300,000 = <38.666%
Less than 40% NSmen are physically (medically) fit enough to
qualify for IPPTtesting
to have their fitness recorded and computed annually.