Well, imho, Taiwan should just scrap its NS. 4 months is just
simply not sufficient to train an effective conscript army. In
fact, I still strongly support our 2 year NS. Maybe it would even
be better if it were alittle longer.
After reading through all the posts, I do feel that our NS has
certain flaws. The most pressing is that those who did not serve in
combat vocations may not truely understand why 2 years of NS is
required.
I am from a combat vocation, one that lacks the glory of CDO or
Guards, but I understand my importance and the role I play. I know
I am not cannon fodder as many of you like to term it as.
Starting with BMT. BMT, honestly is NOT where boys turn into men.
Its where boys learn to adjust and come to terms with what is to
come in the next 2 years. Here, 90% of the time is spent on PT,
with one goal in mind, to pass their IPPT and introduce SOC. Where
fat or soft boys gain some muscle and physical endurance to proceed
with further training. The 5 day field camp and sit test is just
introductory. Honestly, I'd be afraid to place Singapore's hopes in
these boys, they've just only learnt to protect themselves.
I think its because of BMT that many of our boys (mostly
non-combat) do not understand the rational for the 2 years.
Especially PES C and below who are usually posted to become clerks
and logistic personell, who are very important, but are usually
thrown into mundane office drudgery right after their basic
training. I am not implying that all clerks do not understand the
need of 2 years. Just that if its the case, I'd like to explain why
from a combat vocation point of view and what was missing out from
the NS experience. Although I've also heard and come to respect
several of my PES C friends contributions in their NS too, cool
higher tech stuff than I did.
Thing is, if you asked any combat guy, infantry, guards, cbt
engineers... Was their NS slack for the first say, 15 months? I
doubt any of their ans will be yes. BMT is chalet compared to what
ever that comes next. In BMT a normal private who passes out will
have the skills to defend himself, and only himself. In the many
months to come, from where I came from, we were taught to work as a
section and then platoon, to gain that immense bond and teamwork,
then came company level training and finally to the battalion
level. I can assure you that these intense training cannot be
taught in 4 months. The number of field camps is just blinding and
I wasn't even from a prestigious unit. Who care if you could
operate a rifle, or saw, whats really important is platoon and coy
level training, where a group of young men train to be efficient
soldiers by working together. I'm sure many Singaporeans who served
will agree with me on this.
Maybe people who do special missions are of a different breed where
they are train to go solo. Whereby they can wrestle a european in a
knifefight which ends by slowly melting a knife into the enemy's
chest. Well for me as one of the more common fighting citizen
soldier of singapore, I can say a single soldier who has broke
contact with his section or platoon is more or less a gonner. I am
no one without my platoon and section. But I believe together with
them, we can and will defend Singapore successfully. And thus I
truely believe 2 years should and must stay to ensure that the
soldier has the necessary skills to work effectively as a fighting
force. Time used to teach, train and test them and finally field
them as op ready men. Not as weak individuals but as strong and
steadfast teams of Singaporean men.
I guess this is what most clerical staff may be missing out on. I
have to admit, going through the field camps was... horrible to say
the least. But at least you weren't doing it alone. But I guess,
its only though the rigourous and unrelenting training that we will
understand that proper soldiers do not get trained overnight or 4
months. Because, honestly, it ain't easy being one.
And as for regulars. Well, lets be fair. Certain units require
regulars, but certainly reservists have done well in the past too.
Israle for one has shown that with sufficient training, a citizen
force can be more potent than a regular one. As from my personal
experience, regulars didn't look like rambo, nor were they very
powderful killing machines. Most would look just like your friendly
uncle at your hdb kopitiam on a sunday morning. Baring certain
elite regular-only units, most other regulars are there to pass on
knowledge and experience to ensure smooth operation of the SAF as
the main staple of the force- the NSFs are rotated through their
traing regimes year after year. Having a fully regular force is
expensive and does not mean a better force. So why not employ
regulars in key positions while the mainstay be comprised of the
citizen force? What we are doing now.
And please, droids. Gosh. Lets talk about droids when the first one
manages to scale mount everest on its own power. Nothing replaces
boots on the ground becase we can hold the ground anywhere in any
terrain under bad weather, all weather. Something my encik said
that I will never forget.
