As my NSF was about to end, I considered signing on as I hav
always liked being a soldier.
But my boss, the 40+ yrs old Bde S2 told me not to. He said that
unless I am an officer - forget it. Basically he said that
non-officers are expendable in SAF and most get screwed by having
their contracts discontinued by the time they are around 40.
Our Camp PTI, a Malay WO in his early 40's got the marching orders
while I was there. We see him sitting drinking teh everyday looking
very lost and worried after learning his contract will not be
renewed.
And he was a nice chap, too.
...
Anyone here old enough to remember the SAF Boy's School
fiasco?
It was a scheme designed to turn good-for-nothing school dropouts
into useful soldiers at 16. There were massive PR which promised
that the School will teach you useful skills, bright future in the
SAF etc etc.
What they did turn out were a bunch of lazy, good-for-nothing, low
IQ, Hitler Youth-type people. All the SAF Boy's School people I
knew were out of SAF by their early 30's and back to civi life
where they are wholly unequipped for.
...
As an NS man, I don't feel so bad. It is very clear right from the
start. You will be paid next to nothing, tortured etc so that you
are ready to die for your country if attacked.
Fair enough. The price of being Singaporean.
Just don't bloody send me off to some peace-keeping duty in Africa
or something where I am nothing more than a walking target practice
for the real combatants.
But for those who sign on and then get cashiered at 40, no pity.
They should've known better that SAF is not an iron rice bowl.
