Noticed all our medical aid in uniform and not civilian?

KumSioJui SG

what is the purpose?

Are civilians tend to respect authority more when they see someone in military fatigues hence create less problems? Notice that during east timor crisis the australians went in full camoflage face painted and all.

During one of my backpack trips to China I saw a lot of people in uniforms, shopping mall security guards even carpark attendants wear uniform and look like government official or police and people tends to obey and show respect.

why then we won't send out medical team on humanitarian missions wearing humanitarian clothes like blue UN uniform or a doctors overall instead of the singapore army green fatigues? .. what are we trying to potray and why?

anybody ever stop to think Wink

[email protected] SG

i like jap schgal sailor-style uniforms. Laughing

KumSioJui SG

with those flappy skirts? those look very sexy, with nothing underneath is even better.

but wif you in it then it doesn't make sense cause when you sit down or bend down something drops out Laughing

ditzy SG

For one thing, they had to deploy asap, they don't want a logistical nightmare here sorting different sizes of blue uniforms do they? Laughing

On print and media, how would you feel seeing combat troops run around in their PT kits?

Wear uniform to gain respect in the front, but get get screwed at the back.

[email protected] SG

i say i like, never say i like wearing it. big difference hor. Laughing

KumSioJui SG

of course not in pt-kit lah, but I'm sure we can make a set of uniform for doctors and aid workers but why since the first gulf war when we sent medical aid(more than 10yrs already) are we still sending them in military fatigues?

so why military fatigues?

[email protected] SG

why not? clothes r clothes. That armband with the white circle n red cross is universal.

KumSioJui SG

it's not a bad thing that we are sending our aid personnel out in green uniform but it's a controversal opnion that I have.

I guess we want to portray the image that our armed forces are peaceful and ever helpful, thats why since first gulf war and all our overseas missions we never sent our troops for fighting, it is always for peaceful relief missions. And almost always in green fatigue.

So that in the event 1 fine day we have to send troops to aid in peace keeping missions where there will be fighting, the populations will remember our generous past and not see us as occupation forces with ulterior motives.

so there. Mr. Green

[email protected] SG

lets put it this way. logistics needs to be focused on the most important things. food, medicine, supporting infrastructure etc. no body wants to waste logistical efforts on looks, so they go in what they were issued with.

Moxie SG

Noticed all our medical aid in uniform and not civilian?

Why not? This is a SAF HATF mission, & the servicemen should wear their working uniforms. Absolutely no need to cross-pretend that we're some sort of NGO, given that the actual deployments on the ground (from setting up field clinics & hospitals, to standing down punctually each day & returning to base for downtime & nightly briefings) are centered around a military structure. Heck, even the TNI counterparts are doing the same, cuz the news reports said we set up tentage next to them.

Just prominently display the Red Cross identification - on your sleeve or whatever - & it'll be good enough to signal that you're there to provide health aid, even if you're a soldier by trade.

BTW UN troops still wear military uniforms, but with a blue beret or a blue helmet.

Obersturmfuhrer SG

You think the soldiers would prefer wearing Armani or Gucci suits instead? Laughing

LazerLordz SG

You've got a very good point there.It's good for our international standing, so that we will perhaps be seen more for our neutrality than any other less humaintarian motive.

sane_guy2 SG

Not true that help from Singapore comes solely from the military. There are civilian organisations that sent teams over the sumatra to help. For example, city harvest church sent a team of doctors and nurses over to Aceh.

YI SG

one question. do you pay tax? the government had to answer to taxpayer. an idea is an idea and i am not going to gun you down for it. who is fit to comment on the current arrangement? i however will stand along current arrangement mainly due to logistic issue. anyway.. did you notice that one of the doc featured on tv was wearing shorts? not sure of his nationality though but i thought that it was kind of inappropriate.

Moxie SG

The relief mission to Sri Lanka is a civilian one, cuz it’s not SAF- or even MFA- organizad (aside from sending some vanguard staff & deploying a C-130 plane or two).