If that is the case, what incentive will a serviceman get for
being a patriot, and doing his NS deligently?
You mean beyond the SAF 100 & the make-up pay? ~lol~
Unit bonding, I guess. Reservist military culture is different from
the "active time" version. During NSF, it's the regulars who holds
the so-called KAH jobs - & they include SAF scholars,
Formation-school transfers, condemned cases, plus the mundane
signed-on's.
In reservist, it'll all leadership by citizen soldiers, with only
the senior KAHs likely "recyclists" on their 2nd tours (either
ROVERS-extended or reposted after their old outfits stood down).
The junior-commander LTAs & 2SG/3SGs have also to directly lead
their men now, yet cannot "pull-rank" like the old conscript days.
So even as orders must be made/followed, a new personal
relationship also has to be cultivated - & it's one that often
spills over to the civilian side as well (work, clientale,
neighbors, hobby, friends).
IMO This "bonding" cultivation can take place over the first 5-6
ICTs, partly cuz they meet up only for for 1-4 weeks each time. I'm
not prepared to say I would definately throw myself over a grenade
for a reservist buddy, but I've experienced sharing a foxhole with
him, have attended his wedding & seen the birth of his child,
& him the same with me. Now extrapolate this out for a whole
BN. The interpersonal ties become so familiarized that the officers
& senior specialists weren't even addressed as "sir" or
"enciks", but by their appointments ("CO," "BSO"; or "Ah Thong the
RQ", etc.").
Of course, this collective kinship will someday hit diminishing
returns, usually in the late-20s when reservists are burdened by
civilian workloads & the tending of a growing nuclear family. I
myself experienced it after my 2nd Ex Starlight trip in the
mid-'90s, & I like to think it's our feedback that help brought
about the latest reservist reforms (shortened training cycle, with
BIT refreshers to round up its finishing).
