The mandate has changed and the service period is being reduced. This is a massive win for everyone who signed. We need to stay focused on how they implement these shifts.
April 2, 2014
Final supporters
Our defense budget is high as a proportion of GDP in relation to other countries. We also require our male citizens to spend two years full time for military training and to be called back for reservist training over a period of up to 15 years.
Two years is too long. In many countries that have conscription, they are able to achieve their training within 12 months.
Many conscripts said that the actual military training could be completed within 12 months. They spend a large part of the remaining period idling, doing general cleaning, being involved in National Day Parade preparations, and waiting to be discharged. Their effectiveness would not be compromised, if they are discharged earlier.
Some conscripts are selected to be trained as officers and need to spend more time on their training. These conscripts should have to serve an additional 6 to 12 months, but they should be paid a higher allowance to make it worth their time.
If there are insufficient NS men who are keen to be selected as officers, this role should be performed by career soldiers. It is costly to train an officer and this investment can get better results when they are given to career soldiers.
We also need to review the regular call-up for reservist training. This is a heavy strain on the work and family life of the NS men. It is also a disadvantage to them, when they have to compete for jobs against non-citizens who do not have to be called up. Many employers do not like to see the disruption to their work schedule and prefer to employ non-citizens.
We also need to review the remedial training (RT) that NS men have to do for failing the physical proficiency (IPPT) test. It is unfair that non-regulars have to meet the same passing requirements as professional soldiers. Professional soldiers use working hours to keep fit but the non-regulars cannot ask their employer to give them time within working hours to keep fit.
CALL TO SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT
This is a call to the Singapore Government to reduce the duration of full time conscription from 24 months to 12 months, and to reduce the call-up for reservist and remedial training.
Updates
Reached 2,500 supporters
February 9, 2014
Reached 1,000 supporters
February 9, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
February 7, 2014
February 6, 2014
We are approaching 2,500 signatures. Post this link everywhere to help us hit that target today.
88 Comments
Wasted 2 years of my life. Looking back, 1 year is indeed enough, perhaps more for specialists and officer cadets. Also, increase wages for those that have signed on, if not for the ns conscripts. Efficiency is key. Don't waste the life of your young talents.
@Janet Tan, We need to get parents of young men, about to enter full time NS, to sign and support the Petition. It is true that they are wasting one year of precious time during the second year.
I got 2 sons. so they are going to waste 4 yrs because of NS. Girls also need to do social work or NS to help out the nation if shortage of manpower. One year is enough !
12 months of NS is more than enough. Female should also serve NS doing Community Work or the SPF. Not to forget, most guys would like to continue his study by having a Degree. By then, he will be in his mid or maybe his late twenties before joining the work force with NO working experience.......
To be honest, I want to serve NS, but I also want to finish my studies as soon as possible. I have to go through 2 years of national service before I could return to Winnipeg to pursue my degree, I will be grateful if I only have to serve a year of NS. Besides that, I want the NS experience too.
oh really? do we not have a credible airforce and navy- comprised of full professionals? NSF just make up of 34000 of the active soldiers in the land based army. Surely we can get sufficient army personnel by raising the salary to get professional troops. At the rate we are currently raising benefits of NS/NSmen, we are fast approaching the monetary payout of taxpayers dollars to professional soldiers. So why not just fully professionalize the remaining land forces already? One can argue that we cannot have sufficient manpower from our small pool of human resources. I say why don't we get a foreign legion and Gurkha component to our army?? Surely we have sufficient dollars for that.
Its really waste of time to serve NS for 2 years. Should be shortened to a year. Some students were graduated from ITE for poly. When they've finished their poly life , they will be at a age of 21/22 . After serving NS , they are already 24 years old with no working experience at all. What if they want to further studies in universities? Another 3 years? They are already 27 years old when they enter the society, with no working experience at all. Pity for them. Back to the topic, 3 months of BMT, 3 Months of vocation conversion and 6 months of operational conversion will be enough. If anyone willing to serve even longer , MINDEF can sign the contract with those who are willing to serve further. Lets talk about the allowance , $500 is only just only an allowance, don't mention that it is a "pay". For those average families, $500 is still consider enough for them, but for those poor families. They have the responsibilities to earn living by themselves and help the family. How can they help the family with only $500, not even enough for themselves.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
The mandate has changed and the service period is being reduced. This is a massive win for everyone who signed. We need to stay focused on how they implement these shifts.
April 2, 2014
Final supporters
Our defense budget is high as a proportion of GDP in relation to other countries. We also require our male citizens to spend two years full time for military training and to be called back for reservist training over a period of up to 15 years.
Two years is too long. In many countries that have conscription, they are able to achieve their training within 12 months.
Many conscripts said that the actual military training could be completed within 12 months. They spend a large part of the remaining period idling, doing general cleaning, being involved in National Day Parade preparations, and waiting to be discharged. Their effectiveness would not be compromised, if they are discharged earlier.
Some conscripts are selected to be trained as officers and need to spend more time on their training. These conscripts should have to serve an additional 6 to 12 months, but they should be paid a higher allowance to make it worth their time.
If there are insufficient NS men who are keen to be selected as officers, this role should be performed by career soldiers. It is costly to train an officer and this investment can get better results when they are given to career soldiers.
We also need to review the regular call-up for reservist training. This is a heavy strain on the work and family life of the NS men. It is also a disadvantage to them, when they have to compete for jobs against non-citizens who do not have to be called up. Many employers do not like to see the disruption to their work schedule and prefer to employ non-citizens.
We also need to review the remedial training (RT) that NS men have to do for failing the physical proficiency (IPPT) test. It is unfair that non-regulars have to meet the same passing requirements as professional soldiers. Professional soldiers use working hours to keep fit but the non-regulars cannot ask their employer to give them time within working hours to keep fit.
CALL TO SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT
This is a call to the Singapore Government to reduce the duration of full time conscription from 24 months to 12 months, and to reduce the call-up for reservist and remedial training.
Updates
Reached 2,500 supporters
February 9, 2014
Reached 1,000 supporters
February 9, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
February 7, 2014
February 6, 2014
We are approaching 2,500 signatures. Post this link everywhere to help us hit that target today.
88 Comments
I hope that the reservist system will be abolished. The reservist system will disrupt our work and time spent with our families. If other countries can serve NS without having to return for reservist training, I believe Singapore can do it too. And talking about IPPT, the taxing requirement to pass will create unwanted stress.
Wasted 2 years of my life. Looking back, 1 year is indeed enough, perhaps more for specialists and officer cadets. Also, increase wages for those that have signed on, if not for the ns conscripts. Efficiency is key. Don't waste the life of your young talents.
@Janet Tan, We need to get parents of young men, about to enter full time NS, to sign and support the Petition. It is true that they are wasting one year of precious time during the second year.
I got 2 sons. so they are going to waste 4 yrs because of NS. Girls also need to do social work or NS to help out the nation if shortage of manpower. One year is enough !
12 months of NS is more than enough. Female should also serve NS doing Community Work or the SPF. Not to forget, most guys would like to continue his study by having a Degree. By then, he will be in his mid or maybe his late twenties before joining the work force with NO working experience.......
To be honest, I want to serve NS, but I also want to finish my studies as soon as possible. I have to go through 2 years of national service before I could return to Winnipeg to pursue my degree, I will be grateful if I only have to serve a year of NS. Besides that, I want the NS experience too.
oh really? do we not have a credible airforce and navy- comprised of full professionals? NSF just make up of 34000 of the active soldiers in the land based army. Surely we can get sufficient army personnel by raising the salary to get professional troops. At the rate we are currently raising benefits of NS/NSmen, we are fast approaching the monetary payout of taxpayers dollars to professional soldiers. So why not just fully professionalize the remaining land forces already? One can argue that we cannot have sufficient manpower from our small pool of human resources. I say why don't we get a foreign legion and Gurkha component to our army?? Surely we have sufficient dollars for that.
Its really waste of time to serve NS for 2 years. Should be shortened to a year. Some students were graduated from ITE for poly. When they've finished their poly life , they will be at a age of 21/22 . After serving NS , they are already 24 years old with no working experience at all. What if they want to further studies in universities? Another 3 years? They are already 27 years old when they enter the society, with no working experience at all. Pity for them. Back to the topic, 3 months of BMT, 3 Months of vocation conversion and 6 months of operational conversion will be enough. If anyone willing to serve even longer , MINDEF can sign the contract with those who are willing to serve further. Lets talk about the allowance , $500 is only just only an allowance, don't mention that it is a "pay". For those average families, $500 is still consider enough for them, but for those poor families. They have the responsibilities to earn living by themselves and help the family. How can they help the family with only $500, not even enough for themselves.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
I hope that the reservist system will be abolished. The reservist system will disrupt our work and time spent with our families. If other countries can serve NS without having to return for reservist training, I believe Singapore can do it too. And talking about IPPT, the taxing requirement to pass will create unwanted stress.