{"id":85028,"date":"2023-02-14T14:00:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T06:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/singapore\/?p=85028"},"modified":"2024-12-11T15:17:41","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T07:17:41","slug":"national-service-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/singapore\/national-service-singapore\/","title":{"rendered":"Hey, can you serve? This is what it\u2019s like to go through National Service in Singapore (hint: it\u2019s not the end of the world)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Singapore\u2019s National Service<\/a>, not-so-affectionately known as NS, often seems to get a bad rep. Just this month, a man was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail for defaulting on his NS obligations<\/a>. Before that, news coverage was of servicemen who died or got severely injured while in service<\/a>. There are also stories of those who have been mentally or emotionally scarred and traumatised by military conscription. But it\u2019s not all doom and gloom. We’ve seen positive and uplifting anecdotes from those who\u2019ve excelled during NS and after their service.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, ask the man on the street about NS and you\u2019ll get polarising feedback. Some love it, some hate it, and others say they\u2019re indifferent. But hey, at the end of the day, it\u2019s what you make of it, right? As for me, it wasn\u2019t a walk in the park, but it wasn\u2019t the end of the world either. Here\u2019s a roll call of the misconceptions and realities of NS. Readers, sedia!<\/p>\n

The misconceptions of National Slavery<\/del> Service in Singapore<\/h2>\n

1. You\u2019re stuck in camp throughout the two years<\/h3>\n
\"National
Let me go home\u2026 Photography: Sufyan Saad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The thought of leaving your comforts behind is daunting. Goodbye bed<\/a>, goodbye air-conditioner, goodbye Netflix<\/a>, and others. But your resort stay won\u2019t last for long. Think of it as a two-week cosplay camp. (Come to think of it, just think of NS as cosplaying.) After that, apart from the week-long field camp, you\u2019re free to go back home every weekend.<\/p>\n

Will it be the same after you\u2019ve completed Basic Military Training (BMT)? Well, it depends on your vocation and which camp you end up in. Some can only return during weekends<\/a>. If you\u2019re lucky, you get to go home every day. Manifest that<\/a>. But some prefer to stay in camp. We don\u2019t talk about them.<\/p>\n

2. You can\u2019t use your fancy phone when you\u2019re in camp<\/h3>\n

Back when I was serving my sentence<\/del> NS, we weren\u2019t allowed to bring camera phones. So everyone either carried Nokia phones or removed the cameras on their phones. Yes, imagine surviving two years on text messaging and mastering Snake.<\/p>\n

Nowadays, the military has fully embraced technology, so everyone gets to bring in their funky phones with cameras attached. Just be sure not to take photos and videos exposing sensitivities (military or otherwise) or engaging in, ahem, sexual activity<\/a>. It\u2019s not worth it getting charged and being hauled to prison just to prove something or show off. Look, I get the uniform kink, but seriously, don\u2019t end up in jail because of it!<\/p>\n

3. There are no women in the military<\/h3>\n
\"National
All the women who are independent \u2013 throw your hands up at me. Photography: The Singapore Army via Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To all the antifeminists, misogynists, incels, old-fashioned thinkers, and whatnot \u2013 sorry to disappoint, but NS isn\u2019t limited to the menfolk. This isn\u2019t the 1960s, you know. You\u2019ll encounter female recruits, officers, and instructors\u2026 need I say more? As long as you don\u2019t make sexist remarks or do anything unwarranted towards them (aka behave yourselves), you\u2019re all good.<\/p>\n

4. Only the fittest and manliest survive<\/h3>\n
\"National
Let’s get physical. Photography: Basic Military Training Centre via Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You wanna be on top? Of course, you can. It\u2019s a misconception that only the fittest and manliest can handle National Service. During my time, I had a section mate who was childlike and a bit of a softie, someone you\u2019d want to baby. He breezily did more than 10 pull-ups and completed his 2.4km run within 12 minutes.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, some men are built like brick houses but get assigned to PES B2 or beyond<\/a>. (PES, or Physical Employment Standard, is done after your medical screening and determines whether you\u2019re fit for combat assignments.) Or they become clerks. Not that there\u2019s anything wrong with that, but the math isn’t mathing.<\/p>\n

Speaking of the fittest, if you think you\u2019ll get a hot body during your NS stint, think again. Yes, there are plenty of physical fitness moments, but you\u2019ll also learn things like marching, rifle handling, and combat work. There\u2019s not enough time to work out. In fact, some men have lamented that NS caused them to lose their gains. Leave the body goals to after NS, when you have more time (and money).<\/p>\n

5. Trust no one \u2013 it\u2019s a dog-eat-dog world<\/h3>\n
\"National
Gaga ooh-la-la, want your bad bromance. Photography: Basic Military Training Centre via Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the two years, you\u2019ll meet different types of dudes \u2013 manly men, feminine men, queer men, smart men, clueless men\u2026 Everyone\u2019s in the same boat, and you\u2019re just trying to stay afloat. Your physique, behaviour, and even educational level don\u2019t matter. Everyone\u2019s bro game becomes strong in NS. My unit had two guys who were practically inseparable. They did everything together, including collecting lunch, taking breaks between deployments, and inspecting toilets. Now, that\u2019s what I call bromance!<\/p>\n

Here’s another story: at the height of my field camp, the entire platoon was told to \u201cknock it down\u201d and \u201chold it there\u201d because someone didn\u2019t dig a hole deep enough and took a stinking dump. Our sergeants and officers discovered the shithole (literally and figuratively) and punished us until one of my section mates caved and admitted he was at fault. Looking back, I don\u2019t think he was. He probably covered up for someone else so we could recover from the whole thing. Or maybe he did it. I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Anyhoo, another caveat \u2013 just because you\u2019re working with men doesn\u2019t excuse them from cattiness. Let me tell you, men are just as bad. Who would\u2019ve thought NS could be the place that breeds bitchy behaviour in men? Oops.<\/p>\n

6. You\u2019ll only have two brain cells left<\/h3>\n

They say your brain disappears once you put on the uniform. And in some sense, it\u2019s true. You\u2019re obeying commands, there are rules and instructions to follow, and you\u2019re not required to use your noggin when taking any tests. On top of that, everyone speaks in truncated English, Singlish<\/a>, or vulgarities in between each word. NS is the only place where your grandmother performs tasks better and faster than you, it seems.<\/p>\n

Regardless, who says you can\u2019t use your brain? Serve smartly and never forget the unspoken golden rule of every NSman \u2013 you can do anything, but don\u2019t get caught.<\/p>\n

7. You get to fulfil your Michael Bay movie fantasies<\/h3>\n
\"National
Bang bang all over you\u2026 Photography: Basic Military Training Centre via Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Contrary to popular belief, the rifle is, more often than not, just an accessory to look after. You won\u2019t be firing it that much; even when you do, the maintenance isn\u2019t worth it. Well, what about grenades? You\u2019ll throw it a total of one time, and that\u2019s during BMT. Once deployed to your unit, the rifle becomes your only other responsibility. The upside? You learn how to take care of something that\u2019s valuable. Think of yourself as Frodo and the rifle as the One Ring. It’s your precious\u2026<\/p>\n

8. Nothing lasts forever in NS \u2013 especially relationships<\/h3>\n

Everyone knows the urban legend: when NS comes around, relationships crumble. That depends on both parties, though. I\u2019m no expert, but if your relationship is doomed or on the brink, NS has nothing to do with it. A two-year conscription means nothing if relationships can survive<\/a> distance, age gap, and even language barriers. If they\u2019re using NS as an excuse to break up<\/a>, tell them to cut the crap and be honest. Unsurprisingly, most boys end up being single while serving NS.<\/p>\n

9. Your NS allowance is never enough<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s talk facts \u2013 GST has increased to 8%, and the cost of living in Singapore has risen astronomically. Will you survive on your pittance of an NS allowance? As Destiny\u2019s Child would say, no, no, no\u2026<\/p>\n

However, you can make do if you\u2019re living on essentials. Eat from the cookhouse or at home and cut down on excessive entertainment. If you really need to go out, consider the free things<\/a> you can participate in. Oh, and remember to set aside some money for your savings<\/a>. It\u2019s a good period to save (if you haven\u2019t been doing so) and build your rainy day funds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

10. You\u2019re free after those two years<\/h3>\n
\"National
Goodbye, NS, goodbye! Photography: Basic Military Training Centre via Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just kidding! You wish<\/em> you were done and dusted after two years. But it\u2019s only a matter of time until the Ministry of Defence informs you of your reservist training. Some are called back immediately after, while others wait until they\u2019re activated. Reservist cycles last for ten years or until you reach the age of 40 (50 for officers). Let\u2019s not forget the annual physical fitness tests, too.<\/p>\n

Some welcome reservists. They treat it as a \u201choliday camp\u201d, a respite from work and the outside world. Others dread it and want to get it over with as fast and painlessly as possible. It\u2019s a bit like NS, except for the duration (two weeks at most) and a pretty lax itinerary. Reservist is a good time and place to reconnect with your green buddies, reminisce about NS, and have a jolly time going for outfield. (Okay, not the last one.)<\/p>\n

Life lessons from National Service in Singapore<\/h3>\n

Trepidation, resentment, acceptance. Those were my feelings before, during, and after National Service. It\u2019s natural to be nervous about something you didn\u2019t choose to participate in. During the initial weeks, I hated being there. The stiflingly regimented life felt suffocating. I despised the fact that two years of my life were taken up by NS obligations.<\/p>\n

But slowly, it became bearable. I made friends, and NS didn\u2019t feel so bleak (other than field camp). During unit life, I learnt a lot about myself and grew as a person. I became more comfortable with who I am and realised that I\u2019m capable of leading a team. I never thought I had it in me. Perhaps military conscription matured me.<\/p>\n

During National Service in Singapore, you\u2019re not a boy, not yet a man. After going through it, you realise NS is something you didn\u2019t ask for, but it\u2019s secretly what you need. Plus, it\u2019s always a fascinating anecdote to tell \u2013 one shared by every Singaporean son who calls this island home. As long as you don\u2019t make NS your entire personality or where you peaked in life, you\u2019re all good.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Singapore\u2019s National Service, not-so-affectionately known as NS, often seems to get a bad rep. Just this month, a man was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail for defaulting on his NS obligations. Before that, news coverage was of servicemen who died or got severely injured while in service. There are also stories of those who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107587,"featured_media":269576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOpinion: Singapore's National Service is not the end of the world<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a National Service survivor in Singapore, I thought about my \u201cArmy Daze\u201d and wondered if NS really turned me from Ah Boy to Man\u2026\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/singapore\/national-service-singapore\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hey, can you serve? 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