Daily Lessons from Life 31 August 2010 - Details of NS award announced

First of all an acknowledgement that 2/3 of 2010 has just ended. There are still resolutions to keep! Some I am ahead while some I am still struggling a little. May I put more focus on those I am struggling and continued my vigilance on those I am progressing steadily.

"Details of NS award announced - Tue, Aug 31, 2010 AsiaOne

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has released details of the National Service Recognition Award (NSRA) which was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Sunday night.

The NSRA aims to provide sustained recognition to Singapore citizens who serve National Service (NS), said Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee, Minister of State for Defence in a press release that was issued today.

The NSRA is a monetary award for each citizen National Serviceman. It will total between $9,000 and $10,500 by the time he completes his Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) training cycle. It will be given out equally at three milestones during the servicemen's full-time NS and ORNS."

Personally I believed that Loyalty CANNOT be bought! If loyalty can be BOUGHT, then it is NOT loyalty. It has to be something deeper. Something noble. Something that defied rationality. It has to be connected with the state of emotional responses by the loyalists!

Lessons for me are:

1. Singapore has a rich national reserve. We have the capital to reward our people if we deemed fit. We choose where we want to invest the money. Hence, despite many poor and down-and-out and the not so-down-and-out folks clamouring for more welfare, the government stood firm and said: 'NO!'. Reserves are meant for the heavy rainy days!;

2. Due to the selectivity of this particular reward, many of the young and not-so-young NS men starts to compare the values of the reward. S$9k is too little for some while some gladly accept it and still some accept it gladly and gratefully. It is a no-win situation. When you are too quick to equate $$ with anything and everything, you have cheapen it. Especially with something as sacred and precious and intangible as loyalty to the country! You SIMPLY CANNOT put a $$ to loyalty!!;

3. While some said this is just a token of appreciation, it is not really solving the unhappiness expressed by many Singaporeans who serve the arm forces and doing NS duties against those PRs who choose NOT to become a citizen. It is emotional rather than rational when these NS men responded in this manner. If the competition is just Singaporean vs. Singaporean, the playing field is level. However, if the competition is between a FT who came in at 23 years old with 2 years of working experience vs. a new minted Singapore male graduate with NO experience, the employer is likely to pick the FT all things being equal! This, is what some of the Local Talent (LTs) are unhappy about. Will the $9k token of appreciation help? Hardly if one choose to think differently from those who feel that a gift is a gift and one should show appreciation.

To build loyalty, we need to look beyond $$. It takes a sense of belonging, a sense of pride, and a sense of 'I am being treated fairly and respectfully'!! It also means the leaders have to work harder at getting close to the people. Truly listen to their concerns and respond appropriately.