Daily Lessons from Life 22 May 2014 - Relevant of NS ...

"NS must be relevant and responsive to new generation of Singaporeans: Defence Minister - CNA 22 May 2014

SINGAPORE: Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen says Singapore must ensure National Service remains relevant and responsive to a new generation who will defend the country.

And that's the prime reason why the Government started the Committee to Strengthen National Service, which he chairs.

Today, the committee released a slew of measures to recognise and reward National Servicemen, even as he stressed that these benefits must "never ever become a monetary transaction for services rendered".
By 2020, all full-time National Servicemen will have been born in the 21st century, says the Defence Minister.
Dr Ng said since they are raised in affluent Singapore, they would have no direct memories of the country's early struggles.
"They would have been Net natives, socialised to global trends and influences and therefore with lifestyles, outlook and expectations and aspirations different from previous generations. Amid these changes, one constant must remain. We must ensure that National Service remains relevant and responsive to a new generation who will defend Singapore."
Dr Ng noted that many Singaporeans had argued against giving servicemen too many benefits, for fear it dilutes what it means to serve the country. He added there is wisdom and virtue in this advice.
There were also those who suggested NSmen should be recognised for all contributions and compensated for opportunities lost.
"If you were so impractical to say: let's just do it completely with no recognition of benefits, NSmen would feel 'But I do sacrifice and I feel good if there's some recognition, whether it's from the government, or whether it's employers'.

"So we felt this was a balance when we recommended the recognition benefits. But neither did we want to go so far that you monetise or you create a transactional basis where you lose the spirit and ethos of National Service," he said.

And while some will effect fundamental change he noted that, if implemented well, Singapore will end up with a National Service system and a strong armed forces that everyone can be proud of."

My take on NS are:

1. relevance must be established firmly in the mind of the kids and those in active Reservist Services. The answer to the question of: "Why do we need the armed forces?" must be convincing and accepted by ALL Singaporeans. This is especially so for the 'new generation of those born after the '90s';

2. while the committee reportedly engaged more than 40k stakeholders, I hope the majority are these 'new generation of NS citizens'. If is HOW they answer the question: 'What do we the armed forces?' that matter. In fact, how they want the NS to be conducted is the next question we need to learn from them. Short and sharp and sweet? No kiasusim of 'getting up early and waiting for a long long unproductive time?'; etc;

3. how WE think the NSmen should be recognised or rewarded are LESS relevant IF whatever good intention we had are NOT what they have in mind! To develop yourself you can: 'Do not do unto others what you don't want them to do unto you.' BUT to motivate others, you need to: "Do unto others what they desired (within boundary of laws and ethics)"

Hopefully the MAJORITY of the 'benefits' are indeed what the NSmen (current and future) want. IF not, they will not be motivating.

Of course, IF the 'need to do' and 'what are expected' has a BIG WIDE gap, we will need to have the DIALOGUE to close that gap. Hopefully this is NO REQUIRED.

p/s: A bit disturbed that RT (residential training) has been stretched to 1 year instead of 3-month after the NSmen failed the IPPT. A dialogue to have maybe: if your were passing IPPT in active service, it is good for you to be active and continue to pass IPPT as a NSmen so that it is not a mountain to climb each time you take it. Tie in with activeSG movement? Healthy lifestyle movement?