Taiwan is reducing their national service to 12 months soon.
They are finally saying that regular army is better than NS, and they are speaking from many years of experience with NSmen. And they are doing it inspite of being threatened by China.
So why are we still sentencing our youngmen to 24 months in the army camps?
With Taiwan reducing its NS terms, Singaporeans will have the unenviable reputation of serving the 2nd longest NS term in the world.
I recap here (my earlier posting on NS expired) the world's mandatory NS:
Austria
In Austria, compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from 18 to 36 years of age (with some exceptions), in which the basic military service must be done. The duration of the basic military service is eight months. This can either be done in one go, or as a service of six months with regular weapon exercises of several days as member of the Miliz until the duration of eight months is reached.
Military alternative service or civil service is possible in place of the compulsory military service. Its duration is 12 months and can be performed at different organizations.
China (PRC)
The People's Republic of China has conscription for both men and women. Women who are conscripted go to the army for two months and learn to fire guns. .
Finland
As of 2004, Finland has mandatory military service of at least six months, depending on the assigned position: those trained as officers serve for twelve months, specialty troops serve for nine months, and other rank and file serve for six months. Women can serve, if they choose. Civilian service of 13 months is available in lieu of military service. Men who opt for neither are sent to open prison where they may work and study for a period of six months.
Germany
Germany has a mandatory military service of nine months for men. Women may volunteer and are allowed to perform the same jobs as men. A conscientious objector may write a petition requesting permission to do a civilian "substitute service", which is usually accepted, whereupon he is expected to serve 10 months. Overall, however, during the past few years, the number of men being drafted has declined significantly.
German law provides several options for conscientious objectors to perform alternative public service instead of a weapons-based military service:
Greece
As of 2002, Greece (Hellenic Republic) has a mandatory military service of 18 months. However, it is developing a professional army system, and it is widely expected that the mandatory military service will be abolished soon, with some ranks serving for 14 or 16 months in recent times. Greek soldiers fire a gun during the first two months of their service.
Israel
Israel has mandatory military service for both men and women who hold Israeli citizenship. It is the only country which currently practices female conscription.
Lebanon
Lebanon has a mandatory military service of one year for men.
Malaysia
As of 2004, Malaysia has a mandatory national service of three months for a selected group of both men and women. 20% of 18-year-olds are selected through a lottery system to join this program. Trainees will not be trained using firearms. The first training date is Feb 16, 2004.
Norway
Norway has mandatory military service for men (women can volunteer) of 6, 9 or 12 months. Pacifists can apply for alternative service.
Russia
As of 2002, Russia (Russian Federation) has a mandatory two-year draft but most Russians avoid it. Only 11 percent of Russian men enter mandatory military service.
Singapore
Singapore has one of the longest mandatory military service for males, at two and a half years. As of Jan 2005, it will be reduce by 6 months.
South Korea
As of 2002, South Korea has a mandatory military service of 26 months.
Sweden
Less than a third of the Scandinavian country's eligible 19-year-olds are actually drafted each year.
Switzerland
Switzerland has the largest militia army in the world (200 000 including reserves). Military service for Swiss men is obligatory according to the Federal Constitution, and includes 17 weeks of basic training as well as annual 3-week-refresher courses until a number of service days which increases with rank (300 days for privates) is reached.
Taiwan (ROC)
As 0f 2004, The Republic of China has implemented mandatory military service for all males since 1949. Females in the outlying islands of Fujian must also serve. Beginning January 2004, the mandatory service has been shortened by two months.
Canada
In Canada conscription has never taken place in peace-time. Conscription became an extremely controversial issue during both WWI and WWII, especially in the province of Quebec.
France
France was one of the first nations to employ conscription. During the wars following the French Revolution the army needed men to stop invasions Austrian and British invasions. France abolished peacetime military conscription in 2001.
Slovenia
Slovenia's Prime Minister Anton Rop abolished mandatory military service on September 9, 2003.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom had conscription during the First World War and the Second World War. After the Second World War, it introduced National Service, which was abolished in 1960.
United States of America
The United States has instituted mandatory military service at various times, usually during wars such as the American Civil War, World War II and Vietnam War. Registration for selective service (for possible future drafts) is required of all males at their 18th birthday. Registrants remain in the pool until January 1 of the year they turn 25.
When the United States began mobilizing in 1940, in response to the threat from Nazi Germany, the first peacetime draft in its history was introduced. Use of the draft persisted through the early years of the Cold War.
However, in the aftermath of Vietnam, it was recognized that retention of conscription would be completely impracticable.
The military currently does not believe that a draft is needed. They feel that the current personnel levels of the military services is sufficient. Some members of the military feel that an all volunteer military provides military services with people that are in the military because it is truly what they want to do, and makes the military better. In recent times many more positions in the military require highly skilled and trained individuals, which some in the military have felt could only be obtained through volunteer means. There have been rumours of a targeted draft to obtain the people that have specific skills for military service.
