The Price of Freedom: Why NS is necessary
-
Why do we Singaporeans go through National Service?Why do we go through conscription?Why do we train to become soldiers?
Singaporeans are in general a peaceable bunch.We don't train to be soldiers with the hope of one day using our skills in combat.We don't become trained killers just to be feared.We don't wield insane amounts of firepower for a country our size(it is my personal belief that the SAF has pioneered the concept of "beyond overkill" by sending 700 men to catch 3 robbers)just waiting for someone to come along so that we can pounce and devastate them with our insane amount of weaponry.
One of the main benefits from from national service is the increased self-confidence that comes with increased physical proficiency and prowess in combat skills.This actually prevents violence from erupting as we don't feel the need to prove ourselves with our weapons,and the knowledge of such power deters possible adversaries.We regard the actual use of force as a last resort,for only if diplomacy fails do we turn to violence.
To help make my point,here's a saying by Robert A. Heinlein,a late sci-fi author who wrote Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers,among numerous other volumes.He was noted for constantly imploring readers to be self-sufficent and self-reliant.
"The price of freedom is the willlingness to do sudden battle anywhere,anytime and with utter recklesness."
Encapsulated in those 18 words is what it means to live the life of a defender of any homeland.We train our bodies and minds so that we may unleash our skills at a moment's notice and control our minds in the chaos of battle so as to protect our comrades,family and loved ones.
We maintain our security and the peace of our land by letting others know that we'll rain down death and destruction on the enemy if we are forced to.Of course,we'd prefer that everybody get along well.
The only part of Heinlein's statement that I would change is the word "recklesness".I'd substiture "abandon".Recklesness indicates a lack of caution and control,while abandon implies a lack of concern for what happens to ourselves as we battle to preserve the well-being of those we care about and have vowed to protect.
We soldiers and aspiring soldiers know that this is the price of freedom-to surrender our time,a fraction of our lives,to train so as to be weapons of war to defend our comrades,friends,family and loved ones,to maintain our freedom as a nation and most importantly,as a people.
For us,eternal vigilance against the imposition of evil is not an option;it's a responsibility,as the soldiers of Singapore. -
i thought this article is appropriate here
Don't forget to salute our brave men in uniform
AS A United States citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident, I hope that all Singaporeans fully comprehend the sacrifice made by the Republic of Singapore Air Force pilot, Lieutenant Brandon Loo Kwang Han, 25, who died recently while training in an F-16 aircraft in the state of Arizona in the US ('RSAF pilot dies while living out his dream'; ST, May 22).
I love my fellow Singaporeans, but all too often they become complacent about the freedom they enjoy. It must be clearly understood that the freedom Singapore enjoys is because brave Singaporeans in the armed forces protect that freedom every single day, every single minute and every single second.
The freedom that Singapore enjoys as a nation is contingent on those in the armed forces willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and we now have seen a brave Singaporean RSAF pilot do just that for his nation while training to defend it. I would encourage all Singaporeans to say 'thank you' the next time they see a member of the armed forces in uniform. Thank them for protecting your home, for making a sacrifice, and for protecting Singapore's freedom as a nation.
JONATHAN V. GALAVIZ
President
Singapore Association of Nevada
--ST forum -
Sardaukar, are you a citizen or a civilian?
-
citizen and civilian sounds the same to me leh...Originally posted by SingaporeMacross:Sardaukar, are you a citizen or a civilian? -
haha..how much did Goh Keng Swee pay you to say all that?
Just kidding...anyway its a responsibility to ensue the continuation of peace in our country. Probably 2.5 years is a little too long. Once you turn operational, you are basically doing the same thing over and over again. Why does it have to be so long? IMHO 2 years for everyone would be enough. -
So if you would subsitute 'recklessness' with 'abandon', we have...The price of freedom is the willlingness to do sudden battle anywhere,anytime and with utter abandon?Originally posted by Sardaukar:Why do we Singaporeans go through National Service?Why do we go through conscription?Why do we train to become soldiers?
Singaporeans are in general a peaceable bunch.We don't train to be soldiers with the hope of one day using our skills in combat.We don't become trained killers just to be feared.We don't wield insane amounts of firepower for a country our size(it is my personal belief that the SAF has pioneered the concept of "beyond overkill" by sending 700 men to catch 3 robbers)just waiting for someone to come along so that we can pounce and devastate them with our insane amount of weaponry.
One of the main benefits from from national service is the increased self-confidence that comes with increased physical proficiency and prowess in combat skills.This actually prevents violence from erupting as we don't feel the need to prove ourselves with our weapons,and the knowledge of such power deters possible adversaries.We regard the actual use of force as a last resort,for only if diplomacy fails do we turn to violence.
To help make my point,here's a saying by Robert A. Heinlein,a late sci-fi author who wrote Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers,among numerous other volumes.He was noted for constantly imploring readers to be self-sufficent and self-reliant.
"The price of freedom is the willlingness to do sudden battle anywhere,anytime and with utter recklesness."
Encapsulated in those 18 words is what it means to live the life of a defender of any homeland.We train our bodies and minds so that we may unleash our skills at a moment's notice and control our minds in the chaos of battle so as to protect our comrades,family and loved ones.
We maintain our security and the peace of our land by letting others know that we'll rain down death and destruction on the enemy if we are forced to.Of course,we'd prefer that everybody get along well.
The only part of Heinlein's statement that I would change is the word "recklesness".I'd substiture "abandon".Recklesness indicates a lack of caution and control,while abandon implies a lack of concern for what happens to ourselves as we battle to preserve the well-being of those we care about and have vowed to protect.
We soldiers and aspiring soldiers know that this is the price of freedom-to surrender our time,a fraction of our lives,to train so as to be weapons of war to defend our comrades,friends,family and loved ones,to maintain our freedom as a nation and most importantly,as a people.
For us,eternal vigilance against the imposition of evil is not an option;it's a responsibility,as the soldiers of Singapore.
"Recklesness indicates a lack of caution and control,while abandon implies a lack of concern for what happens to ourselves as we battle to preserve the well-being of those we care about and have vowed to protect."
You're trying to subsitute the word, but the meaning seem to stay. A lack of concern to ourselves as we battle will bring us a chance of likely defeat. No harm meant. While recklessness indicates a lack of caution and control, abandonment is a deliberate lack of self control and caution. If there is a machine gun nest in front of a soldier, knowing that he is defending his homeland and loved ones, does he stand up and charge towards it with utter 'abandonment'? Or live to fight another day?
And also..sending 700 men to catch 3 robbers (the tekong incident) is not "beyond overkill". It's the large amount of land to cover!
So maybe you'll expect that since 700 men is a "beyong overkill", then maybe 100-200 men is a just nice "kill" ? Thankfully for those who was in charge that didn't happen, or the robbers wouldn't have been caught. -
Nope,I am not a government mouthpiece,but I feel that after the recent death of the pilot,I should raise awareness of how necessary in these times that we as soldiers are needed for the protection of our homes.
In reference to the case of 'recklesness' vs 'abandon',perhaps i should rephrase it with 'caution'.Perhaps that would work better in getting the message across?
And regarding the 2nd post,I did not mean to imply that only soldiers are the ONLY defence that Singapore has.Yes,leadership and intelligence as well as foresight are needed in protecting our economic and human/social interests abroad.You can take this message and apply it to nearly every profession,every occupation,whether blue-collar,grey-collar or white-collar.I apologise for my poverty of expression that resulted in your misunderstanding.Nearly all of us work towards the benefit of our society,whehter we know it or not. -
In the Starship Troopers book, a citizen is one who had volunteered for military service and completed a tour of service. A civilian is one who does not. Citizens are allowed to vote. But Soldiers and Civilians are not. Soldiers become Citizens after they leave the service.Originally posted by kopiosatu:citizen and civilian sounds the same to me leh... -
The Oath they take states "for two years and as much longer as may be needed" So what happens if they decide they need you for 10 years or more?Originally posted by SingaporeMacross:In the Starship Troopers book, a citizen is one who had volunteered for military service and completed a tour of service. A civilian is one who does not. Citizens are allowed to vote. But Soldiers and Civilians are not. Soldiers become Citizens after they leave the service.
Give that choice to singaporeans, and it might be interesting who wants to vote.