NS Enlist SG Boys could Dip by 25% in 2025. How?
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SINGAPORE - Declining birth rates and its impact on Singapore's population represents a "big challenge" facing the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) over the next decade, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
From 2016, enlistment rates for full-time National Service (NS) will begin to fall. And in 2025, NSF enlistment is expected to dip by 25 per cent, from about 26,000 last year to about 19,500 in 2025, said Dr Ng during an interview to mark SAF Day which falls on July 1.
The SAF, however, has been preparing for the impending drop in enlistees by modernising itself to be able to "do the same, if not more, with the same number of people".
Dr Ng cites the army's High Mobility Artillery Rocket System - manned by three people, instead of 12 previously for the older howitzers - and the air force's Heron-1 unmanned aerial vehicle as examples of how SAF harnesses technology to overcome the demographic challenge.
"Moving forward, we have to continue to find ways and we are looking for ways to optimise the contribution of each national serviceman," said Dr Ng. "It is not only in terms of the skills and capabilities for which we have to enhance our systems to be able to train them, it is also about the way the SAF functions."
An integral part of the transformation to a third-generation SAF was the move towards "flatter" command structures, he added.
When asked if NS durations would be relooked given falling enlistment numbers, Dr Ng ruled out such a move. The reduction of full-time NS from two and a half to two years in 2004 had factored the drop in enlistment numbers and projected "very far forward", he said.
Dr Ng also ruled out expanding the SAF's standing size force of 300,000, noting that "the size of the regular army now is capable and able to fulfil our missions".
Steady defence spending which "removes the vicissitudes of cycles" will also continue, he added.
COMMITMENT TO DEFENCE "REASSURING", DR NG SAYS
As to whether the perception of the SAF will change with the projected decline in enlistments, Dr Ng said SAF has now established "ourselves as a modernised, capable military". "I think that impression will continue to be maintained with our defence spending and our ability to get more from our national servicemen and the SAF," he added.
One way would be to leverage on more educated servicemen entering SAF. Another would be to tap on to Singaporeans' commitment to defence.
As the 45th anniversary of NS is commemorated this year, the Defence Minister pointed to periodic surveys which showed more than 90 per cent of respondents - comprising full-time national servicemen, civilian soliders and the public -consistently affirm that NS is necessary, that Singapore is where they belong and they would defend Singapore should it come under threat.
One civilian soldier who is on the voluntary extended reserve scheme, Major (NS) Jimmy Ng, said that despite NS taking time away from his job and family, he believes in serving national service "for passion" and "enjoyment", and "not for fame or honour or anything else". Mr Ng will transit into the Volunteers Scheme when he turns 50 next year.
The Defence Minister said, "I do not think there had been a reduction in the will to defend this place. I think people recognise that there is more to defend but at the same time we also recognise that there are also added demands of work and family, and we are also trying to help our NSmen do things more efficiently so that they can meet these demands."-- TODAY
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why ask a major? go as a LCP.
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time to enlist females?
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9k for old reservists also they want to ngiow. so much for doing it for the nation.
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We need to import until 10 million people to make up for the shortfall?
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you'll be saying excuse me the minute you step out of your house until you reached your office.
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Originally posted by dragg:
you’ll be saying excuse me the minute you step out of your house until you reached your office.
Plus pay ERP the moment you step out of the house.
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And ERP at the office door too.
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He is saying this to sing the tune of we need more foreigners.
The point is that being a PR is easy.
But, no one is so dumb to become citizens and serve a place which is not their homeland.
Not forgetting the yearly holiday and RT that comes with this package.
Increasing the school fee will not push the PRs to convert to citizens as most of them are on scholarship.
So, the local end up paying for the increase.
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
He is saying this to sing the tune of we need more foreigners.
The point is that being a PR is easy.
But, no one is so dumb to become citizens and serve a place which is not their homeland.
Not forgetting the yearly holiday and RT that comes with this package.
Increasing the school fee will not push the PRs to convert to citizens as most of them are on scholarship.
So, the local end up paying for the increase.
singaporeans gave them a valid reason to charge foreigners more. -
I don't think it is the number of personnels that matters in the army.
They should spend time to explore other options, such as robotics and better firearm.
Gundam!