heard u all mentioning camp and base...
what is the difference in camp and base in singaporean context??
can anyone tell me anot?thx ar in advance
next time qing u all lim kopi !
camp and base can be casually used interchangebly.
as far as i know they do not have strict interpretation, but usually, camp is meant for the housing of soldiers whereas base usually involves storage of vast or big amounts of military materiel.
e.g. gombak camp, tekong camp, bedok camp opposed to Army logisitics base, ammo base, GSMB, air force bases, etc.
additionally, SAF have set down that their overseas "bases" are to be refered to as Camps. this is to prevent the locals of that country to voice negative sentiments of SAF and to prevent their local media to reflect badly on us. According to a directive set in 1992, they believe using the word "camp" has a less hostile projection of SAF than "base".
make it simpler for you
airbase, naval base ... we refer as base
most army unit, referred to as camps.
but if you're talking about us using the terms camp or base, its almost the same thing.
an airbase personnel can say, "I'm going back to camp" or "I'm going back to base", u get it?
"Base" has a more military-functional meaning, whereas "camp" accentuates more the locality itself.
Accordingly, our naval bases aren't called as "Changi Camp" or "Pulau Brani Camp" or "Tuas Camp" et al. Similarly, Kranji Camp or Sungei Gedong Camp or Hendon camp aren't officially known after their respective Formations, though you'll likely see "Home of the Artillery/Armour/Commandos" signages inside their vincinities.
For the army itself, the term "base" also historically denotes a military outfit itself, usually support-oriented & rear-echelon: eg. Army Logistics Base, SAF Ammunication Base, Central Manpower Base, etc. Like combat units, a single CO commands these entities at the top, & in no sense are they recognized as Army Formations by themselves, even though they have many more departments than a frontline unit.
In a real war, I also don't see us launching operations from the present facilities of the various HQ Divisions or Brigades. Instead, to complement the frontline units, IMO we'll likely adopt the American strategy of "base camps", or field HQs that can accomodate brigade/division elements & logistical support.
taken from Concise Oxford Dictionaary
Base
1 a) a part that supports from beneath or serves as a foundation for an object or structure. b) a notional structure or entity on which something draws or depends (power base; economic base).
2 a principle or starting point; a basis.
3 esp. Mil. a place from which an operation or activity is directed.
Camp
1 a a place where troops are lodged or trained. b the military life (court and camp).
