The Perils and Risks of a Singapore NSman

Because Freedom is Not Free

This week in 1967, National Service (NS) as military service was made compulsory for all 18-year old male Singapore citizens and permanent residents. On 17 August 1967, the pioneer batch of 900 full-time national servicemen (NSmen) was enlisted in the army’s 3rd and 4th Battalions Singapore Infantry Regiment (SIR) of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Additionally, between 30 August and 2 September, 2,000 men were enlisted in the Special Constabulary, with an equal number enlisted from 4 to 8 September in the Vigilante Corps. In December, the army’s 1st and 2nd Battalions SIR received their first batch of full-time national servicemen.

I served for 2½ years in Army Logistics and completed my NS from 23 December 1973 to 22 July 1976. Currently, there are more than 1 million Singapore NSmen/soldiers with Active or Reservist status.

Today, I ponder the meaning of sacrifice for my country and also remember the unfortunate deaths of NSmen during training. As a natural-born Singapore citizen, I have always regarded national service as the singular privilege and greatest honour of citizenship. My son grows up holding his head high and proud as a citizen of a sovereign nation, as he looks ahead expectantly for his turn on Singapore’s watch towers. He knows and understands, as do most young Singaporeans, that “some must fight, so that all can be free!”. He has also completed his NS with the Police Coast Guards.

The death of any soldier on active service in the defense of Singapore is always a sad and sorrowful affair. The untimely and premature death of the late Private Dominique Sarron Lee during an important training session is regrettable. He died in 2012 from an allergic reaction to smoke grenades during a military exercise.

Fatal training accidents inject a sobering experience to the call of national service duty, where all physically fit and eligible male Singapore citizens and permanent citizens are privileged to serve for up to 2 years upon reaching 18 years old.

At that time of Lee’s death, some called for more transparency in the newspapers and social media regarding SAF training. While I could understand the prevailing sentiments and emotions then, I thought it unnecessary and would even pose dangers to our soldiers and the rest of us NSmen. The last thing we want is to let our prospective enemies know how realistic and comprehensive we have prepared our armed forces to protect Singapore and our way of life. It should however lead Singaporeans to appreciate even more the ultimate sacrifice (to be) paid by many NSmen to keep our freedom and nation intact, and our loved ones safe.

For NSmen like myself, it is yet another reminder worth repeating of the fragile geopolitical surrounding Singapore for a better understanding of the perils and risks of war that may one day breach our shores and skies, and be grateful that the constant vigilance and readiness of the SAF has kept Singapore free and safe for our growing prosperity over the past 5+ decades.

Many young male Singaporeans today see national service as a mere rite of passage. Some consider it a necessary evil that interrupts their further higher education or joining the marketplace. A few Singapore Permanent Residents prefer to leave the choice of national service to their sons later, forgetting the benefits of safety and security provided by thousands of NSmen enjoyed by their sons during their 18 formative years.

I remember that it was 5 years after completing my national service that the full meaning of sacrifice hit me in a most unmistakably crystal manner. I travelled to Normandy, France, to gain an appreciation of D-Day in June 1944 when the Allied Forces invaded Europe to begin the end of the 2nd World War. When I turned towards the cliffs high above Omaha Beach in France, I was suddenly confronted by huge sprawling fields of cemeteries strewn with thousands of white crosses for as far as my eyes could see. They extended for many, many kilometers.

The guide book stated that more than 9,000 Americans were buried there, with another 5,000 from Britain together with a few hundred from other Allied countries, Germany and Russia, among them.

For the American soldiers, they had travelled nearly 6,000km to fight the enemy; and many had perished on the beaches even just as the battles had barely begun. Comparatively, my modest NS Reservist combat role, at that time, was to defend a stretch of Sembawang beach in North Singapore! Nonetheless, the goal was equally noble: to defend Singapore’s sovereignty at all cost, including sacrificing my life.

Today, in celebrative remembrance of NS, Singaporeans will join Pte Dominique’s family, and others like him, in remembering their loss and celebrate his life. We must not diminish his sacrifice, and others like him, as they answered the privileged call to national service. I have no doubt that as my fellow NSmen, they wanted to protect this country and our way of life so often taken for granted. They are our heroes, our NSman heroes. They have given more than most of us for Singapore.

Training accidents are not new. Realistic training designs are developed to empower soldiers and save their lives during actual battle conditions. Accidents do happen in spite of abundant safety regulations and measures. The SAF has so many safety regulations and measures today that range from being hydrated before and during running, warming-up before exercises, adequate sleep, buddy system, competent instructors, proper weapon handling; training exercise operating procedures … etc.

I also remember a few tragic fatal incidents during the early days of NS; trained instructors died throwing themselves onto live grenades when their recruits froze after throwing them; soldiers died when vehicles they were driving overturned on unfamiliar mountains outside Singapore; a soldier pointed a machine gun at his buddy in jest with safety off and pulled the trigger accidentally; soldiers committing suicides for various reasons; death of a water-boarded trainee … etc.

Where the SAF is concerned, every incident and accident are investigated without fear or favour. NSmen who have ever been involved in such investigations will attest to this. The main objectives have always been to uncover recklessness and negligence if any, and to assure that the incidents would not repeat. Hence, SAF training safety and measures are often reviewed and improved upon after every incident whenever necessary.

We should not blame and demean the SAF by calling the SAF insulting names and accusing the SAF of covering-up training accidents. It is not the way to honour the memory of those NSmen who perished. It also denigrates and disrespects the SAF in preserving and maintaining the security and safety of Singapore. Worse, it also dishonours all NSmen, Active and Reservists, who wear the SAF uniform.

Truth is, some of us will die during training and during peace time as we strive beyond pain and sweats to protect our precious freedom of a sovereign nation, and our way of life as a multi-cultural, multiracial nation regardless of race language and religion.

Remember that war is unreasonable, and so we need to learn how to face it, engage it and overcome it victoriously. Military action, especially in times of real conflict, is difficult and oftentimes dangerous work. It requires trained men and women to stand in harm’s way and to defend our land and loved ones with their lives, if necessary, against aggressors.

NS develops in young male Singaporeans mental resilience and physical fitness, weaponry skills, unarmed combat skills, war-making tactical skills, leadership and the confidence and conviction to stand up to embrace and confront clear and present dangers. These can only be honed under realistic, tough and challenging conditions, and our NS experience reflects that.

Many young men who have gone through the rigours and demands of 2 or 2½ years compulsory NS in uniform, myself included, actually also learnt something about enduring hardship, or at the very least some level of extreme discomfort. The subsequent 10 cycles of annual Reservist training, into our 40’s, also maintains our defense readiness through realistic exercises, with real ordnance amidst acrid gunpowder smoke, serves as grim reminders of the ever-present risks and perils facing our island sovereign nation.

Let the perils and risks of our treasured freedom continue to unite us as we remember and salute those NSmen who perished as they trained to protect it through national service.

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