OPERATIONALLY READY NATIONAL SERVICEMEN (Overseas postings)

Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether more of our operationally ready National Servicemen will be working overseas in view of regionalisation; (b) whether these NSmen will be exempted from their National Service training during their overseas postings; and (c) how their absence will affect our defence strength.

Dr Yeo Ning Hong: MINDEF supports Singapore's drive to expand its external economy. More Singaporeans can be expected to venture overseas, and participate in the economic development of the region. Many of our NSmen are spearheading this regional expansion and the number working abroad is increasing.

For NSmen intending to work overseas, MINDEF excuses them from NS duties in two ways - deferment and disruption. NSmen whose overseas posting is of less than a year's duration can be deferred. However, as they are still under their units' strength, they are expected to do make-up training upon their return. To facilitate greater responsiveness in granting deferment to NSmen, the authority to defer them from ICT has been decentralised to unit commanders since the early 1980s. The unit commanding officers, who are NSmen themselves, are in the best position to decide whether the deferment request can be accommodated after considering the unit's operational training schedule.

NSmen whose overseas posting is of 1 year or longer are disrupted for the period of the posting up to a maximum of 3 years at a time. The disruption can be extended, if justified. Upon their return, the NSmen will be required to continue their training from where they had left.

Invariably, the disruption of increasing number of NSmen working overseas would affect the SAF. As of now, the numbers are not large enough to affect our defence capability adversely. In drawing up policies and guidelines on allowing NSmen to be absent from training, MINDEF takes into account operational considerations. To be an effective fighting force, NSmen must always train together in their own units throughout their NS cycle. In the case of an NSman who is posted for a long period overseas, he would be replaced by another suitable NSman to ensure that our defence capability is not affected.

All NSmen are required to inform MINDEF of their overseas address whenever they leave Singapore for more than 24 hours. This allows the SAF to maintain its operational readiness at all times.

Notwithstanding the need for regional economic expansion, NSmen should remember that deferment/disruption from NS comes with a price - to the NSman himself, to the SAF, and to the nation. Facilitating NSmen in their overseas work must not be at the expense of compromising the operational readiness of the SAF. Therefore, whilst MINDEF supports regionalisation, it needs to reconcile the defence of the nation with the economic aspirations of its NSmen.