Commissioner Khoo Boon Hui,

Commissioner James Tan,

Home Team Officers,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening.

 

            I am pleased to be here tonight to present the certificates of promotion to 79 NS Officers from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

 

2.         National Servicemen (NSmen) play a key role in the SPF and SCDF. National Service has a long history within both the SPF and SCDF. Full-time National Service was introduced in the SPF in 1975 and in the SCDF in the 1980s. In the early days, NSmen augmented the limited manpower of Police regulars.  Over time, NSmen have become important partners of Police and Civil Defence regulars.

 

Restructuring of NS Training

 3.         The training of NSmen has evolved and undergone marked improvements. For instance, over the years, the National Service Key Installation Protection Units or KINS have increased their level of professional expertise and depth of protective security cover.  Today, the KINS Units, together with other Police NS officers who partner their regular counterparts in daily general policing duties, play a critical role in securing key installations. Fulltime NS and NSmen in the SCDF have also participated actively in many significant operations, the most recent being in SCDF overseas missions to Aceh and the Nias Island.

 

4.         Moving forward, both SPF and SCDF have restructured their NS In-Camp Training System to help NSmen bring out the best in them. This means that the time spent by our Operationally-Ready NSmen during In-Camp training is well utilised and that they will learn something useful which could serve them well after they complete their National Service.

 

5.         The SCDF, in particular, has introduced a holistic three-module cyclical approach to its In-Camp Training (ICT) system. This new approach marks a new phase in the training of CDNS units. Under the new approach, a CDNSman completes 6 years of high key ICT before advancing to a further seven years of low key ICT. Thereafter, the CDNSman is placed on reserve. This new three-module cyclical approach focuses on enhancing the core competency skills of both the individual CDNSman as well as the unit as a whole at different phases of training. For instance, during the first 6 years, the high key ICT will enable greater emphasis to be placed on core competency skills.

 

6.         SCDF will also move away from its current individual replacement concept to the en-bloc replacement of NS units starting from this work year. Currently, individual CDNSmen are replaced when they complete their liability period. With the en-bloc replacement of NS units, CDNSmen are batched together with those from the same cohort so that they would progress through their period of liability together. This approach ensures that in the first 6 years of ICT, the NS units are staffed with the youngest and fittest NSmen. Over the period of their NS liability, they will also build up a strong esprit de corp in the units.

 

7.         SPF has shortened the KINS training from the current 4 years to 2 years. SPF is able to shorten the training, without compromising standards, through improved training. The compressed 2-year training will result in more KINS units being operationalised earlier so that we will have more trained officers who are ready to protect key installations and deal with the various terrorist threats.

 

 

Enhanced Welfare Benefits

 

8.         But I am happy to add that National Service is not all work and no play. Indeed, SPF and SCDF are mindful of the camaraderie which NSmen build up during their time in active service and after, and the need to sustain this camaraderie. For this reason, SPF and SCDF work hard to set up facilities and organise recreational and social activities for NSmen and their families. Today, SPF and SCDF NSmen can enjoy the facilities offered at 5 club-houses located at Bukit Batok, Ah Hood Road, Sembawang, Smith Street and UE Square.

 

9.         On 1 April 2005, the Singapore Police Association for National Servicemen (SPANS) and the Civil Defence Association for National Servicemen (CDANS) merged to form HomeTeamNS. With the merger, there will be the obvious advantage of combining the joint resources of SPANS and CDANS for the benefit of members. SPF and SCDF NSmen can therefore look forward to even better recreational and social activities in time to come.