National Service in Singapore

[pi3142]

On 2/7/2020 at 5:31 AM, therock said:

IMO, this is even more sad...

https://www.todayonline.com/voices/suspend-camp-training-amid-first-local-transmissions-novel-coronavirus

 

Suspend ICT .... I'm guessing we should be expected to only go to battle in fair conditions.. no rain, no mud, and no illness... 

Some of the largest conflicts occurred during 'inconvenient' times - remember the Yom Kippur War? 

They could come bearing gifts of test kits, antivirals, ECMO and the ever-in-demand masks.  And then don't leave.

isn't the following of SOP of doing government things (which has always worked) and hubris, is why Wuhan become a tragedy?

 

[therock]

17 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

It's peacetime. It's stupid to risk more lives during a crisis. Not to mention the load you'd add to our already beleaguered healthcare system if there's an outbreak in an army camp caused by continuing with ICT. 

Keep things simple and our priorities straight. NS is not the be all, end all of existence. 

I am in favour of selected units of medics run by HQ MC being trained and redeployed to help with the civilian healthcare response. That may already be in progress.

Oh yes, I initially put this in, thought better of it, but I'm editing it back in cos I just noticed your Yom Kippur comment: we are not Israel. Not even remotely in the same boat when it comes to daily risk of attack. 

Bro

i agree that the ICT isn’t the end of the world but once you begin pushing away one item, the mums of today will explore that limit. Virtual NS maybe or NS in a gym with aircon?

besides it’s airy, no stuffy room and good exercise 👍 

imagine if everyone stays home and becomes a couch potato 

even now, we are more likely to die from heart issues, DM, TB, Or others Ills of a sedentary lifestyle..

[1fast1]

5 hours ago, therock said:

Bro

i agree that the ICT isn’t the end of the world but once you begin pushing away one item, the mums of today will explore that limit. Virtual NS maybe or NS in a gym with aircon?

besides it’s airy, no stuffy room and good exercise 👍 

imagine if everyone stays home and becomes a couch potato 

even now, we are more likely to die from heart issues, DM, TB, Or others Ills of a sedentary lifestyle..

People will push boundaries no matter what. The gahmen can deal with it selectively. Full of nonsense demands can be dismissed easily. 

This is actually a reasonable caution. 

Not all NS vocations are held in the open air. Those in HQs work in close confines. Are we supposed to selectively exempt them? And there's nothing saying open air training is safer - in fact it can be more hazardous because people breathing heavily cannot wear masks, expel more virus particles and they still train in close proximity for longer. All of these increase the risk of transmission.

And please don't tell me people can report sick so they won't infect others. Not every MO is the same. My friend (also a doctor) went through a training exercise with a fever and sore throat because the MO couldn't recognise the severity of his symptoms and potential sequelae. His strep throat led to rheumatic fever that destroyed his heart valve. He had to have valve replacement surgery and is on life long blood thinning medication. He had to be permanently downgraded and he can't exercise the same way anymore (he definitely can't play dangerous sports like squash). And he has to be careful about the food he eats. And a dental procedure can cause calamitous consequences. And he can get brain bleeds. Etc. Etc. Long story short, life long consequences.

No need to overreact for everything but that doesn't mean sticking to the same routine and doing the same things for the sake of bureaucratic and propagandist motives disguised as idealism.

My two cents'. 

By the way, I'm involved in certain aspects of this outbreak (I don't wish to go into too many details). Suffice it to say I just came back from the office (I usually don't go in on weekends as I can work remotely). The healthcare system is already stretched very thin. Even setting aside the implications of an outbreak to the SAF, why risk overloading the healthcare sector with more testing, admission, quarantine, contact tracing etc etc? 

Of course we'll have to deal with things as they come but that doesn't mean doing unnecessary things to tempt the Fates.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Turboflat4

[RogerNg_185295]

On 2/7/2020 at 10:01 PM, Hamburger said:

I was informed that tekong will be holding a family day in 2 weeks time.

 

I seriously think they should cancel the event. Period.

It's the saf.  They seldom listen to opinions.  If they really value feedback,  there will be less deaths in saf

[Vinceng]

On 2/9/2020 at 10:26 PM, RogerNg_185295 said:

It's the saf.  They seldom listen to opinions.  If they really value feedback,  there will be less deaths in saf

So you are implying that the Singapore Armed Forces has been complacent?

[Stooky]

CPT Tan Baoshu has passed away today

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/saf-captain-who-was-discharged-over-nsf-dave-lees-death-dies-cancer

[Lala81]

3 hours ago, Stooky said:

CPT Tan Baoshu has passed away today

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/saf-captain-who-was-discharged-over-nsf-dave-lees-death-dies-cancer

Sad end. So young.

Peace to both set of parents... 

[therock]

[TangoCharlie]

I was one of them who had to drop my ah boy at selarang camp this morning, no thanks to covid19.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-guests-will-not-be-invited-to-pulau-tekong-on-enlistment-day-says-bmtc?xtor=CS3-17&utm_source=STSmartphone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2020-04-01+15%3A57%3A43

[Fu11thr0tt1e]

National Service is strictly for Sinkies.

I'm so proud to be a Sinkies! 

[TangoCharlie]

1 hour ago, Fu11thr0tt1e said:

National Service is strictly for Sinkies.

I'm so proud to be a Sinkies! 

Sinkies so proud to have you too! 💪😘

[Bezbee]

On 4/1/2020 at 4:12 PM, TangoCharlie said:

I was one of them who had to drop my ah boy at selarang camp this morning, no thanks to covid19.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-guests-will-not-be-invited-to-pulau-tekong-on-enlistment-day-says-bmtc?xtor=CS3-17&utm_source=STSmartphone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2020-04-01+15%3A57%3A43

My ah boy is supposed to enlist in May but recently received notification that his enlistment is postponed until further notice  ... probably  due to Covid19? Now he simply Zou bo at home Everyday....

Edited April 2, 2020 by Bezbee

[Ash2017]

16 minutes ago, Bezbee said:

My ah boy is supposed to enlist in May but recently received notification that his enlistment is postponed until further notice  ... probably  due to Covid19? Now he simply Zou bo at home Everyday....

Since he will start his enlistment late does that mean he ROD later too.

 

Sorry left army for Parliament sometime ago.

[1fast1]

24 minutes ago, Ash2017 said:

Since he will start his enlistment late does that mean he ROD later too.

 

Sorry left army for Parliament sometime ago.

I'm surprised *you* don't know. Aren't you a Paper General... I'm sorry Major General or something? 😂

[Ash2017]

18 minutes ago, Turboflat4 said:

I'm surprised *you* don't know. Aren't you a Paper General... I'm sorry Major General or something? 😂

My Doc Bro

you always not try but always perchar my lobang

you know now civilian must wayang wayang

 

sometimes I think I try too hard

try to be like the guys, they call me Ah Beng, like that how to win

 

anyway a promise is a promise, you order 4 packets of chicken rice and 1 lamb bryani right. I am collating the orders as you know what is around the corner

 

by the way, you want to join the party *wink* wink*

 

perks not many since the mass kpkb, now only reasonable salary but still can see business people in the eye

 

 

on a serious note: you know all these classified information, what happens when enlistment gets push back, will ROD be similarly be push back too. I am quite sure it will not but like to know from the parents of recruit

 

[1fast1]

6 minutes ago, Ash2017 said:

My Doc Bro

you always not try but always perchar my lobang

you know now civilian must wayang wayang

 

sometimes I think I try too hard

try to be like the guys, they call me Ah Beng, like that how to win

 

anyway a promise is a promise, you order 4 packets of chicken rice and 1 lamb bryani right. I am collating the orders as you know what is around the corner

 

by the way, you want to join the party *wink* wink*

 

perks not many since the mass kpkb, now only reasonable salary but still can see business people in the eye

 

 

on a serious note: you know all these classified information, what happens when enlistment gets push back, will ROD be similarly be push back too. I am quite sure it will not but like to know from the parents of recruit

 

All this time, and you still don't know I'm a vegetarian. Your general organisation skills buay zai. 😂

[RH1667]

6 minutes ago, Turboflat4 said:

All this time, and you still don't know I'm a vegetarian. Your general organisation skills buay zai. 😂

I know got vegetarian version of chicken rice😁, maybe he  will special order for you 😜

[Ash2017]

15 minutes ago, Turboflat4 said:

All this time, and you still don't know I'm a vegetarian. Your general organisation skills buay zai. 😂

Bro you see like I said earlier 

you guys under - estimated me

 

how can I forget that, you really must give me some credit

 

I apologize,  I intentionally forget to add that it is vegan chicken rice and vegan lamb biryani. I did not want to be so blatant because I worried about special request from the others. I don't think my food caterer can cope SATS is already issuing 200million "bond" already.

 

Anyway, I admire you for being a vegan. I am really not making small. I started to cut taking one animal each year. I started with beef and it is not because of religion but out of respect for the animal. I succeeded. The following year I tried to abstain from pork or chicken. It was really difficult. Business engagement with special request of your meal ain't going down well with the other parties especially they got to hut for specialized restaurants in any city.

 

After a while I gave up. Now that you brought it up again, I may just try with beef first again. 

 

I heard and read that vegans because without the "animal" in their food they are less aggressive and in general are gentle creatures.

 

Any chance you want to try and convert your best friend to being a vegan? It would help us a lot.

 

Thank you. Special request noted.