National service in Singapore

[2][dead link‍] Conscription was first instituted in Singapore in 1967 to help build the country's armed forces having just gained its independence two years prior in 1965.

Moreover, as compared to the Army, the Navy, Air Force & DIS are smaller armed services composed primarily of professional regular servicemen.

[5] As a bonus incentive, the national service duration can also be reduced by a further two months for combat-fit enlistees (PES A or B1) who pass the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) prior to enlistment.

[10] Male Singapore citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have registered for their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) are required to register for national service upon reaching the age of 16 years and six months, during which they would also be required to undergo a mandatory medical examination to determine their Physical Employment Standards (PES) status, which in most cases, determines which vocational groups the pre-enlistee is physically able to be posted to.

[16] Pre-enlistees are allowed to defer national service to complete full-time tertiary studies as long as they are pursuing full-time studies and pursuing a course from what they have previously attained, up to the first pre-university qualification bar (GCE Advanced Level or Polytechnic Diploma or their equivalent) before enlistment for Basic Military Training (BMT).

[18] Under special circumstances, Singaporean males are allowed to disrupt their national service before the completion of their full-time national service if they fulfil one of the following conditions:[19] Medical exemptions are granted through the Central Manpower Base (CMPB) medical screening, which assigns individuals a Physical Employment Standard (PES) grade.

[25][26] In its input to the OHCHR reports on conscientious objection to military service at HRC-50, Singapore confirmed that "HRC resolution 20/2 goes beyond what is prescribed in international law and applicable human rights instruments.

Most convicts are Jehovah's Witnesses, who are usually sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the Singapore Armed Forces Detention Barracks, where they are also separated from other conscription offenders and assigned to do mundane tasks such as cooking.

[34] Additionally, by delaying national service obligations, it would violate "the principles of equity and universality and undermined the fair share agreement,”[32] under which all males had to serve at the same time.

A two-month reduction in full-time national service is offered to all pre-enlistees who are able to pass their three-station Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) consisting of push-ups, sit-ups and a 2.4 km (1.5 mi) run, with a minimum of 61 points.

Before April 2015, the IPPT consisted of six stations: the 2.4 km (1.5 mi) run, sit-ups, pull-ups, standing-broad jump, sit-and-reach stretch and shuttle-run.

[7] National servicemen whose Physical Employment Status (PES) is C or E, meaning they are non-combat-fit, undergo a nine-week modified BMT which trains them for combat service support vocations.

Selection of officer cadets to undergo the NS Probationary Inspector Course (NSPI) is a stringent process for full-time police national servicemen.

The majority of the officer cadets are chosen from candidates who have completed the Singapore Armed Forces' Basic Military Training programme.

Within the first two weeks of the BRT stage, high-performing national servicemen may be posted to the Home Team Academy to undergo the three-month Firefighter Course (FFC) or the five-month Section Commanders Course (SCC), where they are respectively trained to be Firefighters (with the rank of Lance Corporal) or Fire & Rescue Specialists (with the rank of Sergeant).

Admission into the Section Commanders Course typically requires a minimum educational qualification of GCE A Level, Polytechnic Diploma, or Higher NITEC.

Only the top performing 5–10% of each Section Commanders Course cohort will be selected to undergo the Rota Commanders Course (RCC) to be trained as senior officers (with the rank of Lieutenant), as the majority of officer cadets originate from the Singapore Armed Forces Basic Military Training Programme before being seconded to the Force.

Malay Singaporeans were de facto not required to serve national service from the beginning of the draft in its initial years from 1967 until 1977, largely due to cultural and racial sensitivities with the country's immediate neighbour Malaysia.

"[53] Janil Puthucheary, an elected Member of Parliament from the governing People's Action Party (PAP), was exempted from national service as he is a first-generation naturalised Singapore citizen.

[54] His candidacy led WP chief Low Thia Khiang to call for an amendment to the Singapore constitution to allow only male candidates who have served their national service to run for elections.

The Ministry of Defence refuted the allegation of preferential treatment and explained that Patrick Tan had been granted exemption along with 86 candidates between 1973 and 1992, under a scheme to train medical professionals.

[63] The Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stated "the societal cost of enlisting women into NS now would far outweigh the benefits.

"[58] In response to calls for expanding NS's scope, Ng emphasized that the primary objective of the SAF remains to "train soldiers capable of defending Singapore."

He expressed concerns that enlistment would delay women's entry into the workforce, leading to manpower shortages and impacting families, children, spouses, and society at large.

[66] The problematic lyrics, which suggested misogynist values and "sexist violence against women," were: “Booking out, see my girlfriend/ Saw her with another man/ Kill the man, rape my girlfriend (With my rifle and my buddy and me).”[67][66] AWARE brought the issue to the attention of the MINDEF and SAF, who immediately halted the singing of the offensive lyrics to prevent the use of offensive language in camps.

[67] The news of the ban on the offensive lyrics, published by AWARE, quickly went viral online, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.

[68][69] On 18 November 2013, MINDEF issued a response to the public discussion: "...We understand that there have been some concerns about a ban on the popular marching song Purple Light because of an offensive verse.