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NSmen to get S$100 vouchers to mark 50 years of National Service
Those who are serving or have served Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) will also get a year of SAFRA or Home TeamNS membership, as a year-long celebration to commemorate 50 years of National Service was launched.
By Leong Wai Kit Posted 07 Feb 2017 09:59 Updated 07 Feb 2017 20:45
SINGAPORE: In recognition of their contributions to Singapore's defence, past and present national servicemen will receive an NS50 Recognition Package of S$100 in vouchers from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) this year.
Men who have completed National Service (NS), those serving as of Jan 1 this year and those who enlist in the 2017 batch are eligible to receive the vouchers.
Those who are serving or have served Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) will also get a year of SAFRA or Home TeamNS membership.
These were announced by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday (Feb 7) as he launched NS50, a year-long celebration to commemorate 50 years of NS, at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on Pulau Tekong.
The vouchers can be used at selected retail and food and beverage outlets, and details will be released at a later date on a dedicated Web portal ns50.sg.
As part of NS50 celebrations, the new HomeTeamNS Clubhouse at Tampines Hub will be officially opened next Monday, announced Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam.
“We pay tribute to generations of National Servicemen who have contributed to the peace, stability and progress that Singapore enjoys today,” he said in a letter thanking them for their "dedication and unwavering commitment to NS".
Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Minister for Law, added: “National Service has been and will continue to be an important pillar in the Home Team’s mission. Every day, our Police and SCDF national servicemen are deployed at the frontlines in our communities, our neighbourhoods and on our streets to ensure a safe and secure Singapore.”
Also included in the line-up of events are a travelling NS50 showcase at various public locations from May to June, an NS50 week in August where the community can initiate programmes to commemorate NS, and an NS50 dinner reception later in the year, MINDEF said in a news release.
As part of NS50’s launch, Dr Ng also opened a new NS Gallery at BMTC, a permanent exhibition that showcases the evolution of NS and various aspects of the NS experience. The gallery is open to enlistees and visitors to BMTC, including families on enlistment day.
The NS50 theme, "From My Generation to Yours", reflects the strength of the NS institution as a "shared legacy" across generations and a shared commitment to be passed down from one generation to the next, according to the Defence Ministry.
It added that this theme will be woven into events throughout the year such as the Chingay Parade, Singapore Armed Forces Day and National Day celebrations.
- CNA/mz
