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[h=2]Open Letter to SAF on In-Camp Training[/h]
August 3rd, 2013 |
Author: Contributions
National Service
I submitted a request to Mindef for deferment on account that I started work one month ago.
Does SAF ever approve ICT deferment?
My request has been rejected as follows:
I have submitted a fresh deferment request on account that I just started a sole-proprietor company recently. In addition, I highlighted that I am the only one working supporting 3 dependents and 4 elderly. The market is in steady decline. The one week ICT will disrupt my business. If my business fails to take off or die off, who will support my family?
What is the objective of ICT?
Last year, I was called back for two weeks ICT. I tried to defer as I was unemployed and actively looking for a job. However, the request was rejected too. During the two weeks, I missed some opportunities.
After attending the last ICT in 2012, I am sceptical about attending any more in the future. I was called up even though there is no need for me to be there. As a result, my team of did not have a proper role in the exercise. We participated at the sideline doing redundant things.
During the ICT, I also observed some problems.
One, the unit tended to call back more people than necessary. There were duplicate bodies floating around, excess manpower so to speak. From a training perspective, it is highly unrealistic. During actual combat, there will be attrition. Hence, training should be conducted with less than actual manpower to test if the unit can function with sub-manpower.
With this in mind, sub commanders should be more inclined to approve deferment request with legitimate grounds.
Two, the deferment process looks flawed as well. Approval seems to be managed by NSMEN. NSMEN approving NSMEN? The NSMEN sub-unit commanders could not care less about the sentiments of the people applying for deferment. Whether you are unemployed, with young children, the answer is no.
Three, the compensation model for NSMEN during ICT also needs a review. Currently, if you earn $10,000 a month, you will be compensated accordingly so that one does not suffer an income loss. This sounds meritocratic.
But if you look at it from a rank perspective, you can be a captain, who is unemployed, and gets compensated $600 over two weeks, versus a private who earns $10,000 and therefore compensated $5000 over two weeks.
A captain takes on heavier responsibility compared to a private soldier. But does the compensation framework reflect the value contributed by a captain? Why can’t a NSMEN captain or any other rank by compensated according to the actual pay grade that a regular soldier of the same rank is earning? Would that not be meritocracy too?
Five, safety aspects are sometimes compromised. I have not cleared my FFI, a requisite to take IPPT, but I felt pressured to complete a 4km roadmarch. Health status requirement for roadmarch was unclear. I asked around, including the medical officer, if I should go for a roadmarch. I got a sarcastic response that was not helpful at all.
Six, during the two weeks, the training often ran beyond 6pm, sometimes as late as 10pm. It was a great inconvenience for my wife who had to look after two kids on her own, and I returned quite late.
Chain of Command still relevant?
I was initially hesitant to surface my feedback above, in case I am guilty of breaking the chain of command (COC). But I feel COC sometimes is the biggest setback for an organisation.
I am voicing out so that those NSMEN who are struggling with jobs, unemployment, and young children can be treated more leniently. It did not help that some sub-unit commanders are single or married without children. What would they know about parenthood and the commitment required?
Yes, National Service is important for defence. But if the soldiers have lost the will to fight due to poor management, who is going to turn up when the button is pressed?
Chin Wei
I submitted a request to Mindef for deferment on account that I started work one month ago.
Does SAF ever approve ICT deferment?
My request has been rejected as follows:
“I have considered your request but regret to inform you that it cannot be granted. MINDEF does not grant deferment to NSmen for the full period of their job probation, we can only give NSmen a 3 month grace period to settle down in a new job. Therefore you do not meet the guidelines for granting deferment based on New Employment.”
I had to wait more than a week for such a standard reply!?
I have submitted a fresh deferment request on account that I just started a sole-proprietor company recently. In addition, I highlighted that I am the only one working supporting 3 dependents and 4 elderly. The market is in steady decline. The one week ICT will disrupt my business. If my business fails to take off or die off, who will support my family?
What is the objective of ICT?
Last year, I was called back for two weeks ICT. I tried to defer as I was unemployed and actively looking for a job. However, the request was rejected too. During the two weeks, I missed some opportunities.
After attending the last ICT in 2012, I am sceptical about attending any more in the future. I was called up even though there is no need for me to be there. As a result, my team of did not have a proper role in the exercise. We participated at the sideline doing redundant things.
During the ICT, I also observed some problems.
One, the unit tended to call back more people than necessary. There were duplicate bodies floating around, excess manpower so to speak. From a training perspective, it is highly unrealistic. During actual combat, there will be attrition. Hence, training should be conducted with less than actual manpower to test if the unit can function with sub-manpower.
With this in mind, sub commanders should be more inclined to approve deferment request with legitimate grounds.
Two, the deferment process looks flawed as well. Approval seems to be managed by NSMEN. NSMEN approving NSMEN? The NSMEN sub-unit commanders could not care less about the sentiments of the people applying for deferment. Whether you are unemployed, with young children, the answer is no.
Three, the compensation model for NSMEN during ICT also needs a review. Currently, if you earn $10,000 a month, you will be compensated accordingly so that one does not suffer an income loss. This sounds meritocratic.
But if you look at it from a rank perspective, you can be a captain, who is unemployed, and gets compensated $600 over two weeks, versus a private who earns $10,000 and therefore compensated $5000 over two weeks.
A captain takes on heavier responsibility compared to a private soldier. But does the compensation framework reflect the value contributed by a captain? Why can’t a NSMEN captain or any other rank by compensated according to the actual pay grade that a regular soldier of the same rank is earning? Would that not be meritocracy too?
Five, safety aspects are sometimes compromised. I have not cleared my FFI, a requisite to take IPPT, but I felt pressured to complete a 4km roadmarch. Health status requirement for roadmarch was unclear. I asked around, including the medical officer, if I should go for a roadmarch. I got a sarcastic response that was not helpful at all.
Six, during the two weeks, the training often ran beyond 6pm, sometimes as late as 10pm. It was a great inconvenience for my wife who had to look after two kids on her own, and I returned quite late.
Chain of Command still relevant?
I was initially hesitant to surface my feedback above, in case I am guilty of breaking the chain of command (COC). But I feel COC sometimes is the biggest setback for an organisation.
I am voicing out so that those NSMEN who are struggling with jobs, unemployment, and young children can be treated more leniently. It did not help that some sub-unit commanders are single or married without children. What would they know about parenthood and the commitment required?
Yes, National Service is important for defence. But if the soldiers have lost the will to fight due to poor management, who is going to turn up when the button is pressed?
Chin Wei
