Translated by ChatGPT
Lianhe Zaobao, August 8, 2026
Author: Lim Jim Koon ( 林任君）
The author is a former editor-in-chief of Lianhe Zaobao
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National Service can be said to be one of the most important national institutions since the founding of Singapore. It has not only built a credible defence force, but also shaped national identity, a culture of total defence and a reserve mobilisation system. Whether viewed from the attitudes of generations of servicemen or from survey data, “serving in the military” has long been more than just a responsibility; it has become a value that has been widely internalised.
Every July, around SAF Day, social media platforms are filled with posts by NS uncles reminiscing about their years of service and expressing appreciation for the camaraderie among their fellow servicemen. They blossom in great variety and have become a widespread phenomenon.
It seems there have been particularly many this year. Perhaps people did so spontaneously, or perhaps it was the demonstration effect. Large numbers of posts have emerged recalling how they stumbled, fell, crawled and struggled together through those “miserable years”. Richly illustrated with photographs and text, they have come together to form a long scroll depicting the bits and pieces of military life. They are fascinating to read and have also helped create a patriotic atmosphere for National Day in August.
The stories told in such an unhurried and conversational manner by generations of National Servicemen are wonderfully varied. Written entirely in grassroots language with distinctive local characteristics, they are an alternative form of our local literature and fully deserve to become a “national intangible cultural heritage”. Most of the posts are in English, but are interspersed with large amounts of the “Mandarin” of the military — Hokkien that even Malay and Indian comrades could understand and speak to some extent — mixed with Malaysian-style English. They vividly recall, with both laughter and tears, the painful training sessions and exercises everyone endured together, as well as the tremendous sense of achievement after completing difficult missions and finally seeing their hardships rewarded. Without complaints or regrets, all those military affairs have been turned into subjects of laughter and conversation!
What resonates most strongly with NS uncles are always the endless stories of being punished and “kenna” disciplined: after painstakingly completing complicated training procedures, being ordered “semula!” (do it all over again!); because of one person’s mistake, the whole group being punished to “drop 20” (20 push-ups); offending a superior and being “kenna tarok until jialat jialat” (disciplined very, very badly); becoming even slightly lax in discipline and being “kenna tekan until cannot walk” (made to exercise until you could no longer walk); making just a minor mistake and getting “tio take, weekend burnt” (assigned extra duties, with the weekend gone); being scared out of your wits when you heard that the fierce-looking Encik (master sergeant) was coming; and the worst kind of punishment was when you were already exhausted and the platoon commander, on a whim (suka suka), pointed at a tree on a distant hill and asked, “Can see the tree over there?” before ordering you to hold your rifle, carry your field pack, run over to kiss the tree trunk and then run back. The most terrifying ordeal was during “standby bed” (bed inspection): no matter how clean the surface of the bed had been wiped, if the sergeant touched the underside of the bed with his finger and found even the tiniest bit of dust, you would be tekan; at the least, “drop 20”, and at worst, your entire locker would be turned upside down...
Of course, there were also occasional little moments of happiness: after becoming sian (tired of) the food at the cookhouse (military camp canteen), that plate of fried kway teow tasted like the most delicious food in the world when, after completing arduous training, the OC (company commander) granted a canteen break (permission to buy food at the military canteen). After working hard to do your job well and waiting seemingly forever, when a superior who was in a good mood finally approved a “long weekend”, you really had to thank heaven and be deeply grateful!
The wisdom of servicemen has been passed down from generation to generation. “Old birds” would always earnestly advise new recruits, teaching them the “ways of survival”: “act blur, live longer” (pretend not to understand and live longer), “never volunteer”, learn how to siam (dodge, slip away), and know how to take cover (find shelter and avoid trouble). Neither of the two extreme attitudes of “chao keng” (pretending to be sick or avoiding responsibility) and “siao on” (throwing yourself into things crazily) was acceptable, because you might sabo (drag down and cause trouble for) your teammates...
And so, with one person saying something and another adding something else, more and more amusing and embarrassing stories are revealed. Those who have never served in the military are left completely bewildered, while the countless old servicemen who share the same wavelength read them with great enjoyment, either understanding each other without words or reminiscing endlessly, sometimes unable to stop themselves from laughing out loud.
However, all these are merely the opening “comic movement”. After joking and teasing for a while, the veterans will begin to think about their former comrades, or the military camps and remote wilderness roads that have disappeared, the military-training hills that have been levelled, and the “Ah Lan” who would always be encountered at “strategic locations” along the route, carrying bags of chilled drinks for sale. They remember the trenches in which they once squatted together and those memories of making the best of hardship. Their words are filled with nostalgia and warmth. Many also use social media to post “missing person notices”, looking for someone from a particular unit in a particular year, or seeking precious photographs from field training in those days.
Interestingly, during their years of service, everyone was always complaining bitterly, grumbling incessantly, cursing with the three-character phrases and four-letter words, desperately hoping to complete their service and “get out of the army” as soon as possible to escape their suffering. Yet after taking off their uniforms and entering the workforce, when they look back on those difficult years, they are always filled with a little “homesickness”. They cannot help but miss the comrades with whom they shared hardships, those who camped together on rainy nights, wearing ponchos (military rain capes) and sharing steaming instant noodles from mess tins (aluminium military mess tins). As they recall the hardships and appreciate the sweetness that followed, an infinite sense of remembrance wells up in their hearts.
After reaching middle age and experiencing the politics of the workplace and the vicissitudes of life, NS uncles not only do not resist their regular In-Camp Training (ICT), but instead look forward to this annual “paid short holiday” that allows them to return to camp and reunite with their military buddies to reminisce about old times. That faded military uniform no longer represents the hardship of those days, but rather a youth that can never be returned to, and a brotherhood that requires no defences.
“NS Comradeship Culture” Has Highly Distinctive Characteristics
The deep bonds of comradeship among veterans can, to a considerable extent, be attributed to the Operationally Ready National Serviceman system of the Singapore Armed Forces. During full-time National Service, servicemen receive individual and unit combat training. After completing their service, they become “Operationally Ready National Servicemen”, and are usually assigned to fixed operational units such as companies, battalions and brigades, broadly “from beginning to end”. For many years afterwards, they undergo training or exercises with the same group of comrades during ICT.
This enables many Singaporean men, after experiencing together the transformation from inexperienced recruits into mature servicemen — in the words of director Jack Neo’s film Ah Boys to Men, completing the coming-of-age ceremony of “from boys to men” — to maintain contact with the same group of people for decades, or even for life, and to forge deep bonds of comradeship. Many even develop “military-external relationships”, becoming close friends, sports buddies, travel companions and business partners. They also witness each other starting families and building careers, attend family gatherings together, and support one another at different stages of life and career.
Among the small number of countries and regions in the world that practise compulsory military service, few appear to have a reserve system and ICT system similar to Singapore’s. This makes our “NS comradeship culture” highly distinctive.
For this very reason, the National Service system not only maintains Singapore’s defence readiness, but also invisibly weaves a unique social network — a comradeship network based on shared military service experiences, distinct from traditional social relationships such as schoolmates and colleagues. This network crosses professions, educational backgrounds and social classes. It has become another important source of social cohesion in Singapore and an important component of national identity.
The social cohesion generated by National Service can also be confirmed by the high level of public support for this national institution. A survey released in July 2023 by the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy showed that as many as 93% of local respondents believed they would support compulsory National Service even if Singapore faced no direct threat; 88% of respondents said they would encourage their relatives and friends to serve even if National Service were not compulsory.
From July to November 2022, the institute conducted a nationwide sample survey, focus-group discussions and individual interviews involving 1,002 Singapore citizens and permanent residents. The respondents came from full-time and operationally ready National Servicemen in the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Police Force.
The National Servicemen surveyed also generally believed that their families and employers supported their service, with the respective proportions reaching as high as 96% and 95%.
As for the factors motivating National Servicemen, “strong cohesion with fellow servicemen” ranked among the top four. The other three were: greater support from employers during National Service; good leadership in military units; and greater support for servicemen’s needs during important stages of life, such as caring for children and parents (financial benefits).
The proportion who believed that each of these four aspects could “to a large extent” motivate National Servicemen was close to 40%.
The findings of this latest survey, conducted once every 10 years, are highly significant and far-reaching, going far beyond simply showing that Singaporeans “support National Service”. Even if the country faced no direct threat, 93% of respondents supported compulsory National Service; even if compulsory service were abolished, 88% said they would encourage relatives and friends to serve. This shows that after nearly 60 years of implementation, National Service has, to a considerable extent, evolved from a legal obligation imposed by the state into a shared responsibility widely accepted by Singaporeans.
Most thought-provoking of all is that among the factors most capable of motivating servicemen, “deep bonds of friendship among military comrades (strong cohesion)” ranked alongside institutional factors such as employer support, good leadership and welfare protection. This shows that what sustains National Service is not merely legal responsibility and material conditions, but also the interpersonal bonds established through shared military service experiences, demonstrating the powerful soft force of this institution.
Building Horizontal Connections and Accumulating Social Capital
From this perspective, National Service not only provides the manpower needed for national defence and security, but also establishes horizontal connections among citizens from different backgrounds and accumulates social capital. What it forges is not only a defence-ready force, but also a shared sense of responsibility, belonging and comradeship. Beyond its military value, this is an intangible yet extremely precious social outcome of National Service.
It must be pointed out that although women do not bear the obligation of compulsory National Service, their support is an important force sustaining this system. As mothers and wives, they accompany their sons and husbands through their years of service. The time they devote, the family responsibilities they shoulder, and the various tangible and intangible sacrifices they make can all be regarded as a form of indirect participation in National Service. As many as 96% of National Servicemen believe they receive support from their families, and among these “family members” are undoubtedly countless mothers and wives. They may not wear military uniforms, but they participate in and support National Service in another way.
In fact, quite a number of women who “put on military uniforms” and directly contribute to the defence force are also serving. What is little known is that women currently account for more than 10% of the regular forces of the Armed Forces.
This was disclosed by Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing at a dialogue session organised by The Straits Times on June 24. He also said that this proportion is expected to continue to rise.
Chan Chun Sing also disclosed that the number of people applying to join the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAF Volunteer Corps, or SAFVC) has been quite strong. Currently, only two out of every 10 applicants are accepted. The SAFVC provides a platform for people who are otherwise not required to serve — including women, new Singapore citizens aged 18 to 45, and first-generation permanent residents — to participate in service.
Regarding this positive phenomenon of voluntary military service, he said earnestly: “In my view, this is the strongest signal of deterrence. Because when someone wants to do us harm, they know that they are not just facing the Singapore Armed Forces, but the entire nation.”
He pointed out that in addition to the core force of 50,000 highly operationally ready active personnel and 250,000 operationally ready servicemen, the Singapore Armed Forces’ broad mobilisation network also includes 750,000 men who have undergone National Service and completed their service obligations, as well as the SAF Volunteer Corps. In other words, when necessary, Singapore can mobilise a total military force of more than one million.
Such military strength gives us a sense of composure and confidence, enabling us to defend our interests and determine our own future when facing various external challenges and threats. At the SAF Day pledge ceremony held at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry on July 1, Chan Chun Sing stressed: “If there is no credible Singapore Armed Forces, nobody will be willing to engage with us seriously; if they do not believe that we have a reliable defence capability, they will not take Singapore seriously.”
National Service can be said to be one of the most important national institutions since the founding of Singapore. It has not only built a credible defence force, but also shaped national identity, a culture of total defence and a reserve mobilisation system. Its successful implementation in this country where the Chinese constitute the majority of the population has completely broken the traditional Chinese notion that “good men do not become soldiers”. Whether viewed from the attitudes of generations of servicemen or from survey data, “serving in the military” has long been more than just a responsibility; it has become a value that has been widely internalised.
Tomorrow will be our National Day marking the 61st anniversary of independence and self-determination. We must never forget the tragic experience during World War II, when the British, who controlled Singapore’s fate, abandoned us, resulting in tens of thousands of our forefathers being massacred by the Japanese army. Apart from ourselves, no one will protect us unconditionally. In an increasingly jungle-like international society, small countries in particular should strengthen themselves and protect themselves — the principle is as simple as that!
The author is a former editor-in-chief of Lianhe Zaobao
Lin Jim Koon
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