SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Defence has unveiled a new logo and five ranks for the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteers Corps (SAFVC), which allows people who are not liable for National Service to serve in various military roles.

The logo is inspired by the rich heritage of the original Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC), which was established in 1854 to allow people to volunteer in the military forces.

It retains the circular shield, banner and laurel of the original SVC logo which, together with a lion, portrays power and courage.

The stylised outline of Singapore above the lion in the new logo is a reminder that Singapore relies on its people for defence, and the logo's gold - being the colour of the brass in ammunition - reflects the martial nature of the new volunteer corps.

The SAFVC's five ranks begins from the trainee level, and each has a winged chevron which becomes wider as the rank heightens.

More than 200 people have already applied for the volunteer corps after a week of recruitment. A quarter of applicants are women.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has said that the Singapore Armed Forces will screen the applicants carefully to select the pioneer batches of the corps to strengthen Singapore's national defence.

Women, first-generation permanent residents and new citizens aged 18 to 45 can sign up to serve from March next year.

The SAFVC will match their skills and job expertise to their military role. Volunteers can choose to stay in camp and undergo a four-week course or spread their training sessions over several weekends. They will have to serve just seven days a year, but can drop out at any time, though they must give three months' notice.