In line with the nationwide drive to reduce food wastage in Singapore, I urge the Ministry of Defence to investigate the situation of food going to waste in army camps.

My son who is undergoing basic military training recently related how much leftover rice is discarded regularly by the soldiers because the servers ignore their requests for less rice.

The caterer, Foodfare, should also research the appropriate food to serve in camps.

For example, most boys I know detest ladies' fingers.

To serve this as a vegetable dish to these full-time national servicemen is the surest way of seeing food end up in the bin (ditto for eggplant and bitter gourd).

Another son who went for his reservist training at Pasir Laba Camp last month was served a very spicy noodle dish for breakfast very early in the morning of a live-firing exercise. It was mostly left uneaten.

As a mother who has trained her sons to not let food go to waste and to finish the food on their plates, I hope appropriate action will be taken so that the men serving national service will not view food wastage as a normal affair.

Vicky Chong (Madam)