DUTY CALLS

Combat medic who grew up Down Under feels connection to S'pore

Many overseas Singaporean males view their two years of national service as their natural duty, despite challenges such as adapting to life here. Lim Min Zhang speaks to three full-time national servicemen who have been inspired by the NS experiences of their fathers and brothers and feel they have been passed the baton.

(Clockwise from left) Third Sergeant Shane Lim was born here but spent nearly his entire life in Australia, while 3SG Thirunavukkarasu Karthikeyan was born in India and moved here when he was 13. Private Muhammad Hadi Abdul Hariry returned to Singapo
Third Sergeant Shane Lim was born here but spent nearly his entire life in Australia. PHOTO: MINDEF

Third Sergeant Shane Lim, 20, was born in Singapore, but spent nearly his entire life in Australia.

Despite this, the Singaporean came back in April 2019 as an 18-year-old to enlist for national service because he felt a sense of belonging to the country and was inspired by his father's past experience as an armour officer with the Singapore Army.

Although Australia is his "first home", where he had been living since he was two, he feels a connection to Singapore - having learnt the culture through yearly trips here to visit relatives and friends.

His family had moved to Melbourne as one of his uncles had offered his father a job at a car parts company. His mother, a Malaysian, also works there.

He has been living with his relatives in Singapore during his NS.

"After experiencing NS, I can say I made the right choice in coming back. I like to try different things and to expand my knowledge, and want to serve NS like my father did," said 3SG Lim, a combat medic at Tengah Airbase Medical Centre.

"My father was an NSF (full-time national serviceman) armour officer, and hearing his NS story - the kind of outfield exercises he did - and looking at his old photos in the army inspired me to come experience what he did."

He had no medical knowledge when he started NS, but he has been trained and now feels a sense of duty as a combat medic to save lives.

Recalling an incident that took place while he was on duty in camp last month, he said a worker on site injured his forehead after losing balance and falling, and there was profuse bleeding.

3SG Lim assisted the medical officer in attending to the worker, who was later taken to hospital.

"I felt relieved that we managed to stabilise him during that time, but was also worried because, in situations like this, the outcome can change unexpectedly," he said.

"There's a saying that time is of the essence. That's why we medics usually keep up with our training to handle situations like these. Generally, I believe that all of us, be it regulars or NSFs, can all make a difference," he said, adding that the skills he picked up will be applicable after military service.

Although he has wanted to become a commercial pilot, he is now considering becoming a paramedic in Singapore when he completes a health science degree at Victoria University in Australia.

He has found NS to be a meaningful experience. "I believe that Singapore is a country that is definitely worth fighting for."


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 20, 2021, with the headline Combat medic who grew up Down Under feels connection to S'pore. Subscribe