For the first time, the non-profit group that serves operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) from the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force will be led by a woman.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Mrs Josephine Teo, officially took over the presidency of HomeTeamNS yesterday.
Mrs Teo, who is also the Second Minister for Manpower and Home Affairs, said being HomeTeamNS' first woman president did not bother her, adding that the organisation's members have welcomed her.
When asked if her lack of national service experience would be an issue, she said: "The good thing is that HomeTeamNS is supported by a very committed team of volunteers, and they have been through NS. They bring many good ideas to the table; I am very happy to serve alongside them."
HomeTeamNS membership rose this year by around 20,000 to more than 200,000, the largest subscription in its 12-year history. This increase is partly due to the NS50 Recognition Package that was rolled out earlier this year, offering complimentary membership.
Mrs Teo said she plans to continue making HomeTeamNS relevant to its members - the clubhouses will be her next priority.
"As a result of this year-long celebration (NS50 to mark 50 years of national service) and added push in activities, we now have 200,000 members, and we want to be able to reach out to them and get them involved in the development of the clubhouses so that whatever we put into them is relevant."
At the HomeTeamNS Members Extravaganza held at Suntec City yesterday, Mrs Teo launched the organisation's revamped Frontline bimonthly magazine, which now has a microsite.
She also handed out 66 Children's Education Awards worth $42,000 in total.
HomeTeamNS member Jason Lim said he was excited about Mrs Teo's appointment.
"I think she has shown a lot of support for NSmen all along, and there are many things we are looking forward to doing with her, like the digital transformation of the way we communicate with our members," said the 34-year-old digital media entrepreneur.
Mrs Teo also launched the #NSmemories campaign that aims to raise the profile of Home Team NSmen and give them a platform to remember their NS days.
Members can upload their memories to the Frontline microsite, and selected stories will be turned into comic strips.
Mrs Teo takes over from Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee.
