SINGAPORE – From April, operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) going overseas for an extended period need to apply for an exit permit only for trips of 12 months or longer, compared with six months now.

The change is part of the Ministry of Defence’s efforts to improve the NS experience, alongside other initiatives to maximise servicemen’s contributions, such as through more optimal deployment of manpower, Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How said on Monday during the debate on Mindef’s budget.

“This change reflects the growing mobility of Singaporeans, with many of our NSmen staying or working overseas for longer durations, be it for work or study,” said Mr Heng, in response to a question from Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) on reducing administrative burdens for NSmen.

He added that Mindef has studied the issue closely, and the move will not affect the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) operational readiness.

Mr Heng also gave updates on the ministry’s efforts to better deploy servicemen across the SAF, given low fertility rates and shrinking cohorts of full-time national servicemen (NSFs).

Responding to questions from MPs such as Mr Patrick Tay (Pioneer) and Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) on matching soldiers with their skills and abilities, Mr Heng said the SAF has redesigned 1,300 jobs since 2021 so that more servicemen can be deployed in operational roles than before.

Jobs have been redesigned in vocations including those of medics, infantry carrier vehicle operators and transport operators. Another 500 jobs will be redesigned by mid-2024, Mr Heng added.

The SAF has also ramped up the redeployment of NSmen so that they can contribute their civilian expertise during their reservist training.

In 2022, 200 NSmen were redeployed under the enhanced scheme, compared with about 50 NSmen a year in the years before that.

Among those redeployed under the expertise-based deployment scheme is Military Expert 4 (NS) Rezel Benjamin, a 42-year-old who climbed the ranks at Neptune Orient Lines from cadet to chief engineer to his current role as vessel manager.

An armoured infantry vehicle commander during his NSF days, Mr Benjamin was not able to complete any NSman cycles until recently as he was out at sea for the better part of 18 years after his national service.

But his career expertise was not lost on the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). It was the navy that recalled him for his first in-camp training (ICT) in 2019, instead of the SAF unit he had previously served in.

“The navy called me because of my expertise and brought me on board the ship as a chief engineer,” he said in an interview with the media.

It was to have been his first and last ICT, as he was already 39. But he did not hesitate to agree when the RSN asked if he would extend his NSman period for another 10 years, under the Expertise Deployment Scheme. “For me, it’s also about aligning your professional career and contributing whatever knowledge and experience you have to the military,” he said. 

Interested applicants can apply for the scheme, and Mindef identifies potential experts from its database. New areas to which NSmen were redeployed in 2022 included digital and intelligence, logistics and engineering, said Mr Heng.

The SAF has also expanded its work-learn schemes for NSFs who want to gain academic qualifications while contributing to the defence of Singapore.

Mr Heng said the sixth scheme, a tie-up with Singapore Polytechnic, had just been introduced for NSFs to pursue a diploma in engineering (mechanical technology) and be deployed as naval warfare system specialists.

The earlier five schemes were a cyberscheme launched in 2018 to train cyber specialists; work-study diplomas launched in 2020 for air force and army technicians; a work-study diploma launched in 2021 for army supply supervisors; and a digital work-learn scheme launched in 2022 to groom talent in areas such as software engineering.

Among those who have benefited from the existing programmes are Second Sergeant Adam Poh Shao Heng.

The 24-year-old NSF said he had expressed interest in the work-study diploma for air force technicians as he wanted to join the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Then, he had just graduated from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) with a Nitec in mechanical engineering.  

“It has many benefits – it will keep me prepared with the skills I need for my future career, and it’s flexible enough to allow me to work in the aviation industry or continue as an RSAF technician,” he said.

Upon completion of the programme, 2nd Sgt Poh will attain a diploma in aircraft maintenance engineering from ITE.

Mr Heng said 450 NSFs have enrolled in these programmes to date. “By 2025, we expect 500 NSFs to be enrolled in work-learn schemes every year.”