SAF, Home Team extend basic training suspension

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Home Team have extended the suspension of basic training until June 1, in line with the Government's circuit breaker measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Overall, about 8,550 trainees are affected by the suspension during the circuit breaker period, the Home Affairs and Defence ministries said in separate statements yesterday.

Both ministries said the suspension period will count towards the trainees' full-time national service term, and training adjustments will be made to ensure their operationally ready dates will not be affected. The operationally ready date refers to when full-time national servicemen complete their duties.

The trainees will continue to be eligible for NS allowance and medical benefits during the suspension, the ministries added.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a statement that 2,480 people who are due for enlistment next month will be administratively enlisted on their scheduled dates, but need not physically report for basic military training.

They will stay at home until the BMT suspension is lifted, Mindef said.

The same applies to some 680 full-time national service trainees from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) who are also due to be enlisted next month.

The extended suspension will also apply to in-camp training and the individual physical proficiency test, Mindef added.

Both ministries said that essential training will continue to maintain operational readiness.

"Training critical for the build-up of operational units will continue," Mindef said.

Number of trainees affected by the suspension of basic training by the Singapore Armed Forces and the Home Team during the circuit breaker period.

Servicemen performing critical functions, such as island defence, protection of key installations, maritime security, air defence and counter-terrorism operations will continue to be split into different groups, and reside in their camps and bases before and during their operational duty, to reduce the risk of infection in the critical operational units, the ministry added.

The Home Affairs Ministry said the officer cadet training for SPF and SCDF full-time national service trainees as well as operationally essential in-camp training for operationally ready national servicemen will continue.

"Such training will continue with the strict implementation of enhanced precautionary measures such as safe distancing, staggered meal times, the donning of masks, and stringent cleaning of training equipment and common areas," it added.

The Government said on Tuesday that Singapore will extend the circuit breaker until June 1 and tighten its safe distancing measures amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.