NS40 Exhibition

12 - 15 April 07

When Singapore separated from Malaysia and became an independent nation in 1965, building the capability to defend herself became her top priority.

Being a small nation, it was not viable to sustain a large regular standing army hence National Service was introduced in August 1967 under the National Service (Amendment) Bill, and the acronym NS (National Service) has since become part of the Singaporean identity.

Under the NS Bill, all eligible male Singaporeans were required to enlist for full-time National Service (2 to 3 years) in the Armed Forces and part-time service (12 years) in the People’s Defence Force (PDF), the Vigilante Corps (VC) and Special Constabulary (SC).

The pioneer National Servicemen (Full-time) of 40 years ago could not be more different from today's recruits. The first draft consisted of young men born in 1949 and training for the NS recruits then was a case of mutual learning as they were trained by newly-commissioned officers who were just a few steps ahead of them.

Training was tough, but this was what made the Basic Military Training (BMT) experience totally unforgettable.

Transforming a group of disparate individuals into a dynamic team is what NS training is all about. Each team is part of a bigger fighting machine, and the stronger the team spirit, the more formidable the machine.

Forty years down the road, NS remains the key national institution that forges strong bonds among Singaporeans and it is the backbone that have made the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) a strong organisation.

The three basics; equipping, training and feeding have made quantum leaps ahead, however, some things have not changed. No amount of sophisticated equipment can replace our NS Forces securing his piece of turf as the signal of ownership.

Whatever the changes, defence needs, the rationale for NS and the mission of SAF, SPF and SCDF remains the same. The strong commitment of Singaporeans to National Service is vital to Singapore's security.

In recognising the commitment and sacrifice of our National Servicemen and to salute their contributions to 40 years of peace and security for Singapore, a NS 40 exhibition will be held from 12 to 15 Apr 07 in Ngee Ann City, Civic Plaza. The exhibition will be opened to the general public from 1700H to 2200H on 12 Apr 07 and 1000H to 2200H daily from 13 to 15 Apr 07.

The exhibition comprises 3 main sectors, namely “The Essentials”, “Our Workday” and “Leaving My Mark”. Each sector is further broken down into sub-sectors, as follows:

The Essentials

a. My Enlistment. The evolution of enlistment processes over the last 40 years and the common processes amongst the different services will be displayed.

b. My In/Out Processing. The exhibits will feature the AIOPS system (SAF Card Scanning for registration) which is currently being used for In/Out processing of NSmen reporting for their annual ICT. The booth will also feature the NS Booklet (both the electronic version and the Green Book).

c. My Equipment. This booth will display the uniforms from the different eras and the various types of personnel issued equipment.

d. My Routine. A mock up of the bunk (old and new) will be set up for display. Also on display are the combat ration (old and new), as well as mess tray, mess tin with meal box and the new meal paper boxes.

The below are what you can expect to see at the booths highlighting The Essentials of every NS personnel.

The New and Improved

Some Things Never Change

Our Workday

a. Our Training/Safety. This booth will display the training conducted which includes the usage of simulators and photographs showing live firing at the range. This booth will also feature the development and inculcation of safety culture in the various services.

b. Our Operations. This booth will feature the involvement of our personnel in various operations such as Peacekeeping in East Timor, Homeland Defence, Traffic Police Ops, SCDF fire-fighting and rescue ops, etc). Also featured in this booth are our involvements in Humanitarian and Disaster Relief such as Hotel New World, SARs, Ops Flying Eagle (Aids o Tsumani victims in Indonesia), Nicoll Highway Collapse etc.

Leaving My Mark

a. My Bonding. This display allow visitors to upload photographs from the electronic time capsule and to take photographs with soldiers in uniforms from different eras.

b. My Recognition, My Wishes, My Hopes. This booth gives recognition to the outstanding service personnel who have contributed to Singapore over the years. It will also feature the evolution of SAFRA over the years.

NS40_Exhibition_Programme_Schedule