The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will update and refresh its Medical Classification System and Physical Employment Standards (PES), announced Minister Ng Eng Hen.

"The old binary classification of Combat-Fit or Non-Combat-Fit makes little sense when applied to roles such as unmanned vessel operators," said Ng during the 2021 Committee of Supply Debates.

The move comes with a view to allowing more national servicemen (NSF) to take on operational roles.

Under the new system, civilian jobs and skillsets will also be taken into account when assigning vocations to NSFs.

PES status revamped

Currently an NSF's PES status is assigned according to their medical conditions and determine what vocations they are assigned to during National Service (NS).

In broad terms, receiving a status of PES A or B means that an enlistee has been deemed suitable for combat vocations, while PES C and E denote an individual suitable for combat support, combat service support, or service vocations.

However, Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How said medical exclusions that would have limited deployment in the current system "may no longer be relevant in today's operational context or with the latest technology".

"The key idea is to deploy every soldier in a meaningful operational role, without compromising safety and while maintaining and ensuring operational effectiveness," he added.

Heng said the SAF was reviewing the use of functional assessments — which replicate the physical demands required for daily operations — in determining an NSF's deployability to a specific vocation.

Functional assessments have already been trialed in the selection of Transport Operator.

SAF will also make use of advances in technology, such as Unmanned Watchtowers, to allow previously ineligible servicemen to be deployed and contribute to security.

Other changes to entire NS experience

Separately, MINDEF is also introducing changes to servicemen before, during and after service.

Before

A trial was launched in November 2019 to provide eligible pre-enlistees with a free one-year gym membership to SAFRA Energy One.

A total of 5,000 people have been given the membership, with around 80 per cent visiting a SAFRA gym since mid-June 2020. Some 33 per cent more pre-enlistees reported achieving a Gold in their IPPT scores.

MINDEF is working on extending this programme to the 24 ActiveSG gyms across Singapore. Registration details will be announced at a later date.

Criteria include being registered for NS but yet to enlist, and having been assessed medically fit for NS.

During

In collaboration with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), MINDEF launched the Work-Study Diploma for Army and Air Force technicians in September 2020.

Full-time NSFs Army Technicians would undergo training towards earning a diploma in Electrical Engineering, while Air Force Technicians would earn one in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.

According to according to Heng:

"Spending a total of three to four years in total with the SAF, these servicemen will be given a contract that will entitle them to the pay and benefits of an SAF Regular after they have completed a stipulated period as NSFs."

More of such work-learn schemes, which support professional development and give them the opportunity to make use of their skills, are being considered.

After

MINDEF will continue to build on the Expertise Conversion Scheme, which sees Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) with specialised civilian expertise deployed to new roles that require them.

A dedicated deployment centre will be set up by the SAF to oversee the expansion of expertise deployment.

NSmen who are 35 and above, and eligible for IPPT have to undergo the Health Screening Programme to ensure they are in good shape for In Camp Training.

Previously, this required two visits to the medical centre, but since October 2020, things have been streamlined so only one trip is needed for most NSmen.

A health screening centre will also be built in the Military Medicine Institute at Kent Ridge by mid-2021.

MINDEF added in a press release:

"This provides NSmen with an alternate and central location option for greater convenience, and NSmen can also expect shorter booking and waiting times for their HSP appointments."

Top image from The Singapore Army Facebook page