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Individual Physical Proficiency Tests (IPPTs) will be suspended, and In-Camp Training (ICT) — other than those that are essential for operations, which will continue — will be deferred until Jun. 13.

On Tuesday (May 18), the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will implement further tightened measures to safeguard the health and well-being of servicemen due to the evolving Covid-19 outbreak.

IPPT suspended and ICT deferred

Only ICT essential for operations will continue during this time.

Fitness Conditioning Centres (FCCs) will be closed, and the conduct of Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) and NS Fitness Improvement Training (FIT) at FCCs, SAFRA gyms, and public locations will be suspended.

NSmen whose IPPT window closures are within the suspension period will be granted a one-time waiver of their annual IPPT requirement.

MINDEF also announced that large-scale events will be cancelled, deferred, or reduced in size.

These measures will take immediate effect and will be in place until Jun. 13.

Critical activities for operational units will continue

Activities critical for build-up of operational units will continue with stringent safe management measures (SMMs) in place, MINDEF announced.

According to MINDEF, the vaccination programme for SAF personnel is making steady progress, and the majority of active forces are expected to be vaccinated by the middle of the year.

The SAF had also introduced swab tests for servicemen who enlist in May, as well as their trainers, in order to ensure that Basic Military Training (BMT) can be conducted safely.

MINDEF announced that these measures will continue.

"The SAF will continue to monitor the evolving Covid-19 situation and review the measures in place to keep our servicemen safe."

IPPT had been suspended from March 2020 to October 2020

This suspension of IPPT and deferral of ICT comes after roughly seven months of resumption of NS activities.

On Mar. 31, 2020, the MINDEF had announced that IPPT requirements for affected operationally-ready national servicemen (NSmen) would be suspended, and ICT activities that were not essential to operations would be deferred, due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

NSmen received subsequent texts in June and August that IPPT would be suspended until Aug. 31, and then again until Sep. 30.

On Sep. 3, 2020, MINDEF announced in a Facebook post that IPPT would begin to be conducted again, at a reduced capacity and group size, starting on Oct. 1, 2020.

The resumption of NS activities was in light of the need to maintain operational readiness despite the challenges imposed by Covid-19, MINDEF said.

Top photo via Facebook / MINDEF.