From: elejaya@nuscc.nus.sg (Jayasooriah)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Singapore National Service
Date: 7 Apr 92 02:50:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: nuscc.1992Apr7.025047.24640
Organization: National University of Singapore

zlim@bnr.ca (Zack Lim) writes:
: ... I even went to CMPB to talk to the Logistic Officer (CAPT by the way).
: What I got in return was, we can't do anything.  That was about 3 months
: before my next reservist training (the 5th one, I believe).  When I find 
: that there was nothing done, I decided then to pack up and go.
: ... Reservist was a torture to me, at least that is for me.

Hmm... you decided to leave your country in consideration of about two
weeks or so per year of reservist training.  Surely you must have more
reasons than that (I am not suggesting that you do not have valid
reasons but that I find it hard to believe that the reservist training
is the only one, or for that matter an important one).

: ... By the way, I was the OC
: runner in my first 3 reservist training. 
: ... I couldn't take any longer
: and I request CMPB to down grade me to a rifle man.  That is when I feel
: life was slightly better.  But that is not the point.  I feel that if I am
: willing to serve the country, the government should at least listen to me.
: I am not asking them to exempt me, but at least let me serve wisely.

Many people get away with the idea that just because they have proven
themselves in civilian life, they should be given appointments likewise
in military life.  While this true on a statistical basis, I have known
very successful people who are misfits in the army, and vice versa.

: ... I feel that as a citizen, we should at 
: least get some benefit from the government.  We already sacrificed 2-3 years
: of our life for the country, we should at least be treated special.  If I
: don't get that benefit than there is some imbalance here.  Why should I 
: sacrifice more for the government when they are not even willing to listen 
: to me.  

This has been addressed to some extent lately.  However, one must bear
in mind that prefential treatment to reservists does upset those who are
not reservists (e.g. women and in general non-reservists).  Some
compensatory measures have been implemented for reservists in
recognition of their service to the country.

As I see it, there are basically two types of reservists - those who
actively enjoy military life and those who do not.

Those who do not actively enjoy military life can be further classified
as two types - those who do the best they can, and those who constantly
whine about reservist training and do the least they can.

Of the people in the first two categories, they get to do what they have
shown to be capable of.  These people, whether or not they are officers
(or OC runners) usually do not make an issue of the two weeks or so of
annual reservist training committments.

Those in the last category are the people, IMO, who will find themselves
carrying out tasks that do not commensurate with their abilities - no
commander would want to assign authority to a person who will not
excercise it in the interests of the group as a whole.  After all, that
is what military discipline is all about - subjudicating ones own ideas
of what is right and wrong to that of the army as a whole.

My obversation is that the position you find yourself in is not just
because the "army didnt listen to you" - you have also to take part of
the blame.  There are many of us in no different situation from you who
succeeded in getting the army to "listen" to us.  Have you considered
the possiblity that there are so many people who want to do what you
want to do?

Jaya
-- 
Jayasooriah PhD,    EE Dept, NUS | Sign on the  grounds of a private school: 
10 Kent Ridge Cr, Singapore 0511 |                                           
Tel/Fax: +65 772-2295 / 772-1103 |       "No trespassing without permission."
Internet:   elejaya@nuscc.nus.sg |