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MINDEF unveils details of NS Recognition Award
By S Ramesh | Posted: 31 August 2010 1214 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has given details of the National Service Recognition Award (NSRA) announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally.
The award is to recognise Singapore citizens who have served national service.
The NSRA is a monetary award of between S$9,000 and S$10,500 for each Singaporean NSman, with commanders getting more.
It will benefit full time and operationally-ready NSmen in service from August 29, the day it was announced by Prime Minister Lee, and will not be retroactive.
The money will be disbursed equally at three significant milestones during the serviceman's full-time training and his Operationally-Ready National Service (ORNS).
Eligible NSmen will receive S$3,000 at each of the milestones, and commanders will get S$500 more each time.
Commanders are those holding third sergeant rank and above in the Singapore Armed Forces, or sergeant and above in the HomeTeam.
Minister of State for Defence, Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee, said: "They do more... - usually for each in-camp training they come in one or two days earlier if not more to do the planning and they probably stay one or two days later - so they get more.
"We do not want to monetise the contributions of Nsmen, it is the value we place on it. And it is only for Singapore citizens - the signal that the Prime Minister and government (are sending) that Singaporeans come first and Singaporeans are always important.
"This recognition award is to recognise the contributions of Singapore citizens doing national service full-time and the in-camp training cycle. I think S$9,000 is very significant, but the significance goes beyond the S$9,000.
"It is the value the government and the Prime Minister place on the contributions of Singapore citizens. Many Singaporeans think it is the duty to do national service and this S$9,000 comes as a pleasant surprise and great bonus.
"The first S$3,000 is very useful for an NSman finishing NS and enroute to education. They can pay for their tuition fees for at least one year for most courses in NUS, NTU, SMU. The second and third tranche can go into the CPF to pay for housing and other requirements specified by the CPF."
The first milestone is when the serviceman completes his full-time national service. The money will be paid out at the 20th month of service. It will be deposited into the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) to help with further studies.
The second tranche will be paid after the completion of three high-key in-camp training, or five in-camp training stints, whichever is earlier. And the last payment will be when the full Operationally-Ready National Service training cycle is completed.
The second and third milestone awards will be paid in the servicemen's CPF accounts and distributed into the Ordinary, Special and Medisave accounts according to the prevailing CPF contribution rates. The servicemen can use the amount for their housing, healthcare and retirement needs.
As for those who have already completed their entire national service cycle, Prof Koo said: "Government policy has never been retroactive. The first significant milestone is on the 29th of August when the Prime Minister made the statement.
"Many generations who have served NS, like many of us... recognise that we have already benefited from previous policies and this policy is for NSmen going forward."
The disbursement of the National Service Recognition Award will start from February next year.
- CNA/wk/al
To Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee, if you think your $9000 is such a fucking big deal, why not I pay the govt $9000, fuck, I'll double your money and make it $18000, and you release me from the rest of my reservist liability? I'm already at the 3rd milestone already, so just fucking let me live my life. How about it eh??
