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by taxico » Fri, 08 May 2009 2:22 pm
i thought you should know, you won't get hauled into BMT immediately. (everything below is based on the assumption that there's nothing physically wrong with you)
you'll be asked to go for a medical checkup and other tests first (again, this takes time to arrange), before they classify and decide where you go and what you'll do for NS. that takes a few weeks (minimum) after your tests.
i'm positive you'll need a mailing address so mindef can send you notifications (and know where to send MPs if you don't show up).
i'm positive you'll NOT be guaranteed accomodation during your entire NS duration as there are military units with NO stay-in facilities.
however, during BMT (and also post-BMT training schools) you CAN appeal to your commanders to recommend you for a stay-in posting.
even if you DO get to a stay-in unit, it does not mean you are allowed to bring in and leave all your possessions within your room because there may not be enough space for that.
sometimes, you may also not be allowed to stay in over the weekend voluntarily (someone else gets to decide that for safety and security reasons, and also because they would have to prepare food to feed you).
again, this can be arranged with your superiors, who more likely than not, will try their best to accommodate you (pun intended).
but it's recommended if you maintained some sort of living arrangements outside of NS. now's the time to figure out who your long lost relatives are... (no offense meant)
you'll need an outside address and phone number for a whole host of reasons during your 2+ years in singapore.
if i'm not wrong, $500 a month can get you a decent furnished room. but you won't be able to get by purely on your NS pay, so you need to bring to singapore a chunk of change.
as for BMT start-dates... it really depends on where you get sent to (there's no guarantee you'll get thrown into Pulau Tekong; there are mono-intake units from all three services that start at various times of the year), so there's no predicting how long you'll have to wait.
you may even get assigned to the police force or fire department! (again, no guarantees, and those two places may not always yield the best NS experience)
but again, during your initial contact with mindef, you should tell them you want to start ASAP (if that's your intention) and it's my understanding they will try their best to accommodate you.
like KSL said, there's no better time than now to prepare yourself physically for NS. mentally; just go in with a positive mind and you can come away with a truly memorable experience.
you get to make lifelong friends in NS if you don't kick a fuss about it. what won't kill you will just make you stronger, ok? it's really not that bad.
if you need help when you return to singapore, throw a line here (or in real singapore life) and i'm sure someone will help you out.
1. people in singapore (foreign or not) aren't a bad lot.
2. as you can see above, the whole NS experience is designed to help you help them.
3. chillax.