NS - also for foreign born ?

[Koalabear]

Yeah, I remember my military training days! 6 months before I saw the town the camp was in and then only for two days! Barracks life sucked! Especially in the swamps of Louisana at Ft Polk (home of Tigerland back in the 60s~70's) Aircon? What's that? A least one day a week when the humidity was over 100% but training must go on. The only relief was we didn't have to blouse our fatigue pants. And we didn't have maids to carry our packs. See the recent article about outsourcing some of the military crap? Accompanying editorial cartoon with a guy carrying a backpack for a soldier on march. (should have been a maid portrayed though).

yeah, and you think you can pull out some rules to talk over your seniority in those times? you'll probably be banished to hell. In SAF everyone is so bloody rule biased (officers are more concerned about their career path than care if you can be made into a man) that you can backstab higher ranks than you as long as you know how to navigate the politics and rule. There's this one bloody idiot who caught me doing something wrong after I finished my lunch and wanted me to knock it down, all I said is SAF regulation do not allow exercise until 1 hour after meal and he couldnt do anything about it. Does SAF have such regulation? I DONT KNOW!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Singapore really needs to decide what it means to be a PR. If I were a PR in the US, and I was, I was indeed 'permanent'. No qualifications with respect to job, employment... as long as a crime was not committed I would not be ejected from the US.

Compare that to the Singapore PR. I'm up for renewal in 2012 and the gahmen will not tell me what the criteria are for me to qualify. Ya, ya... for you purists, it's the re-entry permit... but in reality, the same difference.

Am I too old? Is my company making enough money? The reality of the situation at this stage of my life is that there is not much difference betweem a PR and an EP. I get 5 years instead of 2. I can open other companies. Other than that, I have no real long term security in Singapore... my PR can be pulled at any renewal cycle.

SE, you might want to make an inquiry there as I know after my last REP renewal (10 year one-one of the last) I was told that after the age of 55 if you are renewing your REP you don't even need a job (provided which you were working here with PR before turning 55). This came about as my REP had been expired for 15 months as I was unemployed during that period and was afraid it wouldn't be renewed because of just that. It was then that I was told I didn't have to worry about it as I was over 55 so didn't need any employment verification/sponsorship. Now, I have to admit, I'm here on Family Ties, so this may not apply to those on the PTS route to PR but I'm willing to bet it would also apply to them as well once they have completed their first 5 years as a PR. Seriously, check it out. It could well be that it might reduce the HBP a couple of notches.

[Vaucluse]

Singapore really needs to decide what it means to be a PR. If I were a PR in the US, and I was, I was indeed 'permanent'. No qualifications with respect to job, employment... as long as a crime was not committed I would not be ejected from the US.

.

You will find that many countries have a similar structure as Singapore . . . which always made me wonder what the 'Permanent' part of Permanent Residency really meant.

[sundaymorningstaple]

SE, as a postscript to what I said earlier, technically, provided which you don't commit any crimes or are morally bad, or inciting unrest, here in Singapore, your PR is forever. If you were to never leave the country, you would not need a re-entry permit and you are welcome to stay here till you pass on. The codicil is that you cannot leave the country unless you obtain a re-entry permit. Otherwise at that point, when you leave the country without a REP, you effectively "give up" your PR.

[tsw]

Why can't you imagine yes?

It's becoming more and more common as there are more and more westerners taking up citizenship here. Even those who are 2nd Gen PR's will have to do NS. Actually NS is good. Hopefully, not everybody thinks like you do. If nobody had to do NS, this country would be a part of Malaysia or Indonesia real quick don't you think? Then you wouldn't want to stay here would you.

Everybody wants to listen to the nice music but nobody wants to pay the piper. Fortunately, there are those like me who insist that their sons do military service to help them grow up and also to pay back this country for what it is giving them. That, along with the networks that they build while in NS, are worth possibly more than an MBA in the long run.

Yes, if they are still in Singapore and still PR's or Citizens they are required to do reservists training as well but it's rarely 40 days a year. More like 14-21 days but rarely all at one go. Even then it's possible to get exemptions for a lot of them.

hardly ever get to 21 days if at all, i am a local singaporean, i know. exemptions are only given for new jobs, but mostly dependent on the Commanding Officer of the combat unit.

[tsw]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for this fantastic, informative forum. We are a Western family current live in HK and will be moving to Singapore soon. I have two sons, aged 8 and 10. We have been thinking of applying for PR and eventually citizenship in Singapore but all this talk of National Service and how strict it all is, has me reconsidering things. Both my boys were born in Holland, will they have to do national service if we become Singaporean citizen even if they weren't born in Singapore ?
Please help.
Thanks in advance
Kind Regards
Annie

NS is not as tough as it used to be back in the 6/70s when the Israelis trained us. hundreds of thousands of Singaporeans have made it, they cater to folks with different fitness level. it's all good. i am a local singaporean, served my duty back in the early 90s.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, my son's deferment is up and he's scheduled for his pre-enlistment documentation/medical on this coming Friday. Just about 6 weeks before his 21st Birthday!

[Mad Scientist]

hardly ever get to 21 days if at all, i am a local singaporean, i know. exemptions are only given for new jobs, but mostly dependent on the Commanding Officer of the combat unit.

This is incorrect and you do not know. Mobilisation of unit be it silent or open or in camp training is not control by the unit. Div. decide. Reservist strength and numbers are done by Mob Div under CPC/CMPB guideline. Deferment overseas(CMPB) or exemption will be forwarded to Bn HQ . All exemption will still go thru Bde HQ.All Strength comes under S1 which has to be submitted to Bde S1. Got nothing to do with CO.
CO only approve exemption during the course of reservist training under extreme condition

[Mad Scientist]

Yeah, my son's deferment is up and he's scheduled for his pre-enlistment documentation/medical on this coming Friday. Just about 6 weeks before his 21st Birthday!

SMS, aint that efficient by all context . They make sure that it is on the dot . No more no less.
He will be alright. BTW how's the wife getting along ?

[sundaymorningstaple]

She's coming along slowly. She went so hard so long, that this stent slowed her down to her actual age and she doesn't like it!

My son? Not a day too soon by my reckoning!