National Service for CHild who lives in America

[DormantCoke]

Ok so something about me. I was born in singapore and have lived there for 10 years. When I was 10, I moved to the USA. I have a permanent resident card for USA. Im 16 now and the thought of NS is nagging at me. Im planning to finish high school ( ends at 18 for me, in case you didnt know). Well I dont wanna be arrested and I plan to visit singapore alot becuz I like it there and I have relatives there. And living in the USA have made me pretty liberal on things such as human rights and SIngapore tends to be strict and it kinda bothers me. However I dont want to ditch National Service. I've always wanted to join the military and I wanna visit relatives in the future, without getting arrested. However after NS, im going to USA, start college, and settling there. I also plan to join the Coast Guard or Marines. I plan to become a US citizen. I love singapore and usa but no dual citizenship under SIngapore's law. =(I just wanna know what NS will be like? Becuz I feel like I wont fit in, because the cultures are different. Did you know anyone like me? ANd how and where do I meet girls there? What would they think of an americanized singapore guy?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Did your parents perform the proper exit procedures for you prior to your 11th birthday? Have they posted a bond or surety with the Singapore Gahmen? If you are still in high school, I believe, if all other procedures have been followed to a 'T' then you should be able to defer until you graduate from High School. After that you have to report to NS. (And it's not a real problem - my son is currently in the Singapore Navy doing his NS) Girls? meet 'em anywhere just like home. ABC? No big deal, lot's of ABCs, BBCs & CBCs already here. And with MTV, most youth here that are English educated speak like Americans unless talking to their own and then they speak that atrocious sub-language called singlish. Actually, NS here is a skate in the park. Much more so than the US military services. In fact, after BMT, you will be able to go home every night except when on maneuvers or overseas training stints. In fact, I call NS here a joke comparing to what I went through during the VN war years and basic training in the US Army.

Be careful about joining the Coast Guard in the US. One of my best friends in High school did that, in order to not be shipped to VN. Guess what. He ended up in one damned dangerous job doing river patrols on the Mekong. Marines? Glutton for punishment.

Do a search on threads in the Strictly Speaking subforum under the General forum for posts by Kraikk & Mad Scientist for a blow by blow on NS and the pitfalls for overseas S'poreans. Good luck.

sms

[DormantCoke]

thanks for replying man. Im still kinda worried about finding a job there though. Ima be honest here. The USA education is way behind SIngapores education. What kind of employer would employ me over a Singaporean who is probably more intelligent than me? I have a 4.0 GPA ( which is all A's ) but I have never taken any kind of education in singapore. So basically its like ive never even graduated from a school if Im in Singapore. And I forgot how to read Chinese at all. Will I have trouble getting a job? And I wont have anywhere to live....=( I dont wanna live off my relatives if I dont have money to pay them off. Do the gov't provide housing for cases like me?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Interesting question re: where to live. You might have to impinge on your relatives. I'll ask my son when I get home tonight if it's possible to stay in camp. Interesting, as I've not really thought about it. As far as getting a job is concerned, if you stay here and are Singaporean, yeah, you will be able to find a job. How good a job is another story though. Speaking English only? I only speak English & I've survived here for 30 years (I'm the only Ang Mo in the company). Obviously Mandarin would help, but it's not a killer. Malay's & Indians don't speak Mandarin.

When you are doing NS you won't have time for working anyway. Oh, if you are in reasonable physical shape, you should only have around 21 months of NS to do. Once that's up you will be able to return to the US and start your tertiary education. When it's time for Reservist duties, you can defer a lot of them. However, if you take up US citizenship you will have to renounce your Singapore citizenship. If you have done your NS, it will not impact your future in Singapore regarding employment or visiting. But you will never be allowed to take up PR or citizenship here later. Think long and hard about your future (long-term) and less about the short term......

sms