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National Service Pros and Cons

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MSG USA (RET) 2000
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National Service Pros and Cons

Post by MSG USA (RET) 2000 » Fri, 29 Mar 2013 2:06 am

I have a friend who is a US Citizen by birth and a Singapore Citizen through his Singaporean mother. He has a National Service (NS) obligation to fulfill in SG as I understand it, he just turned age 18 and will graduate U.S. high school soon. What are the Pros and Cons of NOT performing his National Service?
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offshoreoildude
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Re: National Service Pros and Cons

Post by offshoreoildude » Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:26 am

MSG USA (RET) 2000 wrote:I have a friend who is a US Citizen by birth and a Singapore Citizen through his Singaporean mother. He has a National Service (NS) obligation to fulfill in SG as I understand it, he just turned age 18 and will graduate U.S. high school soon. What are the Pros and Cons of NOT performing his National Service?
The single most important negative is that he will close the door on Singapore for good if he doesn't fulfill this obligation. He will effectively become a criminal to Singapore and not be able to even visit without risking imprisonment followed by servitude (i.e. forced service in the SAF). IF you search this forum there are heart rending stories of older folk who want to return to Singapore but can't because they skipped out on NS.
Now I'm called PNGMK

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:08 am

Search threads in the Strictly Speaking Forum. Thread abound on all aspects of the NS problems.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

MSG USA (RET) 2000
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National Service Pros and Cons

Post by MSG USA (RET) 2000 » Fri, 29 Mar 2013 4:28 pm

Thanks to "Grouchy Old Expat" for your sage advice. Thanks, also, to the moderator.
MSG USA (RET) 2000

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JR8
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Post by JR8 » Fri, 29 Mar 2013 6:42 pm

A couple of other things to consider, that are slightly less direct in nature:

- He has a career in a multi-national company, they offer him a transfer to Singapore for a prized role, but he has to decline it.

- In x years time he's flying off on his honeymoon with his new wife. They're going to Polynesia (or wherever)! The plane has to divert via SG, and he gets arrested at immigration and jailed.

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