Are NSFs getting soft? - Letter from Clement Puah Neo, a parent

THE photo of what appears to be a full-time National Serviceman's maid carrying his backpack has drawn many comments. I feel it was a situation waiting to happen.

Last week, I was at the home of a third-generation NSF-to-be. His father served in my unit some 30 years ago.

This young man said he was waiting to be called up before beginning his physical fitness preparations. When asked why he did not start preparations earlier, he mumbled something about not aspiring to be the best he can during his two-year stint as he prefers "remaining in the background".

I have also encountered requests from parents to "teach" their children how to "take cover" during NS so that they will not have to hold higher rank or appointments of higher responsibility.

These are very strange developments to me, as the concern of my parents when I enlisted 45 years ago - and my own, when my son did NS almost 20 years ago - was whether I and my son would get the best out of our training and how high we could rise in service.

We must seriously evaluate what values we are nurturing today. Have we gone completely materialistic and equate everything that we do to its monetary value before expecting good people to come forward to serve this country?

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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