More career soldiers to be hired to take over training now done by NSFs

FULL-TIME national service may be shortened by a few weeks, under a planned move by the Singapore Army to hire more career soldiers to train the enlisted men in green.

They are to step in and take over the training that is now being conducted by second-year, full- time national servicemen (NSFs).

These seasoned soldiers, with more experience, will make NS training more effective and efficient, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday, adding that about 1,100 old hands will be employed for it.

But he said: “The time savings will be a few weeks at most, if any.”

… Defence analysts like Mr Ho Shu Huang said the move to increase the pool of professional trainers will be an uphill task with the tight labour market.

But their presence will free NSF trainers to do more when called up for in-camp training after completing their national service, said Mr Ho, an associate research fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.