Soldiers who may not be fit enough to take on combat roles can instead help the Singapore Armed Forces in its fight against online threats.
Calling this group of soldiers a "resource pool that we can draw from", Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said they can work alongside their combat-fit counterparts to monitor cyber threats and beef up the Singapore Armed Forces' networks against virtual attacks.
Dr Ng said the SAF will add more regulars, full-time and operationally ready national servicemen to the SAF's Cyber Defence Operations Hub.
The unit, which was formed in 2013, brings the SAF's cyber-security experts under one command.
Soldiers with medical conditions are usually exempted from activities such as long marches and field camps during their full-time NS stints. They form about 6 per cent of the cohort and are referred to in military parlance as "Pes C", short for Physical Employment Status C.
Dr Ng said: "You have now a new arena where more and more people can make a fundamental difference, even a bigger impact, contribute more. So this works to our advantage."
This article was first published on July 1, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.