Strong emphasis on safety, well-being of servicemen

Strong emphasis on safety, well-being of servicemen

We thank Mr Lee Heng Sun for his letter ("Achieving positive NS experience"; Forum Online, last Saturday).

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have always emphasised the importance of safety and well-being of our servicemen.

All incidents are carefully and thoroughly reviewed by independent and transparent investigations to determine the root causes, and for safety measures to be further enhanced.

Besides including "Safety" as a key organisational core value, there is within the SAF a strong emphasis on safety education in leadership schools, where commanders are kept up to date on the requisite safety knowledge for training and operations.

Commanders are also supported by formation and unit safety officers on the ground to enforce safety standards and enhance training safety.

Mindef and the SAF also ensure there are channels that servicemen can turn to, which include safety and counselling hotlines, to seek advice, feedback and support.

We assure Mr Lee that Mindef and the SAF will continue to improve our systems and processes towards a positive national service experience.

Ng Ying Thong (Colonel)
Assistant Chief of General Staff (Training)
Singapore Armed Forces


This article was first published on JULY 2, 2014.
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