【Singapore】【National service】What is NS really like? A Japanese-British PR shares his experience.

For a PR kid about to become a National Serviceman, entering NS can be like stepping into the unknown. So what is life as an NSman really like? What should you expect in your first weeks? What's the toughest challenge? How can you prepare? A British-Japanese PR shares his experiences and offers 16 practical tips to help guide any new or prospective NS serviceman in Singapore.
Please subscribe from the link below！
bit.ly/3lAyyH6
#Singapore #NS #National Service
We are a Japanese and British couple who have been living in Singapore for over 20 years. Our channel, Hey Singapore! provides useful information about relocation matters, education in Singapore, international schools, housing, restaurants, shopping, places of interest, and local art and culture. As a relocation consultant, Mihoko has a wealth of knowledge and experience that she loves to share with people who are planning to visit or move to Singapore.
Please subscribe from the link below！
bit.ly/3lAyyH6
Please follow our SNS！
Instagram
/ hey_singapore
Facebook
/ hey-singapore-11218412...
　
blog
profile.ameba.jp/ameba/5monks...
Twitter
/ singaporehey
Linktree
linktr.ee/hey_singapore/
Popular video clips
Singapore Hotel quarantine SHN London to Singapore & swab test at Changi airport
• 【Singapore SHN】London ...
Singapore Hotel quarantine SHN routine at Swiss Hotel
• 【Singapore SHN】Survivi...
Singapore’s best hairstylist
• 【Singapore hair salon】...
Singapore’s latest hair colouring
• 【Singapore hair salon】...
Singapore’s million $ view restaurant
• 【Singapore restaurant】...
Singapore Pottery Village
• The Dragon in the Jung...
Singapore food A to Z (A-D)
• Singapore Food A to Z ...

[@kjlim3170]

Thank you for supporting your son in his NS journey. Your son is one of us 🙂 I served my NS in 1986-88, and my son is serving his NS now

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching it! My son has grown to be an adult through NS. It must have been tough 2 years, but he made it! Hope your son to finish his NS term safely!!

[@wyattearp88]

As a local Singaporean, thanks for contributing your times in NS , thank you

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching it! Kai has made lots of Singaporean friends there and he now feels Singapore as his home more than ever!

[@JC-hl2qn]

This is so useful! Thank you for taking the time to make this video. Kai has done a great job! 👍

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching it!!

[@mingyuhuang8944]

National service is amazing. Almost like a baptizing for young people! Makes them stronger and mentally fit

[@heysingapore5693]

Yes, my son grew up so much to be mature!

[@leewn2319]

Great that u are having good NS experience and enjoying it, It’s truly changing u from “Ah Boy to Man”. Taking NS on positive light is very important. Your character & level of confidence is remolded & built up as U learn endurance, tolerance, comradeship / team work with others who may have differing opinions / mindset / sense of responsibility, humility, etc. Thank u for taking the bold step to do NS & contribute to Sg security. Cheers! 👍👍👏👏👏🇸🇬🇸🇬

[@heysingapore5693]

He has really changed through NS. Before NS, he was taking for ever to finish his meals, not much exercises, not having many Singaporean friends. But now he has so many Singaporean friends who went through tough time together!

[@hiroyukishinichi9873]

🤩👏one of us! One of us! Thank you for your child’s contribution👍

[@heysingapore5693]

He was born and brought up in Singapore. So I guess he feels Singapore is his home!

[@EstherTan-uz3pt]

Thank you for this video! My son is in NS now, and same as Kai he went to SCS after BMT, and is now 3 SGT in his unit. As a mum I was also always worried and I cried a lot too in the beginning! So I can definitely relate to the video and how mummy felt! Glad to know that Kai has grown so much after NS and great job Kai! 💪❤️

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for your comment! We are always worried about our children, especially NS time. I totally understand how you are feeling now. When it’s done, it seems that the time went quite fast. Hope your son can complete his NS safely!

[@EstherTan-uz3pt]

@@heysingapore5693 Thanks so much! 🙏

[@ajlim5080]

Thanks for sharing, your video is very helpful as my son is enlisting in Jan. 😊

[@heysingapore5693]

Oh, so soon! He should be fine! They will grow tough!

[@seangaun]

A good training for youngster on discipline and independent where parents cant teach them all at times. Well done Kai and parents.

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching! He has grown to be a responsible young man!

[@hengjohn]

Well done!! Welcome to the Band of Brothers.

[@heysingapore5693]

Hahaha he is making more Singaporean friends in the UK now!

[@alexteo6371]

Great! Keep it Up ...👍

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks!

[@sksim6154]

Congratulations , we are one of us now. I enlisted in 1983 and my son enlisted in 2016.

[@heysingapore5693]

Wow! Things must have been very different then!

[@weshz2429]

You are the best👍

[@heysingapore5693]

Thank you!!!

[@MrHipetey]

Well done, Kai!

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching!

[@benganchan1420]

It’s no sweat when I did my NS in 1972. And then I signed on for 6 years with Singapore Air Defence Command ( today’s RSAF )

[@heysingapore5693]

Wow! Air Defence is the toughest, isn’t it?

[@benganchan1420]

@@heysingapore5693 in 1972, the embryonic Air Force was too small to be called an Air Force, so they called it SADC….. a la Japan Air Self- Defence Force.

[@heysingapore5693]

@@benganchan1420 I guess it was still tough! Well done!!

[@hayashikeiichi5474]

めっちゃまとまってます！

[@heysingapore5693]

ありがとうございます😭　息子が入隊前に色々と調べましたが、情報が少なかったので、自らまとめてみました^_^

[@sugarly69]

Good man!

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching!

[@sureshmadurai5044]

Good info and very clear explanation.

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching! Hope it helps lots of pre-NS boys!

[@ohjames778]

Its all in your mind... this is what i always hear during my NS time haha 3 SIR 8th mono intake Scorpion 😎

[@heysingapore5693]

Well done!! It must have been hard!

[@iTechOSyoutube]

Going to take NS in a year and a 1/2! Thanks very much for this video.

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching! Hope it helps!

[@taychoonsoon9829]

😄👏👏👍Good 👍 👦 wishes you all the best..

[@heysingapore5693]

Thank you so much for watching it! He is enjoying his uni life now!!

[@lpericteo]

I considered myself very lucky to have done NS for my country.

[@heysingapore5693]

Well done!! It must have been tough!

[@jetzhijun554]

Thanks for sharing, appreciate this so much. My child also doing IBDP, may I know by serving national service, is your child delay a year of study compare with his classmates or 2 years or longer? Look forward to your reply

[@heysingapore5693]

He finished the exams of IBDP in May and started NS in July. He passed the fitness test, so he served 22 months of NS, ending in April. So he delayed his uni by 2 years.

[@michaelseet9320]

well done young man..this our common thread..

[@heysingapore5693]

Thank you so much for watching it!!

[@michaelseet9320]

@@heysingapore5693 my son is 8..i hope to use your son video when my boy enlist in 10 years time..Your boy is a fine young man..thank him for his service on my behalf..

[@heysingapore5693]

@@michaelseet9320 Many things may change by the time your son is enlisted, but the mindset would be the same, I guess!

[@michaelseet9320]

@@heysingapore5693 Hello Ms I served NS in 1982 and although much changed. The fundamentals still remain. So long as Singapore exists we still with NS.

[@vicky.editz.]

Wait... Can u please tell me that do NS people get 2days leave to go home each week ?? And what types of food do they offer in the camp ?

[@heysingapore5693]

Yes, generally speaking, you can go home Friday evening and go back into camp Sunday evening. But you will have some duties from time to time during weekends and skip day off.

[@vicky.editz.]

@@heysingapore5693 Thanks a lot 😀

[@alvinmath]

Wait. For civil defence BRT, there is heater and washine machine

[@heysingapore5693]

That’s what I heard after making this video! Good for them!

[@theadventurer1602]

Are Zero Fighters (people who cannot even do one single pull up) still being punished by the SGT?

[@heysingapore5693]

Not sure about that!

[@skaka8800]

Hopping by from 🇸🇬... Fly and touch the tree... 🤪

[@heysingapore5693]

I didn’t quite get what you meant, but thanks for watching it!

[@joekidal5797]

It means that if a recruit made a mistake the common punishment the commander will give is to make the recruit sprint towards any tree the commander points at, touch the tree and return back within a certain timing

[@unkniwdead3516]

NS teaches us to be independent, discipline and take responsibility for what one does. It is good training for growing up from ah boy to man. Same for girl too if they choose to join and contribute their support to the nation. Those were the days in SAF when I joined as a teenager and never regretted till now. 😀

[@heysingapore5693]

I think he has changed so much during NS. Wish all the NS men to complete their duties without any injuries!

[@yvvonelee5026]

Ukraine is a good reference for some Singaporean who objected to national service.

[@heysingapore5693]

Singapore is such a small country. So it’s actually very vulnerable.

[@yvvonelee5026]

@@heysingapore5693 Precisely, but if that small island is like a chilly padi in your eyes, the invader must be prepare to suffer the same and maybe lost an eye or two

[@UtopiaParadiseValley]

He is a man now as he survives the ablution of brutal BMT,SCS and NS handling live munitions. A qualified mortal kombat fighter. He makes his family proud, Japan and UK proud. Singaporeans are proud of him as he complete the whole NSF. NS converts a Civilian boy to a soldier man. There are reservist camp training summons to came soon. He is boy face, but he talks confidently like a man as he been thru injuries and pain. By the way he is commander level soldier. Imagine a person carries a weight of half his weight and walk 32KMs and carry casualties in between, it is hard to believe a civilian have this kind of ability. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5jFlmOul9iqfbc

[@heysingapore5693]

Thanks for watching it! For sure, it was tough and the experiences made him grow!

[@tommyliangwei3724]

British Father and Japanese Mother

[@heysingapore5693]

That’s right. We are PR. So our son needed to serve NS.

[@muhammadrizwaan6519]

Hi did he get Singapore Citizenship after serving NS ?

[@heysingapore5693]

No, it was not offered…

[@UtopiaParadiseValley]

He will get as his serve ,sacrifice,offered and risk his life for military activities to get the PR. He is a commander level soldier important appointment for Singapore infantry. Serving in SAF is abit like the Starwars movie serving the first order and very risking task.

[@heysingapore5693]

@@UtopiaParadiseValley Thanks for watching! He has changed a lot after NS, more responsible now!

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 Of he course he did. He probably has suffered a lot of trauma and abused. You are his mother but I bet his friends knows alot more about him than you

[@fyl21]

@@heysingapore5693 why don't you apply? It's a great country and you have served the NS already.

[@farbodfaramarzian5322]

Can we have this song please!!!!!!!?

[@heysingapore5693]

?? Which song? The one at the beginning of the video?

[@dextergoh96]

Wow, you have a great son

[@heysingapore5693]

Hahaha thanks! He just served his duty!

[@tictactoei3347]

Is NS still going on in a pandemic?

[@heysingapore5693]

Yes!

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 disgusting

[@clementihammock7572]

All physical demand honestly are nothing. Try yourself one whole week sweat sweat sweat with no shower, and then look at your toes and skin. Also four days force your eyes open with the most 10 hours sleep, i.e. less than 2 hours rest per day. Nowadays, lot of Army Equipment are hydraulic or highly mechanized, and very safe indeed. If you watch the old timer, especially the 155 Howitzer Gunners, as a mother, you will tears and worry a lot.

[@heysingapore5693]

I guess so. Especially due to a few NS fatal incidents, safety measures of NS are heightened more. My son’s NS time, there were a couple of months he was off duty due to COVID too.

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 Welp, now I know where NOT to raise my children in. This is horrible and as soon to be a father my self, I would not risk my sons live and be treated like a slave paid with lower than minimum wage

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 Your son is very lucky. If you read article on the internet, many commit suicide due to harrasment and physical torture. This way of method doesnt make some a "man" it teaches them how to be submissive to the government and be like obidient dogs when war comes

[@heysingapore5693]

@@kylee.jenner3610 there was no harassment or torturing around my son. There is a hotline you can call to complain if there is any.

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 Yeah like I said, your son very lucky. Conscription in thailand and south korea so bad that people faint when they were called

[@afiqhilman5]

He is my BMT sect comd!

[@heysingapore5693]

Hahaha I’ll tell him!

[@josephc.9520]

Hahaha how fierce was he?

[@Tony.L9793]

nowadays NS jin ho mia to all male singaporeans compared to those since the start of NS till late 90s

[@heysingapore5693]

I’m not quite sure what jin Ho Mia mean, but NS must be very different from what it was like before!

[@Tony.L9793]

@@heysingapore5693 jin ho mia means good life, now NS days are far better than those before, NS food is far nicer, NS only 3 IPPT stations rather than 5 stations, now all males singaporeans only served 2 years compared to those A level students last time have to serve 2.5 years

[@heysingapore5693]

@@Tony.L9793 I see! What’s more, they pay more attention to safety too! Hope you can subscribe my channel for more information about Singapore!

[@bimsgarcia6704]

sorry for my question... what if gay?

[@heysingapore5693]

Even if you are gay, you need to serve NS!

[@jianxiongRaven]

nice la. now wait for ORD and end of 10yr reservist. go out and meet someone new , dk what to chat ? talk abt NS 😂😂😂😂

[@heysingapore5693]

He actually met many Singaporean in London and talked about NS!

[@jianxiongRaven]

@@heysingapore5693 as in its always a starting conversation abt what you did in NS amongst Singaporean men 😂😂

[@ahmedhussein6163]

I can't wrap my head around the fact that a country would let a foreigner ( at least legally) join it's army, it is weird. military service should be requested from citizens only. how come someone serving in the army and doesn't have the right to vote, how come the army trusts someone who is not a citizen to risk his life for the country? this is weeeeeeeeird

[@heysingapore5693]

If you are PR, you have a choice to give up PR before NS. But they may face consequences like you can’t get work visa or student visa in Singapore any more… but still quite number of PR kids give up every year. So it’s your choice when you are 18 or before.

[@kevina2907]

Dumb..., he is born in Singapore and naturally he will serve NS if he chose to live in Singapore.

[@stayprepared2388]

That means enjoy all the benefits of Singapore , run when there is a first sign of trouble. Correct ? Singaporeans expect all foreigners behave like parasites of Singapore

[@laterpro]

KAI BERMINGHAM

[@heysingapore5693]

Are you Kai’s friend??

[@nandopassante6888]

There is no valid justification for having male-only conscription. “Tradition” and “historical reasons”, “it’s always been like that”, are drivel; if we followed tradition and history and did as has always been done, women would have no voting rights, no abortion rights, no property rights, no rights at all. Difference in physical strength is also a false problem. Modern armies have more support roles than actual combat roles, and women can fulfill those as good as men. Israel has been drafting both sexes since 1948 and its army has been vastly more effective than those of backward countries whose politicians and military officers think that conscripting women would “weaken the army”. Women having to care about children is likewise drivel. Conscription age is 18-20, and Western women don’t have children at that age, the age of motherhood in Europe and North America varies between 25 and over 30, depending on the country. Women having to give birth to children and their death thus harming the survival of a country is, once again, drivel; when a war is over, polygamy is not made legal and surviving men do not suddenly start having children from multiple women. Some women have children with the surviving men, the others remain nubile and childless. Women having to work while the men are doing their military service is once more drivel, as only 18-20 year olds are affected by peacetime conscription, and whether it is only men or both men and women, the percentage of the overall population remains minimal, the rest of the population works and the economy works just fine. Once again, Israel has been drafting both sexes since its birth in 1948, and its more economically and socially thriving, and has been more military successful, than all of the countries where old farts keep repeating the same childish objections against female conscription while trying to sound tough and look like they are presenting “harsh truths”. This is the only “harsh truth”. There is no justification for having male-only conscription, and no country that still enforces it can dare to call itself civilized. Some of the few first-world countries that still had male-only conscription have recognized this and addressed the problem: in the last decade, Sweden and Norway extended conscription to women; the Netherlands, where conscription exists but is “suspended” for peacetime, have changed their draft laws so that in case conscription is reactivated, it will apply to both sexes. Other countries are discussing such, long overdue, changes. Singaporean women must do their duty towards the country. And not as caregivers or such, but as S-O-L-D-I-E-R-S. Like in Israel, like in Sweden, like in Norway. I will repeat it, the army isn’t made only of infantry and there are enough support roles they can fulfill despite being physically weaker. Singaporean men need to stand up for their rights. If the state keeps conscription for men only, refuse to enlist en masse. There is nothing they can do to you: the country cannot survive without you. Target clowns like this poor excuse of a defense minister and their wives, or journalists who write ridiculous articles defending male-only conscription; make their lives unliveable, make it impossible for them to work. If the excuse is that extending conscription to women would be costly for the state, or that “societal costs would outweigh the benefits”, start mass strikes and boycott, commit acts of sabotage against infrastructure, cripple the economy. Make it costlier for them to keep conscription only for men. This is a struggle for civilization, a problem as important as women’s suffrage was in the past. All means are justified, and reason is only on one side. There is no debate to be held.

[@alfieh3477]

It’s just my opinion but I don’t think anyone should be forced to join the military, especially because of their gender

[@heysingapore5693]

I know. I guess Singapore government needs them as manpower of army.

[@matheaus900]

You have cold showers in police and CD now

[@heysingapore5693]

You mean hot shower?

[@matheaus900]

@@heysingapore5693 Yup Police and CD have

[@heysingapore5693]

That’s good to hear! Well, my son was in army with cold showers, lol!

[@kylee.jenner3610]

@@heysingapore5693 This is horrible! How can you guys be okay with this? There is no patriotism when you are being force to do soemthing you dont wanna do at the first placr

[@shininglife7845]

This kind of national service is really a huge waste of time, money and energy if you come out weak in the end. The training worth everything if you can eventually fight like Maggie Q in Naked Weapon (2002) movie.

[@heysingapore5693]

He got into physical training after NS and doing Brazilian jujitsu now! Lol