Mental Preparation for National Service Enlistees and Usage Trends of SAF Whistle-blowing and Support Helplines in Past Five Years

3 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) how are enlistees mentally prepared for National Service and how are they made aware of the support resources; and (b) what are the usage trends for SAF whistle-blowing and support helplines over the past five years and whether these trends indicate increased trust and awareness towards these channels.

Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Defence recognises that our pre-enlistees make a significant transition from civilian to military life in National Service (NS).

We work closely with schools, community partners and other stakeholders to help them prepare for NS prior to their enlistment. These include NS information sharing sessions held at schools and Singapore Armed Forces Reservists' Association and virtual visits to the Basic Military Training Centre, to help pre-enlistees and parents gain a better understanding of the NS journey, training environment, and support systems. Online, NS features have been introduced on the LifeSG mobile application to prepare pre-enlistees for their enlistment with timely and convenient information.

During their Full-Time NS, the Singapore Armed Forces has an established support system for its national servicemen. Then Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Heng Chee How, provided a comprehensive description of the system in his response to Parliamentary Questions from Mr Desmond Choo and Dr Wan Rizal on 7 March 2024. The Member can refer to that reply. [Please refer to ​"Ensuring Mental Well-being of National Servicemen", Official Report, 7 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 132, Oral Answers to Questions section.]

All servicemen are also briefed on avenues of feedback and support, such as hotlines for counselling, safety and feedback. These have been utilised at a consistent rate over the past few years.