SAF studying to induct Women and PRs into Voluntary Corp

Read here [Link]

Me think it is right that Singapore women citizen should NOT be drafted.

The Committee to strengthen National Service (CSNS) is working on details and determining roles for Women Citizen Volunteers.

IMHO, besides non combat service role and professional/vocational roles that aligned with their civilian work/career, for example, Healthcare. Woman Citizen Volunteers can be deployed in a limited combat role. They may be assigned to homeland security units such as the People's Defence Force. When activated, they donned combat fatigues and armed. They render combat presence in public facilities like hospitals, polyclinics, survival items distribution centres (NTUC fair price - war time role), heartland underground bomb shelters, etc. In times of distress, to the women, children and the frail elderly in the community, the women citizen volunteer  can bring a measure of "maternal" (whatever you call it) assurance amid the violence, destruction and chaos around the frightened civilians. But make no mistake, they can be "fierce" when the situation requires, hospital matrons of yore and the female regimental sergeant major comes to mind LOL.

Women citizen volunteers should not be working alone. They will most likely be paired with a PDF male counterpart and/or attached to the police land division or the police paramilitary KINS (Protection of Key Installations) units.

There is definitely a role for combat trained women citizen volunteers in the order-of-battle of the SAF [Link].

Now to the matter of inducting Permanent Residence into the voluntary corp. I have my reservations. For obvious security reasons, PRs should NOT be inducted into the SAF.

If the CSNS die die must have PRs inducted for reasons be-known* only to them (such as deriving partisan political mileage?), then these PR volunteers must only be deployed in limited combat roles. Perhaps similar to the women citizen volunteers. A suggestion, instead of PRs, should we induct new citizens into the SAF instead. This make more sense.

New citizens should be inducted on a voluntary basis into the SAF, NOT PRs. 

To the matter of training. The volunteers, especially men, must make to go through the full Basic Military Training regime of the current full time National Serviceman, and not a watered-down version of BMT! But having said that, women volunteers may take a modified version of basic military training which will be tailored to their body build .

The current BMT last for a duration of approximately 3 months. Which is roughly equivalent to 480 hours of training contact time. It is not possible to expect these volunteers to take 3 months off their civilian jobs to train with the volunteer corp. Thus a part-time version of the BMT should be in order.

Training should encompass the whole aspects/experience of inducting them into the Singapore/SAF culture and not just instructions in basic military field craft. These recruits will NOT be treated differently from born and bred Singaporeans who are currently undergoing their national service. Go ask them, they will tell you the strict regimentation, tough physical training, rough language and in your face treatment which they must come to expect in the military environ. The same exact treatment and full measure of regimentation and punishment for infringement is to be bore on the new citizen volunteer recruits. No niceties to be afforded least they think SAF training is chicken feed and anybody can go through, throw in comfortable lodgings, shower facilities and slightly better than food court standard mess halls.

As to the weekly training roster. There will be a weekday evening training and a fortnightly weekend training. The one weekend off gives them time to spend with their family (got welfare right). To make up for a total contact training time of 480 hours, this part-time BMT will last a duration of 10 months. No joke. Because training to become a combat soldier and be given the trust to bear arms is not a casual walk in the park exercise.

An example of a typical time table:

Weekday (Wednesday)

1900hr - 1930hr : Officer Commanding (OC) parade.

Company assemble for OC address. Break up into respective platoons for foot drill instruction conducted in the Malay language. The recruits from up north may find this slightly easier.

1930hr - 1945hr : water break. Preparation for PT.

1945hr - 2030hr : Physical Training.

In the form of basic PT or Rifle PT (post Rifle Presentation), duration of 45 minutes, involves vest and slack formation run of not exceeding 3km cummulative. Or circuit training in PT kit with 3km run. Or training in preparation for their IPPT test nearing the date. Post rifle presentation, they will have solely Rifle PT to get them in tune with their personal weapon. They will get use to the handling, they will get use to the weight, they will get use to the constant oiliness on their hands, they will get use to the sight and smell of the cold hard metal rubbing against their bodies. 101 ways to be "tortured" by your personal weapon during Rifle PT :-) For the uninitiated may think it is chicken feed doing some PTs and running 3Km only. Well while they are at it, let's throw in some punishment and humiliation from the PT instructor when somebody or any fellow in their PT formation do something kayu (dodgy). That sense of frustration of repeating senseless physical exertion through no fault of your own will begin to eat into you. On paper it's only 3km ;-) ... also an effective method for building team cohesion.

2030hr - 2100hr : water break. Preparation for training instructions. Medic rounds - anybody unwell? (got welfare right)

2100hr - 2145hr : Instructions.

Class room instructions in personal field craft, personal weapon handling, etc. and/or training shed practical sessions. Individual, group and section movement and tactical drills out field.

2145hr - 2200hr : Night snack cum debrief. (got welfare right)

Consume x01 bread item and x01 cup of coffee/tea seated on the bare floor while PC debriefed.

2200hr - till all stores are accounted for and weapons accounted for and area cleaned up. The faster you do, the faster you get to go home.

Weekends (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) Fortnightly

Friday evening

By 2100hr : Book-in to camp for Ammo party (for tomorrow range firing)

By 2259hr : Book-in to camp for main body.

Saturday morning

Reveille 0400hr : Breakfast cum for Ammo party to draw arms and movement to ammo dump to draw ammunitions for the day and night live firing at range.

Reveille 0530hr : Breakfast cum Main body draw arms convoy to rifle firing range.

Day and Night firing completed at indoor air-condition range by 1600hr. (got welfare right KNN)

1715hr - 1800hr : Physical Training.

1800hr - 1930hr : Water break. Medic rounds - anybody unwell? Dinner. Preparation for night training.

1930hr - 2230hr : Night field training. (Out of camp)

2230hr - 2345hr : Back to camp. Account for stores and account for weapons. Night snack cum debrief.

0015hr : lights off.

Sunday morning

Reveille 0545hr : Morning PT (Light) cum 1.5Km run.

0630hr : Breakfast.

0715hr : Preparation for instruction and field training (Out of camp) or Standard Obstacle Course training (in camp)

0800hr - 1100hr : Field training.

Or

0800hr - 0930hr : SOC training.

by 1230hr : Account for stores and account for weapons. Company debrief. Book-out. (no lunch indented).

Lack of sleep and under constant physical exertion is a given during operations. Under a pack schedule of only less than 2 full days for a weekend, the recruits are subjected to this regime, though it will be gradual build up to give them time to adjust. Time - time is needed, it cannot be rushed. It takes time to get a recruit from the civi streets and turn them into a semblance of a citizen soldier. There is no short cut.

And it is not over until the SAF say its over ;-)

Officers at 50 and the rest of us at 40 y/o

Not forgetting Annual reservist 7 high keys and 3 low keys call up, last for a period of 10 years and more depending. During reservist operational manning and training, you are expected to perform the combat requirement as in your 20's when you first enlisted for full-time NS while negotiating the inevitable aging process (The enemy don't care whether you are 20 or 40 years old, thus the older individual reservist need to expand more effort to maintain his combat effectiveness). The annual IPPTs, recall manning, Exit Permit registration prior to leaving SG, etc.

And for some who got injured or down with medical condition, good luck to you.

Already 50% of the Singapore populace are conditioned to be automatons by the compulsory conscription of National Service. I really do not want the other 50% of the Singapore citizens (aka women folk) to be subjected to the same regime. Please no compulsory draft for them. At least let them be free. Free from the reflexes that are in-bedded in the sinkie male population. No group think. It is good to have a diversity in thinking and behaviour for you never know when you are in dire straits, solutions might come from persons in the Singaporean family whom are not mind numbingly subjected to the same regime.

*Fishy that the G of the day wants to induct PRs into the SAF... what's next? Since they are serving so they can vote in the 2016 general elections ?

Post note: When we went through shits like this, and some of our peers got retrench, lost their jobs, some got injured during NS or reservist, who is there to speak up for us?

23 October 2013

Hobby : Aster 30 is evolving ...

SAF buying Aster 30 SAM [Link]

Singapore's official revealed take on the Aster 30 system acquisition [Link]

Ground Base Aster 30 in action !

It is intended to be an anti-airborne (aircraft/drone/missile) combat system, a part of the integrated air defence shield.

The official maximum engagement distance reported is 70 km.

Note that the MBDA consortium has plans to develop further the Aster family of air defence system [Link]

Aster 30 is evolving ...

The planned final evolution is the Block 2 - a Ballistic Missile Defence system ... we shall see.

It is good to get on the learning curve now, acquiring the hardware and developing operational doctrines, evolving together as new features added to the base line system ... culminating in an air defence shield with foot print over arching the near seas ( by integrating with RSN anti-air warfare assets) and even perhaps Iskandar ! Under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangement of course. Crazy!? (They are more than capable and have pride in defending themselves lah, and Sinkie tax payers to contend with) With substantial economic investments vested in the southern state of Johor, Malaysia...

Integrating with the RSN Aster systems,
evolving a BMD shield.

Total Air Defence shield.

Whither Ballistic Missiles and Ballistic Missile Defence

Paper Published August 2012 [Link]
" ...Governments are concerned about the dangers posed by ballistic missiles. However, there is almost no theoretical or empirical scholarship on ballistic missiles. This article presents and tests the conventional wisdom that the spread of ballistic missiles makes conflict more likely. Original data on ballistic missiles and on crisis initiation is collected, and analysis using a variety of statistical models is conducted. It is found that among all directed dyads from 1946 to 2007, potential challengers possessing ballistic missiles are significantly more likely to initiate international crises. Further, potential targets armed with ballistic missiles are significantly less likely to be challenged. Crises are less likely to escalate when targets are armed with missiles. The results are obtained after accounting for several control variables. Analysis reveals that the findings are not affected by possible endogeneity bias. The analysis also reveals complex interactive effects between ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons on the onset of international crises..."

Paper Published 1993 - BMD system can be easily fooled (by Dr Reuven Pedatzur) [Link]

But by year 2003 - These technical challenges have been overcome (Dr Uzi Rubin) [Link]


LPPL moment ;-) - Ballistic Missiles Make War More and Less Likely [Link]

Wu Ngia Bo Ngia ? (in hokkian)


Can Buy Not ? [Link]

17 September 2013

   

Hobby : Air - Sea Integration 2040 (Air Assets)

Air Force 2040

Little Navy : Sea - Air Integration

Air - Sea Integration 2040 (Air Fighting Assets)

F 35B Stealth Strike Fighter - Main Stay Fighters

F 22 Stealth Strike Fighter - Air Superiority

F 15SG Strike Fighter - Old Dependable

RAH 66 Stealth Attack Helicopter - Silent Hunter 

UCASupport - Close Air Support

UCAStrike - Autonomous Air Strike

Poseidon P8 ASW/ASuW - 海底捞月 ;-) 一目了然

Anti - Submarine Warfare

Anti - Surface Warfare

Singaporean Core [Link]

16 September 2013

Syria - Don't Interfere but need LIMITED respond

Senang Diri [Link]

Go to Senang Diri blog to read his write up [Link]

Should not interfere but help in humanitarian relief efforts

Let's not talk about who is backing who, US interest, Russian interest, Arab interest, etc. If you go there, nothing will be done. Look at it solely on the act of Chem weapon used (if it's true) and respond measuredly.

The Free Syria Army (FSA) is not even an amalgamation of "freedom fighters" but really a hotchpot which is kind of sad lah. Don't get involve, but just need to send the message that chem weapon use (and especially on civilians) is a no no. Complicating nonsense.

The children were asleep during the gas attack ? [Link]

So many children, heart breaking ...

Regardless whether you are Muslim, Jews, Buddhist, Taoist,
Hindu or Christians, etc. , just can't help feeling anguish to see children suffer.

Or just walk away, to avoid more suffering ... 

The Realpolitik of the American People [Link]

Zachary Keck : " ... The duty of American elites then is not to wrap realist policies in liberal narratives, but to convince the American people that supporting a liberal foreign policy is in their national interest.  ..."

Ideally, the immediate task of the U.N. security council is to cease all fighting, especially for the children's sake. Pipe dream looking at the power play between great powers in the council, sigh. With great powers come great responsibilities?

03 September 2013
update: 14 September 2013

Me think the right move

Senang Diri : Proposal to move PLAB SQN to the new CAB (EAST) by 2030 [Link]

Schizophrenic suspicion of the G of the day (can't help it) ! 

21 August 2013

of Malaysia and Japan

One man's view

Another man's view - Sir Nelspruit <LKY writes another book>

On Malaysia 

Malaysia’s Bumiputera Policy

As always Mr Lee has given his view and advice to Malaysia whether solicited or not. His main bugbear – Malaysia’s bumiputera policy or affirmative action in favour of native Malays and indigenous people.

http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/lee-kuan-yew-on-malaysia-in-a-new-book/

For the uninitiated, when Singapore was part of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, Mr Lee came out against this policy in favour of meritocracy which he had introduced in Singapore. He had a vision for Malaysia – ‘Malaysian Malaysia’, if I’m not mistaken, where every race would have equal rights on all matters. Of course the ruling Alliance and UMNO in particular was vehemently opposed to this. It was mainly due to Mr Lee’s insistence on this, that forced then Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to ask Singapore to leave the Federation.

Perhaps Mr Lee does have a point in that the “New Economic Policy” (NEP) that Malaysia introduced has now lost much of its’ gloss and may not be so feasible today in Malaysia. And yes, thousands maybe a million Malaysians have to work abroad especially in Singapore because of better opportunities and higher salaries. However this does not mean they have abandoned Malaysia for good, most would actually go and settle down in Malaysia at some point in the future, because Malaysia still has a good quality of life compared to the mad rush and ever rising costs in Singapore. They can build better homes with monies earned, and have so much more space to do other things in life or when retirement beckons.

Yes he was correct that the NEP seeks to help a particular race, the Malays, retain the dominant position. But was it wrong? Should Malaysia have practised meritocracy as he proposed all those years ago? The answer has to be a resolute No. Just imagine, if the NEP or bumiputera policy was not introduced, what would have been the result? The Malays and indigenous peoples (mainly Sabah and Sarawak) were mostly living in rural areas and had little education or wealth. If meritocracy was implemented then, these people would end up continuing to be poor whilst the educated and richer Chinese and Indians would dominate business and power. This would be a recipe for disaster, the majority and native people of Malaysia would be sidelined and look at envy at their richer neighbours who were migrants to begin with. And Malaysia is a large country not a city state like Singapore where measures can be made to ensure that everyone has a chance to be educated and enjoy the benefits. How do you get a poorly educated farmer in say Perlis or Kedah to match up with someone living in a city like KL, who has access to schools, hospitals, transportation etc?

Affirmative action rather than meritocracy was vital for Malaysia to succeed and overcome the racial differences and mistrust. And by and large, it proved to be successful and all races were able to live in harmony. The Chinese and Indian communities for the most part were happy to let the Malays be given the leading role in the country of their fore-fathers. No doubt in recent times, this policy does not seem to be working and some segments of both communities feel not enough is being done to help them. But the same is also true for the Malay middle-class who feel that the NEP has created an elite segment of bumiputeras who are enjoying the most benefits. Perhaps some form of meritocracy needs to be introduced in Malaysia or a revamped version of the NEP needs to be introduced but LKY is definitely wrong to say the NEP was the wrong policy to implement back then. Instead if his Malaysian Malaysia was implemented, a great rift would have been the result and Malaysia would go the way of countries like Sri Lanka and Fiji, where a small racial minority was running the country and this led to much racial hatred that brought about violence.

And as good as meritocracy has been for Singapore, it too now has developed its’ own Achilles Heel. It’s not incorrect to say, that there is now an ‘elite segment’ that runs the country and is fast losing touch with the reality of day to day living in Singapore. The pursuit of success and increasing wealth is polarising citizens and giving benefits to newly minted citizens and PRs has made many ordinary Singaporeans more intolerant or unhappy. While some form of meritocracy is perhaps what’s needed in Malaysia, then some form of affirmative action in favour of ordinary citizens is needed in Singapore.

On Japan

Japan's Population Woes

Mr Lee has a lot to say about Japan's aging population and lack of growth as seen in this piece published in Asiaone (another SPH outlet):

http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/lee-kuan-yew-japans-insular-attitude-and-population-woes?page=0%2C0

I do not have as much insight into the Japanese as he does, so I'll defer to his views for the most part. What I disagree however is his following opinion and advice:

'If I was a young Japanese and I could speak English, I would emigrate'

I don't know how many young Japanese he has met over the years, but I did have some experience working for/with younger Japanese executives and professionals, all of whom being in Singapore could obviously speak English.  Never once did they ever consider emigrating away from Japan. Instead they were extremely proud of their race and culture and all hoped to be able to return to Japan at some point, either to continue working there or to retire eventually. 

Unlike Singapore, the Japanese like their country to be dominated by Japanese, they do not believe in simply creating new citizens to fill the void be it in business or other sectors. Yes they might have an issue with aging and stagnation, but they still prefer it that way. Having survived thus for centuries, I do think however in the longer run, they will overcome this problem like they have in the past. In means a lot to them being Japanese and having a Japan for the Japanese.

Evolving dynamics [Link]

For a bigger picture ... The Tsunami to come [Link] - Singapore and Malaysia need to work together as one lah ...

Or maybe it is one man's grand final agenda ... ? Smoke grenade x06 - smoke gao gao !

Sama Sama [Link]

i cannot even trust my own leader ...

16 August 2013

Hobby : Battle Ship ! - Zumwalt Frigate

Unabashedly crazy !

On SLOC patrol - extended range cover

Little Navy - Think out of the box, think 4D

04 August 2013