NSmen to get higher monthly base pay of at least S$1,600 during ICT, including the unemployed

SINGAPORE — Operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) will soon receive at least S$1,600 per month for in-camp training (ICT), including those who are unemployed or ineligible for make-up pay claims. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) will now start using "functional assessments" as part of its medical screenings for pre-enlistees to better match them to their vocations. 

These were among a slew of announcements made by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen during the debate on Mindef's spending plans on Wednesday (March 2).

Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How is expected to provide more details on some of these changes when Parliament resumes on Thursday.

Here are the key announcements:

NS ENHANCEMENTS

NSmen pay:

• NSmen who are unemployed or ineligible for make-up pay claims will now get the S$1,600 monthly base pay instead of payment pegged to their rank 
• Before this change, service pay was equivalent to servicemen’s full-time NS allowance, which for an Infantry Third-Sergeant was about S$990 per month 
• The new base pay will be pro-rated based on the length of their ICT or other operationally ready NS (ORNS) activities
• NSmen holding civilian jobs with salaries higher than S$1,600 will continue to be paid equivalent to what they earn in their civilian jobs

Automated make-up pay claims system:

• Make-up pay claims, which tops up NSmen’s training pay to match their civilian income, will be automatically computed using data from other government agencies, Dr Ng said
• The base NS pay and the automated make-up pay claims will benefit some 100,000 NSmen, such as those in informal employment and training, who no longer need to manually submit claims 

Enhanced NS Home Awards:

• Each NSman will get an additional S$2,000 cash after completing all of the three milestones under the NS Housing, Medical and Education (NS Home) Awards, including completing their full-time NS and completing their ORNS cycle

‘Functional assessments’:

• The functional assessments are a "more precise gauge" of whether a serviceman can perform specific vocations compared to general physical assessments, Dr Ng said 
• They were first introduced in a trial last year to select transport operators using assessments that replicate the physical demands of daily operations. The assessments were part of the revamped Physical Employment Standards (PES) system that moves away from classifying servicemen as combat-fit or non-combat-fit
• Mindef has also redesigned 1,000 jobs so more servicemen previously ineligible can do these jobs

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

Adoption of green tech:

• By the end of the year, about a quarter of SAF camps will have solar panels installed
• Smart metering systems will be installed to automatically track electricity and water consumption, starting with Jurong Camp, Paya Lebar Airbase and Changi Naval Base
• The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has commenced trials for the use of green fuel for the F-16 Fighting Falcons jets
• By 2030, all of the SAF’s administrative vehicle fleet will be electric vehicles, with replacements set to begin this year

SAF Sustainability Office

• The SAF Sustainability Office has convened an external panel comprising experts to provide insights on its plans to meet sustainability targets

ASSET UPGRADES

• The Republic of Singapore Navy will perform a mid-life upgrade on the Formidable-class frigates, which have been in operation for the past 15 years, and equip them with enhanced combat capabilities
• It will also progressively bring the Maritime Security Unmanned Surface Vessels for maritime patrols, as well as replace its Mine Countermeasure Vessels with a fully unmanned system from 2027
• The RSAF has acquired the Orbiter 4 Close-Range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle — a smaller drone that can be deployed to support counter-terrorism operations and peacetime contingencies