Alternative enlistment

Not every Singaporean son goes to basic military training centre (BMTC) in Pulau Tekong. There is still a small chance where one may start his NS life in an unconventional way (conventional meaning going to Pulau Tekong). Some may go through BMT in Singapore police Force (SPF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Naval Diver Unit (NDU), Mono-intake into Singapore Infantry Reginment (SIR) or the Commandos in the army.

Below are requirements to enter an alternative BMT. The mentioned requirements came from countless discussions and analysts with NSFs. If one does not fit into any one of the criteria, he is most likely to enlist in BMTC.

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When to sign on

Different stages of life, different reasons to sign on

There are a few moments in life where we might come across the option of signing on. They are:

During schooling days

While we are still studying in Junior College/ Polytechnic/ ITE, we are presented with a choice of signing on for the Army, Navy or Air Force.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         Passion of serving and defending nation

·         People whose families are in need of income

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are still a student:

·         Lump-sum bonus upon signing on

·         Getting salary while still in school

·         Able to plot out the path you take during NS

Starting of BMT

During the start of BMT, the recruitment centre of Army, Navy and Air Force would find opportunities to have a dialogue with recruits.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         Passion of serving and defending nation

·         People whose families are in need of income

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their lives

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are in BMT:

·         Lump-sum bonus upon signing on

·         Getting salary while serving NS

·         Able to plot out the path you take during NS

 
Before ORD

Before one ORD, they can choose to sign on too.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         People whose families are in need of income

·         Iron rice bowl

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their lives

·         Not sure what to do after NS

·         A career option for those who could not get a job after ORD

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are in BMT:

·         Stable income

·         Higher salary when compared with counterparts in the outside world

·         Career for life

All information in this blog post is based on things heard from others. Information might have changed since then. For more precise information, please contact the Army recruitment centre.

For more information about the reasons to sign on, read this related post.

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Reasons to sign on

Most of us may make the sound “pff” when we here our batch mates or friends signing on. Just like everything in life, although it comes with disadvantages, signing on have certain advantages too. Below are some of the reasons why people would want to sign on:

Before ink touches the contract, make sure your reasons are clear

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their life

Serving 2 years of NS in Singapore is mandatory for every Singaporean male. The army offers contracts of 5 years, of which 2 years of mandatory NS included. Therefore one only need to serve another 3 years which is not that tough considering one has already served 2 years (comfortable with army life and daily routine army life in camp). The pay for regulars (people who sign on) is relatively high when compared with counterparts of the workforce outside. They might use this additional time to decide if they had made the right choice of staying in the army or moving on to the outside world after 5 years.

·         Not sure what to do after NS

Many of us, by the time when we are about to get back our pink IC, still has not come out with a plan regarding our future (studying or working? Which career path? What to study?). People who are most likely to sign on do not know the answer to those questions. Therefore becoming an army regular gives them a source of income while they continue to ponder over those questions.

·         A place for those who dislike studies

Studying is not for everyone. People who dislike studying will not further their studies after NS. Also, there is a high chance that they will not get a job after NS because of their certification. Therefore becoming a member of the army will be a logical thing to do (if one does not intend to start his own business) as it provides a career, job security and income. It also provides upgrading courses for regulars who are interested in getting a certificate eventually (higher NiTech/Diploma/Degree).

·         Iron rice bowl

Unlike the outside world, the chance of getting laid off in the army is close to zero. Therefore, one is highly likely to stay in service for the rest of their lives.

·         Needs for family

People whose family are in need of money would sign on too. Its starting salary is high and provides a stable income.

·         Passion

Need I say more? They are still some people out there who want to serve and die for their country.

All information in this blog post is based on things heard from others. Information might have changed since then. For more precise information, please contact the Army recruitment centre.

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Enhanced, PTP and BP BMT

Hmm...what kind of BMT do I qualify for?

Enhanced BMT

To qualify for the 9 weeks BMT, one must fulfil the criteria of:

·         Having a BMI of less than 24 at the point of time when they measure at CMPB

·         Gotten at least a silver for NAPFA during polytechnic/junior college days

PTP BMT

To qualify for the 17 weeks BMT, one must fulfil the criteria of:

·         Having a BMI of less than 24 at the point of time when they measure at CMPB

·         Failed or just obtaining a pass in NAPFA during polytechnic/junior college days

PTP BMT comprises 8 weeks of pure physical training, objective of which is to train recruits to pass their IPPT. After that, the remaining 9 weeks are used for fundamental and combat training, learning the exact things others learnt in Enhanced BMT.

BP BMT

To qualify for the 19 weeks BMT, one must fulfil the criteria of:

·         Having a BMI of more than 27 at the point of time when they measure at CMPB

·         Any results for NAPFA during polytechnic/junior college days because it does not matter once BMI exceeds

BP BMT is exactly the same as PTP BMT. The only difference is the additional 2 weeks in BP BMT whose sole purpose is to make recruits lose weight till acceptable range.

Also, it is worth noting that if one’s BMI is between the range of 24 to 27, they would still go to BP BMT. This group of people will be classified as mildly obese, unlike the rest, who are classified as obese.

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Reason to get Silver for NAPFA in JC/Poly/ITE

·         No extra training

PE teachers will not pester you regarding your NAPFA results ever again. Also, unlike the others, you do not need to do extra training to pass your next NAPFA test. On top of that, you get to play games during PE lessons while the rest are still training hard.

·         2 months exemption from NS

Those who achieve Silver for their NAPFA test during schooling days will automatically qualify for enhanced BMT. It means getting 2 months exemption from NS. 2 months is a long as time literally crawls when you are in the army.

·         Opportunities during that 2 months

Think about the things you can achieve during the 2 months of exemption. If you are working a part time job, at a rate of $6.50/hour, you will be earning around $1040 per month, instead of a measly recruit’s allowance of only @480. Also, it means more time to enjoy and relax yourself before all hell breaks loose when you shave your head. Not forgetting spending more quality time with your family, friends and girlfriend.

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Things to bring for enlistment

Make sure you pack necessary things for BMT. It ain't holiday camp.

For those who are going to lose all of their hair soon, asking your friends who were already enlisted or your seniors will be a natural thing. They might tell you to get extra PT kits or admin attires. However, they are not really necessary as they depend on one’s needs.

Below are the things mandatory to bring for enlistment, if you plan to survive the 2 weeks of confinement that is:

·         At least 5 hangers (1 for long-4, 1 for smart-4, 1 for admin attire,1 for PT kit, 1 extra)

·         Clothes peg

·         Prickly powder

·         Washing powder for clothes/detergent

·         Toiletries

·         Snacks

Washing powder/detergent is especially important for the 2 weeks confinement. The only reasons you do not need it is when you do not sweat or intend to stink through confinement. Also, washing powder will come in handy when you intend to wash and scrub the floor during area cleaning. They remove dirt quickly.

Toiletries will be provided in your duffle bag but they are meant for your 10 pack items. So try not to touch those issued toiletries.

Bringing some snacks will cheer you up. Trust me. They are also excellent tools in making new friends. Simply make the first move and offer it to your bunk mates. It is true that sergeants may confiscate your snacks for some reasons but they will not do it during confinement week as it is unexpected and too soon.

Forget about bring Handphone/Ipod charger into camp. They will be confiscated. Reason being charging of devices is a privilege and frankly, being a recruit, privileges are at the minimal. Also, you do not have much time to use your phone/devices. Therefore, battery levels can maintain for some time.

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