Citizen Soldier: How the SAF Taught me when to kill

The most useful and interesting experience in my 10 years or reservist as a citizen conscript in the Singapore Armed Forces was in knowing when I could kill someone legally.

As part of my 10 years reservist cycle, my unit was placed under operational duties twice. That meant than for 2 times in the 10 times of my reservist unit, I was not practicisng but actually doing a real duty to defend the nation using real bullets with State authority to stop and kill enemies of the State.

Operational duties were preferred than training because training involved a lot of wayang and chicken shit that was typical of a peace-time army. While this was necessary, the in-camp regimentation was usually excessive and destroyed morale as well as any goodwill towards the reservist experience.

During operations, we were given very specific duties and very specific training to allow us to discharge those duties well. The main training that was most interesting was learning about the rules of engagement. As a citizen soldier in the SAF, you are legally authorised to bear arms for the country and to use those arms and ammunition against threats to the country. Thus, when our unit was tasked to perform duties in the protection of key installations (POI) in Singapore, we were allowed to shoot people as long as the situation was clear enough to warrant use of deadly force to stop the threats from occurring to SAF personnel, civilians and to the protected place or installation.

While the responsibility was heavy, I preferred operations because what you did was for a specific and clear purpose. During protection of installations, you patrolled or did sentry to deter and to stop any potential aggressor from inflicting damage or harm to SAF personnel, civilians or the protected installation. Basically, you were there to be a deterrent and if that failed, to mitigate the threat by stopping the person using up to deadly force. Deadly force meant 5.56mm rounds from M16 or SAR21 rifles. The experience I gained from POI duties was in how you handled a weapon and live rounds while moving around in what is largely a civilian area. Basically, you looked mean and confident but kept your rifle pointed downwards and were alert to people who looked suspicious. You also had to mentally be prepared to shoot someone should he/she present a threat and was about or in the midst of launching an attack against yourself, your comrades or the installation.

During POI, millitary regimentation was more specific, i.e. when patrolling, turnout and bearing had to be good because you were the public face of the SAF during the patrols. In addition, a soldier who looks sloppy doesn't instil confidence in the public that you could protect and defend them against possible threats.

Doing operational duties twice made me aware of why a defence force is needed. However, it has not changed my mind about why we cannot professionalise the Army with more professionals than relying on citizen soldiers which is an inefficient and wasteful use of civilian resources. The utility of having lawyers, administrators, engineers, accountants etc. doing patrolling and sentry duties baffles me. You don't get SAF conscripts doing legal, accounting, engineering, etc. work but you get professionals to do grunt SAF guard duties.

Looking back on those tours of duties, I felt proud to be able to help out in the defence of the country. However, this country is changing so fast that I can hardly recognise it with all the immigrants that are here in the last 10 years that I have been a reservist conscript. It feels like I am protecting a province of China or India than defending Singapore because almost 30% of the population is not born here. 1st generation permanent residents do not have to serve national service. They get to enjoy the benefits of a defence force built on the blood of citizen soldiers but not the obligations.

You who are still serving your NS, keep yourself safe in NS.

I guarantee you it is NOT GLORIOUS to die for your country.