Our NS Image..
Okie... I was at Han Ka Ram ( 260 Orchard Road #05-02b The Herren) having good dinner when a NSmen came into the resturant in his uniform. It totally turned me off. He wore it without pride and trust me, he wore it in a way that it disgraced himself indirectly. His boots were full of mud like he had just went to a war and back for lunch from that war.
Seriously, as a regular I would rather bring a change of clothes along for most days so that incase i need to head to town, I don't have to do it in my uniform. Infact, I hadn't visited town in my uniform at all during off duty times. Its 6 years since I'm enlisted.
While people wrote about "need to cut hair during ICT?" in the ST forums, they themselves showed their employers how unprofessional they can be when they are told to do things they don't like (in this case, ICTs). Is these individual attitute applicable in a totally corporate world? In my humble opinion, it can be so.. if a boss ask them to do something they don't like and doesn't impact them in their promotion, they would do it the way like they did it for their 10 year NS ICT. Hack care, dont' bother, you can nag but they chose not to do. and the best thing SAF pays them their civilian pay equivalent.
In case the girls don't know, your boys get paid during their 2 weeks of NS reservist. They don't do it for free if you thought they were.
Maybe thats the reason why the bosses hate having employees who need to go to ICTs cause they look unprofessional in their uniform? Misrepresentation to potential client if they see him on the streets.
It only takes one person to dress with absence of pride in his uniform and half Singapore will know. Firstly, lots of people sees you in orchard. Secondly, This lots of people don't just see and keep quiet. They form mental mindset. And they talk after that. it will work like advertisment. Marketing friends knows how good advertisment gain fame and bad ones gain flames.
Try imagine the police walking on the streets dressed in uniform.not ironed.. dirty shoes.. long hair? Can you?
I can't.
10 people just blabbered:
Have you ever stop and wonder if that poor guy might have just booked out from some ulu camp faraway, to rush to his dinner appt, and aim to finish everything so that he can rush back to book-in by 2359? If I had a choice, I wouldn't be wearing my No. 4 in Orchard Rd either.
Have you ever stop and wonder about the difference between people choosing to be recuited to their professional jobs vs being forced into their NS roles?
Have you ever stop and wonder about the career opportunities lost, the jobs lost, the disrupted work etc. because of ICTs, RTs with that paltry NS allowance as compensation?
Have you ever stop and wonder that not everyone is a salaried employee who can claim makeup pay, and that there are businessmen/entrpreneurs who are struggling to keep their businesses afloat?
I'm sure for many, your issue of 'NS Image' looks pathetically trivial in the face of the harsh realities of surviving and making a living in Singapore.
Do think about it, Mr Regular.
Perhaps it is just me. I personally thinks that the image doesn't really matter.
What matters most is that we as NSmen can act as a deterrence to enemy and act swiftly and effectively if the deterrence fail.
Isn't that more impt than dressing well?
Seraphim,
On a personal note.. I do think about what you have mentioned. And i don't think 1 min taken to darken the boots or at least button up your sleeves when you meet your girl is that difficult a task. If you realise, its Saturday. Its not even about looking smart. Its looking proper. Especially when you are meeting your girl. If you need to meet your girl in your uniform after ICTs at least look proper. At least with a buttoned up sleeve and darken boots.
IF NSmen can spent all their kit credits on black socks for them to wear during their office hour, I don't see why its hard for them to spend 63 cents credit to buy a kiwi wax and another 73 cents on a brush.
There is definately DIFFERENCE in choosing and being recruited. The first lies in the commitment level. I know i see. Definately, darkening of boots and buttoning up of sleeves is not part of criterion on commitment.
And if you realise, every Singaporean male is equal in terms of NS. 2 years active and 10 years Reservist Training.
Why is it that while a big percentage of male get to keep their jobs, there is this small percentage who loses it? Is it the fact that the company is unresonable? Or is it a case where the company is making use of this as an excuse to lay you off for your performance?
If the company is unreasonable.. what have you done after that?
If it's used as an excuse, what have you done in your company prior to the call up?
Dk,
I agree with what you said. Deterence. Looking smart isn't the main point. At least look proper. The post wasn't written to have everyone put on smartest 4 (shiny boots and ironed uniform) when they are out. at least have their sleeves buttoned up and boots darken. If this is still too much to ask for.. then I'll suck it all up.
If you had read properly, apart from jobs lost, I also mentioned amongst other things, the lost opportunities (e.g. lost sales, major projects etc.), disrupted work (not all work can be planned well in advance like you do in the army), and how local entrepreneurs and businesses are affected as well.
By choosing to merely focus solely on your 'small percentage' of people whom you feel is using NS as an excuse to coverup their performance deficiencies, you basically missed my point of NS disrupting/affecting the careers of Singapore citizens.
I think you should be grateful that Mindef doesn't employ any foreigners. Hope you can understand one day that it is a very different world beyond that little camp of yours.
i blogged.
Seraphim,
try being a regular and your statement don't stand
Defector: OH, even shirt also unbuttoned ah? Then that 1 cannot forgive liao.
I can still forgive muddy boots. Cause he must have gone outfield to have mud on his boots. And maybe can't find kiwi and brush, that why rush down to Orchard with muddy boots. Can give him the benifits of doubts.
But unbutton shirt is no no.
Seraphim: I guess every Singapore male has equal share of lost opportunities and youth.
But look at it this way, its a sacrifice we have to accept so that our children and love ones can enjoy peace and stability in SG.
Here are some good reasons that made SAF nothing more than an organisation of music and drama.
1. USMS and WITS Project - No matter how your Public Relations department cut and paste the merits of this system to the public, in the eyes of EVERY NS man, it is total waste of time and money for an annual drama series
2. CO Parade and CO Evening - CO Parade is the only time the highest honcho in the camp will drag everyone out in wee hours of the morning just to listen him talk cock. Not to mention, the ingenuity of CO Evening - it is like a birthday party with fake invitation list. He will be only person enjoying the evening; dancing with Jeffery Chong’s ugly models in bikini while the rest have to clean up the aftermath shit.
3. Elitism and Sacred Cows - Cutting the chase, the unit is full of them. You have untouchable old enciks who likes to push their rank down your throat for everything single thing you do. After that, you have to listen to scholastic officers preaching about the philosophy of serving the nation with passion. Oh pls.. all my passion to serve are extinguished by all your exuberant verbosity. Pls get your uncaring elitist face of my ass.
4. R-E-S-P-E-C-T - The real reason why so many NS man fail to find passion to serve is the RESPECT we receive. Do you know why Israeli soldiers are more than willing to bleed and die for their commanders? It is not only because they are fighting for their existence. The real reason is because during an army exercise, their commanders go into the muddy river and cross it with his men while SAF commanders will ride over the river dry and shout at their men to hurry up at the other end of the riverbank.
kthxbai
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