Sat 2008/06/14 14:30
Interesting to see the skills they teach you in the army - how to turn yourself into a tank with a partner. The guy below has the "hmmmm, I feel like some fish n chips for lunch." I know that there is compulsory national service in Singapore and South Korea and wondering how many of you have been through the service and what other parts of the world implement compulsory national service. The first thing that pops in my mind when I hear "national service" is "must be difficult to find time for health maintenance" especially when you have to share rooms?
Posted on Sat 2008/06/14 14:30 by
filmaker
when in the service , health maintenance is done as a group activity...i think its called team building excercise...
(ID #212943) Posted on 2008/06/14 14:50
In Mexico is compulsory to register on the National Service the year that you are 18 years old but only a very small percentage of those registered get actually drafted. Those whoo get drafted have only to go to training saturdays and sundays of that year. Even if you are not drafted you are not allowed to leave the country during that year. Now if you are drafted in certain conditions you can serve by teaching to read and write to analphabets instead of doing the militry sutff.
(ID #212944) Posted on 2008/06/14 14:51
llorcg paisano :D, I was away at that time so I didn't go to the lottery when they decide who goes on Saturdays and who doesn't or did any service, I hope I dun get in trouble for that, hehe.
(ID #213254) Posted on 2008/06/15 01:23
lol at the pic. well, yeah, male singaporeans must go throught national service. Around 2 years for normal and 5 years for the people who take up the army dunno wat plan. But the 5 years, you get allowance before the start of your NS life. and Paid during the national service. But the normal ones, they just got allowance for their national service Still dunno what that means. Lesser money i guess?
(ID #212945) Posted on 2008/06/14 14:54
lol, that's a photo of classic british old-school sniper training with AW-system. later the shooter would do the same thing.
(ID #213073) Posted on 2008/06/14 19:16
Horror☆Star
National Service is now compulsory in Malaysia too, only the "Lucky" 1 will be chosen though. One of the few ways to get around with it is to flight abroad or to act dead ^^
(ID #212954) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:06
I actually had to go NS last year... and it's the stupidest thing ever. Complete waste of 3 months... ffs.
(ID #212983) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:52
there's another way it seems. just send in a form asking for deferment with reasons such as commencing tertiary studies etc. should be sweet by then heh
(ID #213002) Posted on 2008/06/14 16:32
deferment is just that. Deferment. What can you do when you're 25+ and they suddenly call you to go to NS or go to prison, when at that time NS is now 2 years+? lol gg owned. For now it's 3 months. Get it over with. Still a piece of crap service, but still.
(ID #213192) Posted on 2008/06/14 23:28
Or choose to hide in another country and never come back until NS is scrapped? I wished they will scrap that redundant thing... -.-;
(ID #213328) Posted on 2008/06/15 03:50
"Hide" in another country..? Illegally maybe. But if you're legal, then one day or another you're going to need to renew your passport. Then, you're screwed =].
(ID #213532) Posted on 2008/06/15 13:02
Don't expect Malaysia or Indonesia's army to be defending us when we go to war. NS is more important that you can imagine. But I'm not gonna lecture about it here. Just be thankful we get to experience something most men in other countries don't.
(ID #214355) Posted on 2008/06/16 20:10
My year was the 1st batch, but Im not choosen. I thought now who taking STPM can request don't go for the NS?
(ID #213005) Posted on 2008/06/14 16:42
Hope I do not get chosen.. ^^ . Will be turning 18 next year.
(ID #213121) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:18
You know if you were looking down the field AT this sight (the gun barrow pointed at you) after a shot, you'd think the guy just shot a bullet out of his butt.
(ID #212958) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:09
oops barrel* Here in the states, you must register at 18. However even if you get drafted you can state that you're a conscientious objector if you don't want to go. For me personally because of certain conditions, I couldn't be drafted. I consider myself lucky in that respect. I know back during Vietnam war one of my uncles could not be drafted merely because his eyes had different colors, one was blue and the other is green.
(ID #212961) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:14
Chances of getting drafted in the United States are slim-to-none, anyway, since Congress abolished the draft in the 90s.
(ID #213023) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:22
Actually, Donald Rumsfeld under Richard Nixon abolished the draft back in the mid 70's. It may of taken Congress 20+ years to catch up to put a law in place.
(ID #213279) Posted on 2008/06/15 02:08
full time student, 60% of the time.
These days I don't think they'd turn him away, they've become rather lenient in recent years it seems. Never been any conscription or a draft in Ireland, we're *neutral anyway and only take part in UN peace keeping. *neutral yet our stupid government allows the entire US military stop here on the way to iraq to refuel planes etc.
(ID #213106) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:01
Our military training before was compulsary especially during the early 1930-70s. But now it's changed to have either social work or the military training. For the military training, it could start at High school and continue to college... It was changed due to issues. Still if one chooses the mandatory social work, you would have to fill in a certain number of service hours....if not, the school (in my case, univsersity) arranges for it.
(ID #212965) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:26
Well, dolphin waxing in camp is illegal here; those who got caught will be sent to the military equivalent of jail.
(ID #212968) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:30
radical anime fan in Singapore; starting to freeze up. Mmm, end-of-year weather. (登録日: 2007/01/25 22:08)
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
That reminds me, I need to get the NS deferment letter since my course of study goes on for three years... gonna be a sticky mess if i don't. I think I'd be to tired out to do any sort of healthcare activity.
(ID #212969) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:31
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
Compulsory in Brazil too. And chances you actually get into the national service depends on where you live. For instance, in my city, stating that I had "flat feet" was enough to get me out. The military junction on my hometown attends the whole western region of it's state, so there are lots of people who actually wants to be a soldier (wages are measly, but measly can be a lot in Brazil). But anyways, men who turns 18 all have to go through the same, sometimes humiliating procedure before being dismissed or accepted. I got the short stick on that one. Didn't even strip my clothes off for medical exams...
(ID #212973) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:40
Alternate air bubble: "Hmmm, that smell. I think my partner had fish N chips for lunch."
(ID #212974) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:40
Sterilization Technician@ Prince Of Wales Hospital
2 years of Military service in Korea lucky i hold an Australian passport
(ID #212975) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:41
Teehee, I have dual nationality, British and Spanish. Spain abolished forced national service in 2001, but before that my brother always used to tease me saying "when you turn 18 you can never go back to Spain because they'll make join the Army"*POUT* mean brother >.>
(ID #212977) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:44
In the US it's still all voluntary, although we do have to sign up for the lottery like selected service system thing. As for the other country close to me, in Mexico is a required 1 year service every Saturday.
(ID #212980) Posted on 2008/06/14 15:50
As I said at the top of this comment list, in Mexico is compulsory to register for the service but you only get to go on saturdays for 1 year IF you get selected on the "draft lottery" (only a very small percentage of people gets selected)
(ID #213375) Posted on 2008/06/15 05:38
Singapore based the National Service system on the Israeli system...
(ID #212992) Posted on 2008/06/14 16:05
Student/Part-timer
I dont think Canada even has a military...LOL Seriously joking aside, our navy consists of at the moment one unusable sub. An airforce that has transport copters that repeatedly crash and our tanks are 30 year old coldwar models. And the uniforms they sent our soldiers to Afghanistan in did not have the right camo. >> But yea national service is strictly on volunteer basis. We are touted as a peacekeeping nation I guess... Last time, our country had a forced nation service act was the conscriptions was during WWI and II. And very few of the conscripted saw action in Europe. But nowadays if you do join the forces, they have pretty nice benefits.
(ID #212997) Posted on 2008/06/14 16:15
The U.S. Army always comes to my school to recruit people... they almost recruited my sister this year! She's too weak to even hold up a machine gun...
(ID #213010) Posted on 2008/06/14 16:54
mon_han_FU-reek (登録日: 2008/05/24 19:23)
never been ppl in my country never been forced to NS, but i think some poor 1 somehow must take this, due to poverty(since they can't do anything except serve the country)
(ID #213014) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:03
wow..thx for the reminder... I'm going in on 13 september this year. T_T
(ID #213015) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:05
ooo.... after you enlist, I'll have 6 more months to liberation!
(ID #213078) Posted on 2008/06/14 19:33
Good for ya... I m liberated 10 months ago XD
(ID #213099) Posted on 2008/06/14 20:51
i'm done too! ^^ anyway @holybell84: really? honestly, even if it weren't illegal (i.e. get our ass thrown into DB), it's hard to imagine how you can do "healthcare/dolphin maintenance" with 13 other guys around in the same bunk... or toilet for that matter... zzz.
(ID #213128) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:30
Yeah, this is what one of the counsellors told us when we got enlisted :"...if u r caught using ur right hand, u will be squatting in DB in no time!" Though even if the healthcare is legal, i dun think anyone wants to do it with 13 other burly man lol
(ID #213131) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:34
I was liberated 3 years ago lol @ Tiny Red Man: ORD lor!!!!
(ID #213129) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:31
TK-8316 / 宅男 Otaku / 工程师 Engineer
my first ICT is this september. i'm actually looking forward to going back. ^^;
(ID #213162) Posted on 2008/06/14 22:44
University Student.
Was finally free since 2 weeks back!! And I don't intend of going back for ICTs, need to run overseas!
(ID #213206) Posted on 2008/06/15 00:02
Well, months of confinement in military camps can drive people nuts and if you're unlucky (or lucky; depending on your point of view), you might get to experience some "prison rape" fun. XD
(ID #213028) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:25
I'm currently in the service, and gods willing, I'll be able to make it to retirement (11 more years to go). The U.S. military is currently all voluntary, and although folks are afraid they may reinstate the draft, it would literally take an act of Congress to make it happen. With the divisions in political circles regarding the "Global War on Terror," chances of that happening are unlikely.
(ID #213030) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:26
I'm only an army cadet right now, I get commissioned as an officer in about 3 years. Gotta graduate from college first.
(ID #213047) Posted on 2008/06/14 17:57
Once I'm 18 and finish HS, it's straight to the army for 24 months (3 years) T_T...Compulsory here. And refusing to join can get you into military jail and some serious trouble. The monthly wages are about 300-400 nis which is something like 100$. Which is nothing and you can't work or leave the country during those 3 years:( Living in Israel sucks._.
(ID #213060) Posted on 2008/06/14 18:34
Sorry, it's 36 months* My bad>.<"
(ID #213062) Posted on 2008/06/14 18:36
I used know a Korean in the UK who told me that other than National Service in the army there is also apparently an option for factory work on military-related production, which lasts one more year than in armed services. I have a friend who will be joining the Army in the UK. Usually people who voluntarily joins concentrate on what they have to do and have to put non-essential stuff aside (i.e. dedicated), otherwise they quit or won't join in the first place if they have other aspects of life to focus on. I feel sorry for those who must follow conscription, not because of the so-called health care stuff, but in general they got quite a bit of freedom removed for a certain amount of time. IMHO People should have a choice on what they want to do, and people should consider that free will of choice.
(ID #213072) Posted on 2008/06/14 19:12
Part human, part student, 100% loser
LOL @ the pic... As for healthcare in the army, I suggest they work as a team...
(ID #213100) Posted on 2008/06/14 20:52
Finland has... I think it is at least six month military service? It's been shortened quite a bit from what it used to be.
(ID #213112) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:04
Yeah NS is compulsory in Finland as well, 6 months minimum, 12 months if you don't want to be just the regular cannon fodder :) Some here have wrote they were lucky not to have to do NS but I think in Finland its still a bit the other way around. NS/Army is considered to be "mans job" or something. It's not really that easy to skip NS if youre healthy and you can do civil service too but civil service/desperately trying to avoid NS makes you bit girly. It's men's duty to protect the country :) I think 75% of my friends who have had to skip NS for health reasons have been disappointed because of it. And at least I enjoyed my 12 months there, no need to be war enthusiast or anything but made lots of golden memories there and howitzers and cannons just are to cool (my duty in a time of war would most likely be to lead one cannon and it's crew) :)
(ID #213731) Posted on 2008/06/15 20:45
Admin in the egg
It's 18 months over here in Vietnam. I don't know how they do that in camp as I haven't go and likely I won't I have health trouble. I guess collective work is better for that kind of activity. BTW that pic makes me think of Forrest Gump, hope the guy under won't get a medal for that lol.
(ID #213116) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:10
Student and Digital Racer
I interested with the Sniper Rifle in the picture. ^^ It is one of the best sniper rifle, it is AWM! Artic Magnum Warfare. BTW, luckily there is no any national service in Indonesia. The government say to plan it but there is no news until now.
(ID #213124) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:26
Indonesia currently has none of the likes of NS and stuffs, but I kinda heard the parliament members are discussing to have one in the near future...WTF?! yay...now I can hold guns and say goodbye to waxing for a few months...err...hell no
(ID #213132) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:35
TK-8316 / 宅男 Otaku / 工程师 Engineer
when i was conscripted into the army, i have no health maintenance for the 1st 3 weeks.
it's a offense to do health maintenance while in camp. ('~')
(ID #213134) Posted on 2008/06/14 21:42
In the United States I think you have to register as soon as you turn 18, but I've never heard of anyone being drafted. They snag you buy requiring you to register if you want to sign up for Federal Student Aid.
(ID #213139) Posted on 2008/06/14 22:02
By**(spelling) Danny you should get some sort of editor on here. ^^
(ID #213140) Posted on 2008/06/14 22:03
In Mexico when you become 18 it's obligatory the National Military Service... but if you don't, nothing happens. The part of "obligatory" makes everybody (I mean about 99%) to fulfill this requirement, but I didn't. They say you can't get a job and can't go out of country without doing it, but it's a myth, of course I can get a job. I don't know about getting out of the country but I think I can.
(ID #213156) Posted on 2008/06/14 22:38
It used to be true that you couln't get out of the country. As a male, you couldn't get a passport without the militar card (When I was 16 I got a passport but it had the note that it would be void once I were 18). I've just discovered that the goverment scrapped that requierement a couple of years ago so now you can get a passport no matter if you haven't done the military service. And about not being able to get a job, they will ask you for the military card only if you want a job in a place that depends directly from the federal goverment (and not in every case). So yes, the military service in Mexico is now just "compulsory" in paper but you can get away without doing it without terrible consequences.
(ID #213378) Posted on 2008/06/15 05:52
Here in Germany you get registered automatically when you turn 18. Then you'll have to go to medical examination. Afterwards they tell you how much capable you are, meaning that if you're fully capable you can be deployed in every branch of the army. If you're partially capable the number of branches will be reduced and if you're not capable enough you'll get exempted from millitary service... Was glad that I got exempted 'cause of some kind of phobia, so I could beginn with my studies earlier^^
(ID #213164) Posted on 2008/06/14 22:46
Student, (Amateur) Mangaka,Autodidact Illustrator, Autodidact Animator, Autodidact Visual Novel Creator, Autodidact Web Designer, Freelance Photograph
In a perfect world, we don't need armies! It'd be interesting to see someone incorporate this into a game. "oh yeah,i'm the spotter!" "wait, what is my character doing? ohgod!"
(ID #213221) Posted on 2008/06/15 00:38
Student, Gamer, Part-time EFSF Pilot
In Portugal Military Service was mandatory until a few years ago (since most people found ways to get medical discharges anyways...) But in our case, it really doesn't make a difference, it's not like we've benn in a lot of wars... Only small peacekeeping missions anda even them they usually only send up to like 100 soldiers... BTW, our army has the worst equipment... We use HK's G3 rifles that are so old a cousin of mine that was in the navy at a practice range managed to hit the target to the side of the one he was aiming at... Real nice.
(ID #213241) Posted on 2008/06/15 01:07
McMaster Engineering Student Fall 08
anything better then canada has, trust me ;)
(ID #213276) Posted on 2008/06/15 02:01
Health maintenance? Haha. I assure you you won't be thinking bout that when you wake up at 0530 hrs in the morning and spend the whole day marching around, running around, knocking it down (push ups), physical training, trying to stay awake in air-con lecture rooms, getting screwed by your Sergeant for what nots all the way till 2230 hrs. Prolly only when you book out during the weekends do you think of that and meet up with your GF if you have one. National service was fun. Got to fire the M16S1, SAR21 (singapore assault rifle), SAW (section automatic weapon), M203 (grenade launcher), Matador (rocket launcher), throw a grenade, set a trip flare.... Haha. Where else can you do that!
(ID #213258) Posted on 2008/06/15 01:27
Forget to add this point. Army guys are all the same. Horny. Bunk sure full of FHM, MAXIM magazines. Heard my friend's bunk mates talk bout their sexperience openly. Depends on who's your bunk mates. No need to be shy, all guys are the same and we all bathe in door-less cubicles.
(ID #213262) Posted on 2008/06/15 01:32
There used to be many Iranians in Tokyo who gathered at Ueno Park back in the 80s. Some of them said they were taking advantage of the work visa lottery system to work in Japan but mainly to avoid military service in the Iran-Iraq War going on at the time.
(ID #213266) Posted on 2008/06/15 01:39
Pursuing that ever-elusive diploma.
Deferring one year off the mark, got 3 more years of tertiary education to handle. T_T
(ID #213301) Posted on 2008/06/15 03:03
We used to have compulsory national service (except for uni students) but it was abolished a year before it would have been my turn. I've heard it from ppl who had to do it that health care is no problem. Everybody brings their health care material so there is even more stuff than at home.
(ID #213352) Posted on 2008/06/15 04:28
It's not required where i live but i almost got enrolled into the army because they came to school and i walked too close to their table so they wouldn't let me go. :/
(ID #213356) Posted on 2008/06/15 04:31
Illustrator in training/National Service 2010
National Service... Just POP 4 days ago.. Now I'm having a 1week Plus off days. I also fracture my feet 3 weeks ago and I only found out about it 2 days ago. ^_^" Charlie Company Best Maskman.
(ID #213481) Posted on 2008/06/15 11:16
May i ask you Singaporeans are there any casualties during NS? I think in Malaysia every year there will be at least one trainee died. Luckily, i've never been into it...
(ID #214252) Posted on 2008/06/16 15:21
Engineering research
There had been two deaths recently. Probably heat related and/or sudden cardiac arrests.
(ID #214301) Posted on 2008/06/16 16:17
Illustrator in training/National Service 2010
And one more death last month.
(ID #214383) Posted on 2008/06/16 21:13
Wow, that's unbearable.Malaysians have been complaining about the deaths in NS and want it abolished.I guess Singaporeans don't make a big fuss over the deaths in NS...or do they?
(ID #214436) Posted on 2008/06/16 23:16
Professional Tennis Court Cleaner/Haruhiist
lol @ pic, proably rethinking his choice just for that moment
(ID #213546) Posted on 2008/06/15 13:21
I have 4 yrs and 8 mos of prior service in the in the Army. As funny as it looks, it demonstrates common practice. Improvisation for lack of equipment. Hooray! #50! Now I can post again.
(ID #213673) Posted on 2008/06/15 17:53
We have compulsory military service here in Switzerland, too. You have to serve 300 days until you're retired from the army (at the age of 30, if I remember correctly), with a basic training of 17 or 21 weeks (depends on your function). Afterward, you have to go on military service 5 weeks a year. I'll have to go to the recruitment in 2 months, that's 3 days of physical and psychical examinations. Bleh :( I hope that I won't have to go to the army (too lazy for that crap and my boss won't be too happy if I'm away for 21 weeks). In the hindsight, I should have waited a bit longer with the naturalization so I won't be drafted. The upper age limit for new recruits is 25, so I'm still in with my age of 24 :(
(ID #213983) Posted on 2008/06/16 05:22
Engineering research
Saw a few young singapore soldiers here. ^^ I'm a ex-service man here, ORDed 7yrs ago. Guys be careful cuz big bro is watching, remember the official secrets act 'kay =)
(ID #214304) Posted on 2008/06/16 16:22
hey hey pretty large group of Singaporeans here. I've finish my service years ago. But hell, that's not the main part of the shit to me. Its the 10 years we have to serve after it. That's the pain! Well.. reservist meaning, every year, they will call you back for say a week up to a month for training. I have 4 more reservist cycle to go through. I'm already quite old. Carrying the same load which I carry years ago is totally different now. UGH! My back.. my legs... *CRACK* LOL!