My Reservist Photo when I was 25 years OLD

1. Singapore, like Israel; males have to serve National Service.

2. This photo was taken when I was doing Reservist Training @25 years old (having completed 2 1/2 years of National Service a few years ago).

3. I am highlighted in Yellow. SGT Lee Han Tiong

4. A prominent Singapore (highlighted in CYAN: Koh Boon Hwee (at that time was at Hewlett-Packard , Singapore. Currently, the Chairman of DBS and other postions. Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh_Boon_Hwee

5. Note: School of MP Management stands for School of Manpower Management. I believe, may no longer be around.

6. Those of us who are CPL to SGT rank are all reservists. While those with higher ranks are all "signed" on soldiers.

7. Majority of us; including myself is wearing the No. 4 uniform and at that time; the green tetron material. In the picture; some are wearing the heavier cotton material. One person wearing the camoflage uniform is of cotton material.

8. I completed my 2 1/2 years of national service in June 1980. And imagine.. was called up for Reservist (training) course the next month! In July 1980. The course was close to a month! After that; was posted to a reservist unit as a Chief Clerk (much like Human Resource management of reservists).

9. The logo for my service formation: Manpower has a traditional feather pen in it's logo with the background of a bayonet. This implies that for those in my field of speciality; we were suppose to fight a war with our PEN! Hahahaha.... This is for real! Just look at the third photo / picture!

My school badges and other badges

School of Manpower Management was formerly housed in Seletar West Camp

This article brings back a distant memory..

1. I was a reservist Chief clerk and Mr Kenneth Tsang' vocation was a clerk (featured in the article).

1.1. Our reservist unit was not like many operational battalions that were single enrolment ones. Ours was like a rag tag of former NSF men. But rather, either those who had other vocations and retrained as either riflemen etc...

1.2. As for Mr Kenneth Tsang, in our records, he was formerly an NS clerk. Who after finished his national service, went to England to take up a diploma in marketing course. He was considered an "old" soldier due to his disruption for further studies. Amongst us, he was like 4 to 5 years older due to this.

1.3. And by the time, he joined us; he was at least 3 years older than most of us who had just ORD. He was a very polite, gentle and courteous & joval person.
1.4. We had very little personal contact other than during our annual reservists training, emergency recall exercises and IPPTs.

1.5 We had gone through a few in-camp trainings already.

1.6 From the first in-camp training I have posted him to the HQ and he was helping out with HQ admin.

1.7 A day after he was detained; two Internal Security Officers (ISD) came and asked me and  What he likes to eat.. his habits etc...

1.8 For sure, they did not come knocking at midnight. The Two officers were very polite and came only during working hours.?

1.9 We did not see him during the next one or two in-camps. He returned to do in-camp training afterwards.

1.10 Our in-camp training that lasted 9 high key + 6 Low key sessions. The Key personnels like myself had to go for most High and Low key in-camp training. The rest including Kenneth are only involved in the high key trainings.

1.11 Our work-week is 10 days. And does not follow the norm of 7 days... Thus only after 10 days then we are entitled to a day off..

I served most of my 2 1/2 years of national service in Beach Road Camp. 

Photo was taken sometime around the late 1970's. Before Raffles City was developed.

The camp's predecessor was the Volunteers Corps which later become the People's Defence Force or PDF.

Today's PDF command had shifted to Clementi years ago.

2 PDF Command’s 2018 shoulder badge.

”Steadfast we stand” simply means dig in and protect until death” or protect your homeland and don’t run away or desert your POST!

P.S. PDF = People’s defence force

In the past certificates were issued:-

Clerk Class I & Clerk Class II = Highest rank Corporal
Clerk NCO I = Highest rank Sergeant
Cleck NCO II = Higest rank = Sergeant to Warrant Officer and the highest vocation salary

In the past, National Service men with at least 2 A's and 2 O level passes had to serve 2 1/2 years.

Served my 2 1/2 years national service and awarded a Letter of Commendation for efficiency and reliability... which have contributed much to the proper running of PDF.

SAF then at unit level were not computerised. And documentation has to be both fast and accurate.

My army camp was located at Beach Road. Next to the NCO Club:-

Original untouched  photograph 

Another older photo of the NCO club

CODE OF CONDUCT SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES
1. We always honour our Nation. We will do everything to uphold it and nothing to disgrace it.

2. At all times, we must bear in mind that we are the protector of our citizens.

3. We are loyal to the Armed Forces and we take pride in our Unit, our uniform, our discipline, our work, our training and ourselves.

4. We must be exemplary in our con-duct. We respect others, and by our conduct and bearing win the respect of others.

5. We are courageous but not reckless.
We are devoted to duty but not to ourselves.

6. We guard our weapons as we guard secrets.