Stay home to chill and avoid spreading diseases unintentionally seems to be the standard action in these times.
And among all the COVID-19 this and that, some of you might assume that NS and ICT, which are obvious venues for crowd gathering, should be vigilantly avoided.
Alas, I was only met with disappointment when I was told that those are still ongoing.
NS & ICT Continues With Safe Distancing
Remember all the times when the commanders ask people to gather and squeeze in? Well no longer. You have to maintain your distance. Which means that for normal people who normally sit in with proper distancing anyways are unaffected.
We were just ahead of our times, Sergeant.
Though, this extends further to other activities as well. Including parades:
And even canteen/cookhouse:
Of course, commenters have already pointed out some flaws with trying this in the army.
Some FAQ
In one of the army’s Facebook post, they answered some FAQs and made this very clear: Pre-enlistees and NSmen who have returned from overseas travel in the 14 days before enlistment or In-Camp Training (ICT) or have been issued a Quarantine Order (QO) or Stay-Home Notice (SHN), will be deferred or given up to 14 days leave from training.
In other words, if there’s even a slight chance you might have the virus, then NS & ICT will pause for you.
Otherwise, everything is still ongoing… with precautionary measures.
Pre-enlistees and NSmen should also have received an SMS before their enlistment or ICT, and they should follow the instructions there generally.
If you don’t really want to read the long text below or are unclear on anything else, just call NS Call Centre at 1800-3676767.
For Pre-enlistees:
Q1. I got QO or SHN, how?
Don’t panic, act blur live longer.
I mean, just relax because CMPB will contact you after you submit your travel declaration. In the case your leave affects your Basic Military Training (BMT), they will reschedule your enlistment date. Follow the instructions in SMS.
Q2. I got IPPT or medical appointment, how?
Got QO or SHN? Or just feeling unwell? Reschedule. Follow instructions in SMS.
For NSmen:
Q1. I got QO or SHN, ICT how?
If you returned from overseas in the 14 days before ICT, you will be given deferment. Just log onto NS Portal and apply for it with documentary proof.
Q2. Oi, ICT and NS activities are mass gatherings, why they not cancelled?
The SAF is reviewing all NS Call-Ups. Commanders will be updated on developments and NSmen will be updated via SMS or NS Portal.
All waste time non-essential NS activities like cohesion events and seminars have been cancelled or deferred.
Otherwise, essential NS activities continue with precautionary measures in place.
Q3. I booked IPPT/IPT/RT but travelled overseas. My birthday window how?
Cancel your booking and reschedule to a date 14 days after your return. Comply with the QO or SHN. MINDEF/SAF will assess this case-by-case, so relax.
