Almost all NSFs to go through Basic Military Training on Pulau Tekong: Ong Ye Kung

Almost all national servicemen (NSFs) will undergo Basic Military Training (BMT) on Pulau Tekong upon enlistment, said Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung on Friday (2 March).

Currently, many NSFs do not enlist at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on Pulau Tekong. Instead, they are enlisted directly into combat units, or what are commonly known as mono intake units.

Speaking in Parliament during the debate on the defence ministry’s spending, Ong said the government will fully implement the One-BMT programme this year. Every mono intake unit will now be enlisted to BMTC for a common nine-week BMT and stay together as a unit from the start of their NS journey, he added.

According to a report by The Straits Times, the change exempts NSFs who are enlisted as commandos and naval divers, and in support vocations.

Ong said that since the establishment of BMTC in 1987, it has become a rite of passage for many male Singaporeans to complete basic training “overseas” in Pulau Tekong.

“Individuals can only be effective if units are cohesive and servicemen have a strong sense of camaraderie forged through common experiences. Basic Military Training (BMT) is a large part of this shared NS experience,” he added.

NSFs will benefit from BMTC’s dedicated training experience, its infrastructure and the use of technology. Ong said, “Most importantly, they will share a common experience within the unit as well as within the larger SAF tribe.”

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