The study also showed that NS was still viewed as “highly important” for other areas such as national defence, building commitment towards Singapore and promoting understanding between people from different backgrounds.
It is also seen as significant for personal character development, including instilling discipline and values.
NECESSARY FOR DEFENCE
Almost all respondents (98 per cent) agree that NS is necessary for Singapore’s defence, with the proportion of those who strongly agree to this increasing to 57 per cent last year from 42 per cent in 2013.
“An agreement of 98 per cent … is very rare and speaks to the belief and support for the institution of NS,” said Dr Chew during a media briefing on Wednesday.
Nearly all respondents (97 per cent) agreed that NS will continue to be important for Singapore in the future. The proportion of those who strongly agreed about NS’ importance to Singapore increased to 57 per cent from 33 per cent decade ago.
Recent heightened geopolitical tensions such as the Russia-Ukraine war might have led to perceptions that NS will continue to be important for Singapore, the study found.
“Several focus group participants also shared that these tensions and certainty serve as a reminder that the ability to defend ourselves is very important and we need NS as a deterrent against external threats,” Dr Chew added.
Strong support from family and employers for national servicemen’s NS commitments was also observed.
More than nine in 10 (96 per cent) national servicemen felt that their families were supportive, while 95 per cent of employed national servicemen also felt the same of their employers.
However, during focus groups, national servicemen also reasoned that employers will have to show support due to the mandatory nature of their reservist commitments.
Close to nine in 10 (89 per cent) respondents said that they felt proud that their family members are serving or have served NS. The study also found that respondents felt that NS helped to enhance national servicemen’s maturity and confidence.
On training safety, 94 per cent of national servicemen were confident that NS training is conducted safely.
The proportion of respondents that strongly agreed training is conducted safely rose from 15 per cent in the previous study to 23 per cent.
Focus groups also highlighted that the positive NS experiences are a result of increased focus on safety and health.