REDESIGNING ROLES
The SAF has also been reviewing its medical classification system to move away from a binary combat-fit or non-combat fit model.
Mr Heng first announced the shift during his ministry’s budget debate in 2021.
“The new system will assess each serviceman on a more granular scale, allowing better characterisation of their medical fitness and functional capacity so that they can be better matched to more operationally effective roles,” he said on Monday.
“This is a fundamental change that we are carefully studying and determining how to implement.”
Over the past two years, the SAF has been conducting functional assessments for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions, in addition to the standard medical screening.
Since 2022, about 300 pre-enlistees have undergone selected functional assessments and 230 – or two-thirds of them – were able to contribute more effectively over a wider range of roles, Mr Heng said.
The SAF has also continued to leverage technology and redesign jobs to expand servicemen’s deployment opportunities.
Since 2021, it redesigned 2,000 roles across 25 vocations, such as combat medics, infantry carrier vehicle operators and military police.
More than 1,000 NSFs have also been deployed in a wider range of operational roles to date, MINDEF added.
CMPB TO OPEN PROGRESSIVELY
As part of improving the NS experience, the new Central Manpower Base (CMPB), located opposite Cashew MRT station, will progressively open in phases from May 2025.
Mr Heng previously announced the new facility during last year’s Budget debate. It will replace the current one at Depot Road.
The new CMPB will serve as an integrated “one-stop” service centre for NS administration. This includes completing medical screenings, attending NS fitness activities at the all-weather fitness conditioning centre and purchasing NS necessities, said Mr Heng.
