ST: Warrant officer asked to retire 5 years earlier

SAF work = health hazard? ...


"Till today, I am still somewhat in a state of depression at how the organisation had overlooked all my years of loyal and dedicated service...I have a wife and two young children still attending school. "

Home > ST Forum > Story
Nov 6, 2007
Warrant officer asked to retire 5 years earlier
I WAS a regular serviceman in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). I served a total of 32 years, comprising full-time national service, reservist and regular service, from 1974-2006.
I was one of more than 200 regular servicemen and women in the Army who were notified in May last year that we would be given Special Early Transition. Some of the reasons cited included difficulty in offering us 'suitable jobs' in the long run, restructuring and possible 'stagnation'. We were given only six months to transit.
Having attained the rank of a warrant officer in 2001, it meant that I was able to serve till the compulsory retirement age (CRA) of 55. I transitted last November after just turning 50, five years short of the CRA.
The Control of Personnel Centre announced that we were not under-performers. I was still PES 'B' and I received my performance bonuses annually without fail. I had also met all other requirements, i.e., Individual Physical Proficiency Tests, Annual Trainfire Programme, Body Mass Index, and Annual Proficiency Knowledge Test.
I also did not have any discipline or medical problems. The latter meant that I was still combat fit and still deployable. There are some who have not conformed to one or more of these requirements and yet are still serving in the organisation.
Till today, I am still somewhat in a state of depression at how the organisation had overlooked all my years of loyal and dedicated service.
The SAF Management Philosophy states:
'The SAF is concerned with the well-being of its people and their families, the SAF values its people, looks after them and their families so that they can give wholehearted attention to their assigned duties.'
The Defence Minister himself said last year:
'Every soldier is precious to us. Every national serviceman, every operationally ready national serviceman, every regular who serves with us is a precious and valuable person.'
The organisation failed to honour its word to allow me and many others to serve till the CRA of 55. I have a wife and two young children still attending school.
Second Warrant Officer (Retired)
Henry Minjoot
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_174031.html

Bride-to-be killed in accident 6 days before wedding

SAF: our enemies will die laughing.
"Just before the accident, she had informed her family that she was feeling dizzy".
"She and her fiance were heading towards camp to hand the MC to her supervisor when she was killed".

Still cannot get over this incident...Dis is just so stupid!!!, either superior in charge an idiot, or the employee's a robot. Either way, a totally tragic yet stupid outcome has occured.
As I know, Ms Siti will be fully compensated by SAF because travelling to camp is considered 'service'. (Full workman com, salary 1 yr, insurance etc)- total waste of taxpayers $$.
And to add salt, the Army's recruitment website is totally idiotic i must say: " http://www.mindef.gov.sg/arc/intro.asp ": (is probably out to entice techno freaks); furthermore, like this one, the 2Lt Li Hongyi case simply typifies the fact that attention to HR, safety and dicipline best practises is seriously lacking. Thus shouldn't a formal inquiry be conducted?

Similar:
Warrant officer complaint
Reservist complaint

Home > Most Read Stories
Oct 19, 2007
Bride-to-be killed in accident 6 days before wedding
She was thrown off her motorcycle and landed in drain
By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
Investigation showed that Ms Nur Baidura had apparently lost control of her 125cc motorcycle.

The bride-to-be, Ms Siti Nur Baidura Mohd Yusof, 22, was on her way with her fiance, full-time national serviceman Fareed Serlan, 20, to hand over her medical certificate at Maju Camp at Clementi Road on July 23 when the accident happened. No other vehicle was involved.
The couple were to wed in six days and invitation cards had been sent out.
An inquiry into her death heard that her fiance, who was riding pillion, was warded for five days for injuries to his face, knees and left elbow.
Investigation showed that Ms Nur Baidura had apparently lost control of her 125cc motorcycle along the right-most lane with intermittent gouge marks. She was thrown off from the motorcycle and landed in the drain.
Just before the accident, she had informed her family that she was feeling dizzy. She consulted a doctor at Bedok Polyclinic and was given a day's MC. She and her fiance were heading towards camp to hand the MC to her supervisor when she was killed.
State Coroner Ronald Gwee recorded a verdict of misadventure.
Her elder brother, Mr Mohammad Noor Azhar, 24, who attended the inquiry, is now riding her motorcycle which she had bought about six months before the accident.
He described her as a talkative, sporty and very active person, who loved karaoke.
'I miss her so much,'' he told reporters outside court.
www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/Courts+and+Crime/STIStory_168465.html