Each person possesses a sense of patriotism waiting to be awakened. This feeling of nationalism manifests in many ways such as feeling proud of being a citizen of a nation and diligently obeying its laws.
A wise and famous commander once remarked that there is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer. Though this statement was made more than 70 years ago, it remained true up to the present times. The upper echelon in the Singapore Armed Forces knows this which is why they regard volunteerism with great importance. When serving through the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps or SAFVC program, there are various roles you can take on and perform. What are these?
Security
Defending the country against aggressors is the core objective of the program. Volunteering in the Singapore Armed Forces gives you the opportunity to be able to give back to the country that nurtured you. In an article published at Mothership.sg, it revealed that all volunteers commonly undergo basic military training for two weeks. During this time, they will learn about the chain of command, military discipline, and the rigours of military life. They will also develop basic knowledge about defence and why is it important to be always in the defensive mode.
Trainer
Aside from literally defending the country through a diplomatic or armed exchange, you can also learn to become a trainer. Your additional and specialised role will allow you to impart valuable knowledge in maritime or medical fields. As a maritime trainer and depending on your expertise, your job is either to train others in ship engineering or operations. Contingent to your area of study, you also can train others in performing duties of a nurse, doctor, dentist, medical technologist or radiographer.
Legal Specialist
Who says that you cannot practice law in the middle of a military operation? The SAFVC program provides a career path for those who wanted to become one of the legal specialist staffs of the armed forces. Their roles include providing legal support and sharing best practices during military operations.
Engineering
Depending again on your field of study and expertise, you can choose to serve as an engineer. The three roles available for you under the program are Naval Combat or Platform Engineer, Naval Safety Engineer or an Airbase Civil Engineer.
Other Roles
You can also render volunteer service as bridge watchkeeper in naval operations. Having suave skills in people relations can land you a role as SAFVC public relations personnel. If you have the right attitude and aptitude for it, you might land in specialised roles that involve command, control, communications and computers. All of the volunteer roles under the SAFVC program are enumerated and further expounded in the National Service Vocation Handbook.
While it is normal for anyone to be anxious when hearing about military training, testimonies of people who underwent that same process will dispel your fears. All of those who have gone through the 2-week basic training were joyful at having discovered patriotic desire to protect Singapore.
In fact, all of them felt overwhelming pride at having been given a chance to serve their country and their nation’s uniform. Most of them also went on to train for specialised roles they wish to perform. If you would like to discover your sense of duty and experience the joy of volunteerism, then all you have to do is to sign up.
