Page 44 - MustangEbook

NATIONAL SERVICEMEN PAYING OF COMPLIMENTS

Paying of compliments is a form of greeting
between members of a uniform group. It is a
sign of respect the members have for one
another and for the organisation they belong to.

In the SAF, a greeting always follows a salute
is rendered. It is customary that a junior shall
salute and greet a senior officer.

A salute is normally rendered with the right
National Service became compulsory for all hand. In the case of a person who through
18 year old male Singapore citizens and physical inability is unable to do so, he will
permanent residents on 14 Mar 1967, when the salute with the left hand.
National Service (Amendment) Act came into
effect. Upon completion of their full time SAF HAND SALUTE
National Service, all NSmen are liable for up
to 40 days of active service every year, up to a On 1 September 1976, the SAF adopted a new
period of 10 years. The title NS is appended to “Hand Salute” instead of the open palm to the
the rank previously held while serving full right forehead salute inherited from the
time national service, e.g. LTA (NS) Kenneth British. The new salute is smarter and less
Lin. awkward in that the palm is rotated 90 degrees
forward, palm downward, fingers together
In 1975 and 1981, the first intake of full-time and shading the right eye from the sun.
National Service officers for Police and SCDF
respectively. ORIGIN OF SALUTE

In 1994, the term “Reservist” was replaced
with “Operationally Ready National
Servicemen” to better signify the operational
readiness of our fighting force.

In 2005, the National Service was shorten
from two and a half year to two year.

RETIRED PERSONNEL Saluting is one of the most common and basic
forms of military courtesy. It is basically an
Individuals retired from the SAF, not on exchange of greetings between military
active service duty are authorised to use and/or uniformed services personnel.
their titles socially, and in connection The history of saluting has many plausible
with commercial enterprises, e.g. LTC origins. Some believe that during the “Age of
(RET) Gerald Koh. Chivalry” when two knights met, they raised
their visors to expose their faces. This allowed