SINGAPORE - The contributions of generations of NS officers have been crucial to Singapore's nation-building, said Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development Desmond Lee.
They serve with the same commitment as their regular counterparts and share the common responsibility of keeping Singapore safe and secure, Mr Lee said in a speech during the officially opening of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) NS Gallery on Friday (April 28).
The event, co-hosted by SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap, was held at National Service Training Institute in Jalan Bahar.
In commemorating 50 years of national service, the gallery traces the journey, including the contributions and transformation of national service in the SCDF from the mid-1970s to present day.
Mr Lee said: "The SCDF NS gallery is designed as 'The Home of the Rescuers'. It is a walk-down memory lane for our NSmen."
Among the guests were SCDF NSmen, pioneers and those currently serving their national service including regular officers.
Some of the pioneer NSmen present were involved in firefighting and rescue operations like the 1988 oil refinery fire at Pulau Merlimau and the 1986 Hotel New World collapse.
On display at the gallery were equipment used and uniforms worn by predecessors of the current generation.
Commissioner Yap said: "The life-saving force of SCDF operationally ready NSmen, as well as full-time NSF, are an extremely important group of people. They perform emergency response duties alongside our regulars on a day-to-day basis round the clock to make sure that every emergency incident gets responded to in a very prompt fashion. "