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Background
The National Service (NS) Hub, occupying a land area of about nine hectares[1], will centralise various services, such as NS registration and administration, medical services, recruitment, and fitness test facilities, in an easily accessible location opposite Cashew MRT station. As a one-stop service centre, the NS Hub will bring greater ease and convenience to the NS community and better respond to their needs. Various amenities and facilities in the NS Hub will also be made available to the public. The building is scheduled to be completed in 2023.
Features of NS Hub
The key features of NS Hub are:
One-Stop Service Centre. In addition to a one-stop location for services ranging from NS registration and medical screening for pre-enlistees to IPPT training for NSmen, the NS Hub will also employ smart technologies and data analytics to enhance visitors' experience for the NS community.
Smart Technologies for More Efficient and Personalised Services. Smart technologies will enable visitors to the NS Hub to carry out transactions more efficiently through e-services available across various facilities in the NS Hub, e.g., at the Central Manpower Base (CMPB) and the NS Hub Service Centre[2]. For instance, visitors can perform digital transactions at their own convenience through the NS Hub visitor mobile app and receive personalised responses when booking appointments or receiving informational updates. Smart technologies will also be employed in the NS Hub for queue management, cutting down queuing time. For example, overall waiting time for medical screenings is expected to be reduced by 30% through the use of facial recognition technology and other intelligent features.
Data Analytics to Improve Service Quality. Data on various frontline services such as queue and transaction durations, combined with data from smart sensors, will be collected and analysed to generate insights to better improve services for the NS community.
Amenities and Facilities for NS Community and the Public. The Fitness Conditioning Centre at the NS Hub, where servicemen can attempt their Individual Physical Proficiency Test or Remedial Training, will be the first purpose-built, all-weather facility for the Singapore Armed Forces. Various amenities and facilities in the NS Hub will also be made available to the public. These include F&B outlets, an e-Mart, a childcare centre, and an outdoor community area equipped with fitness equipment, a running track and a football field.
Environmentally Sustainable Design. The NS Hub will adopt the use of renewable energy and energy-efficient solutions, such as shading devices and solar panels, to reduce energy consumption, utility costs and carbon footprint. The NS Hub aims to attain the Building and Construction Authority (BCA)'s Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) Award and to be among the top 10% of energy-efficient buildings in Singapore. Through these initiatives, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) aims to save more than $700,000 on utilities annually. MINDEF will also plant about 600 new trees (four times the existing number of trees). 50% of the felled trees will also be made into useable features such as seats in the NS Hub.
History of CMPB
CMPB was formed in Pearl's Hill Barracks on 1 December 1966 before moving to Kallang Camp in 1967. On 14 March 1967, the NS (Amendment) Act was passed in Parliament, making NS compulsory for all 18-year-old male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. The first phase of Singapore's NS registration took place at Kallang Camp, and district offices for NS registration were also set up in Katong, Serangoon and Bukit Panjang. In February 1972, CMPB, together with other MINDEF departments, moved to Tanglin Camp at Dempsey Road where it remained for 17 years before relocating to its current site along Depot Road in 1989 for the next 30 years.
[1] Inclusive of road networks around the NS Hub.
[2] The NS Hub Service Centre, located in the main atrium, is the first service touchpoint for all visitors to the NS Hub.
More Resources
NS Hub A New Milestone in Singapore’s National Service Journey
Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the NS Hub Groundbreaking Ceremony at Gombak Base