Fact Sheet: "We Support NS" 2019

National Service (NS) is the bedrock of Singapore's defence and the cornerstone of Singapore's prosperity and progress. Many generations of Singaporeans have served with pride and honour.

Over the years, various campaigns were launched to encourage the community to recognise the contributions of national servicemen (NSmen). This included the 'SAF Day Recognition Campaign', introduced by MINDEF's National Service Affairs Department in 2013; and the 'We Support YOU in NS' initiative, launched by the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD)'s Family and Community Council in 2015. 

This year, the ACCORD Family and Community Council has brought both campaigns together to create the 'We Support NS' campaign, to bring a more comprehensive selection of discounts and benefits to NSmen across both the SAF and Home Team. ACCORD is also working with partners such as SAFRA, People's Association (PA) and HomeTeamNS (HTNS) to introduce new discounts and promotions, as well as billboard displays to recognise NSmen. PA will also be putting up banners, posters and billboards in public spaces such as Community Centres and Residents’ Committees to show their support for NSmen and their contributions. 

Discounts and promotions from participating merchants from malls and hawker centres will be offered to NSmen from 1 July (SAF Day) to 31 August 2019. NSmen just have to present their SAF Identity Card (commonly known as 11B), or don their uniforms at stores displaying the "We Support NS" decal. Promotions are valid for all past and present National Servicemen from the SAF and Home Team.

Some examples of merchants and businesses offering discounts and benefits can be found at Annex A. For more information on both the campaign and promotions, visit www.mindef.gov.sg/WeSupportNS.

Backgound of ACCORD

ACCORD was established by MINDEF in January 1984 as a channel for the community to provide feedback on issues concerning Singapore's defence.

Following recommendations from the Committee to Strengthen National Service (CSNS) in 2014, MINDEF has reviewed the structure of ACCORD to deepen engagement with employers, educational institutions, family members and members of the broader community, as well as to facilitate ground-up initiatives that better support National Defence and National Service (NS).

ACCORD is restructured with three Councils formed under its ambit, namely, Employer and Business (E&B), Family and Community (F&C) and Educational Institutions (EI) Councils. 

For more information on ACCORD, visit www.accord.gov.sg.

Annex A

Examples of "We Support NS" Promotions

For the full list of promotions, please visit www.mindef.gov.sg/WeSupportNS