After more than 100 years of British colonial rule and 2 years under the Malaysian Federation, Singapore was left to fend for herself. It was a time of great uncertainty as the leaders of the young nation were faced with the enormous task of charting the path of our national destiny. Nevertheless, Singapore was determined to not only survive on its own, but to succeed.

An urgent priority after independence in 1965 was to build up Singapore's own defence capabilities. It was with that in mind that the then Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew and other Ministers appealed to Singapore citizens to support National Service. The passing of the NS [ Amendment ] Act in March 1967 was a turning point in the lives of Singaporean males. This marked the beginning of the citizen army and also the start of National Service as a way of life for the male citizens of Singapore.

Coupled with the announcement made in 1967 that the British forces were due to pull out from Singapore, it become more imperative to build up our defence capabilities.