[RIP] Recruit dies just after booking out

[raptor1988]

Being a NSF now, actually there are many safety checks and regulations in place.

But who takes it seriously? Even when filling up hydration forms before runs, no 7 hours of sleep also put got. Never water parade also check yes.

But seriously, collapsing at SFT will be the last thing anyone would think of. If it was heatstroke, the symptoms would have shown long before he booked out. And taking the ferry can't be physically demanding.

maybe he kena tekan until jialat jialat just before book out? Stand by bed until very siong..

Then again, the press is sometimes unfair. The news gets reported primarily because he collapsed while wearing a uniform. And people link it to the army. If he collapsed while wearing civilian clothes, in a shopping centre, maybe it would won't even be reported.

i have to agree with you on this. Just because he's a serviceman it gets blown somewhat out of proportion.

 

[RyanG]

Goodness.

This is so abnormal.

Condolences to his family.

 

[gymak90]

But who takes it seriously? Even when filling up hydration forms before runs, no 7 hours of sleep also put got. Never water parade also check yes.

The requirement is before doing any strenous activity, the serviceman must receive at least 7hrs of uninterrupted rest. Note the word is rest and it does not mean sleep.

Well if you're in NS, and you treasure your life, you ought to take the safety precautions seriously. Drinking water to quench your thrist is an action to be carried by yourself. Monitoring and forcing you to drink water is because a commander fears that you can't do it by yourself. Which actually doesn't make sense, because a serviceman is a young adult.

maybe he kena tekan until jialat jialat just before book out? Stand by bed until very siong..

I don't know how siong stand by bed can be. Surely it shouldn't be as bad as, say soc? In any case, before a book out, there would be lots of time spent on doing admin work, like packing bag, listening to RO, signing book out book, wait for ferry, sit ferry for 20mins, then arrive at SFT. The whole process of book out can easily take up 1hour. Surely enough time to take a breather.

 

[raptor1988]

I don't know how siong stand by bed can be. Surely it shouldn't be as bad as, say soc? In any case, before a book out, there would be lots of time spent on doing admin work, like packing bag, listening to RO, signing book out book, wait for ferry, sit ferry for 20mins, then arrive at SFT. The whole process of book out can easily take up 1hour. Surely enough time to take a breather.

dunno about now.. when i was in Tekong last yr, book-out day was a siong day. Run here run there. When we reach TFT, everyone will be out of breath.

 

[drakon09]

The requirement is before doing any strenous activity, the serviceman must receive at least 7hrs of uninterrupted rest. Note the word is rest and it does not mean sleep.

Well if you're in NS, and you treasure your life, you ought to take the safety precautions seriously. Drinking water to quench your thrist is an action to be carried by yourself. Monitoring and forcing you to drink water is because a commander fears that you can't do it by yourself. Which actually doesn't make sense, because a serviceman is a young adult.

I don't know how siong stand by bed can be. Surely it shouldn't be as bad as, say soc? In any case, before a book out, there would be lots of time spent on doing admin work, like packing bag, listening to RO, signing book out book, wait for ferry, sit ferry for 20mins, then arrive at SFT. The whole process of book out can easily take up 1hour. Surely enough time to take a breather.

That's why there are always water parades - and it's not just for recruits - even MSGs, 2WOs, LTAs, CPTs on course are made to do that, and monitored mind you.

Stand by beds these days are comparatively civilised affairs. Back in the day, the metal cupboards and beds were carried from bunk to parade square and back to the bunk again - all for a couple of improperly pulled bedsheets (no I'm not kidding here).

Heh, and as for hijinks, if any of you remember that huge durian tree next to Tekong Camp 3? We climbed that to pick durians a long time ago, so much for TSR! ;p

 

[terryansimon]

There seems to be a couple of NS related deaths due to "underlying medical condition" every year... Maybe it's time for a more thorough assessment of medical condition before putting folks to training camps...

what if the condition the person is presenting with is asymptomatic?

 

[+evenstar]

how come this recruit is addressed as "Mr" while other servicemen who died were addressed by rank? REC is not a rank?

 

[drakon09]

how come this recruit is addressed as "Mr" while other servicemen who died were addressed by rank? REC is not a rank?

Mr sounds better than REC?

 

[gymak90]

That's why there are always water parades - and it's not just for recruits - even MSGs, 2WOs, LTAs, CPTs on course are made to do that, and monitored mind you.

Yes there is still water parade till this day. But as far as I know, only recruits are monitor to drink the volume indicated.

In command school, you will be told to drink, but no one will ensure you have drank the stated volume.

how come this recruit is addressed as "Mr" while other servicemen who died were addressed by rank? REC is not a rank?

Maybe REC rank too low, doesn't sound nice. Plus he is not a regular. From what I've heard so far, he died of heatstroke.

 

[vheninc]

the rec apparently is of pes C/E. therefore is already having illnesses of some sort. little is revealed even at the funeral. heatstroke symptoms would be immediately obvious. and the ferries are air conditioned thus, it could not be heartstroke. from what i heard, he just came back from a 4days fieldcamp, of which might explain physical exhaustion + his medical conditions. then again the symptoms are obvious and immediate.

investigations are on the way.
rest in peace. you have served your country.
duty honour country.

 

[TheQuestion]

the rec apparently is of pes C/E. therefore is already having illnesses of some sort. little is revealed even at the funeral. heatstroke symptoms would be immediately obvious. and the ferries are air conditioned thus, it could not be heartstroke. from what i heard, he just came back from a 4days fieldcamp, of which might explain physical exhaustion + his medical conditions. then again the symptoms are obvious and immediate.

investigations are on the way.
rest in peace. you have served your country.
duty honour country.

small consolation to his family. though i hope they are ok.

 

[Simon_84]

i don't remember pes E batches got field camp so would most likely be pes C instead.
hope he got buy the army insurance though.
R.I.P

 

[pinholecam]

Think a NSF died some ~20yrs back due to soil bacteria infection.
Could be the case as well.
A fever certainly could mean an infection

 

[xtemujin]

Police, Mindef investigating recruit's death

I REFER to Tuesday's letter by Mr Wong Poh Weng, 'Explain what led to army recruit's death'.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) acknowledges the concerns expressed by Mr Wong.
However, as investigations are ongoing, it would be premature to comment on details of the incident.

The established facts are that Recruit Liam Kai Zheng had booked out of Basic Military Training Centre last Thursday at 10pm. He fainted at SAF Ferry Terminal in Changi at about 10.30pm.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force ambulance was immediately activated and Rec Liam arrived at Changi General Hospital at 11.04pm, where the doctors attended to him.
Rec Liam died on Friday at 7.17am.

The police are investigating the case. The cause of Rec Liam's death has yet to be determined.

Mindef is also conducting an independent inquiry into the incident. We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the late Rec Liam.

Colonel Darius Lim
Director, Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_382524.html

 

[gymak90]

If you have read Mr Wong's letter to MINDEF, Mr Wong seems to know a lot through the description of the recruit's condition. Don't where Mr Wong got his info from. And this MINDEF reply didn't confirm nor disagree with Mr Wong's descriptions.

 

[GeneKoh]

There seems to be a couple of NS related deaths due to "underlying medical condition" every year... Maybe it's time for a more thorough assessment of medical condition before putting folks to training camps...

Well... U have to understand that our "qualified" MOs are essentially "Scrubs" if we rate their experience level according to the US medical industry... AKA fresh out of school doctors...

Over there, our MOs would be seeing trivial cases... Or worse still, doing simple treatment jobs around a hospital reporting to a specialist or senior registrars or consultants...

Here, we put many of them on a Medical Board of Scrubs that strangely has more power than the external Medical Board with centuries of outside experience, and give them enough power to reject MCs issued by doctors from outside board...

So bottom line, we urgently need to re-examine whether or not we should continue to let Scrubs and simple medical tests determine the condition of our young soldiers... One or two "underlying medical condition" cases is a coincidence...

So many in the last few years, is a fundamental problem with the system....