http://www.asiaone.com/Digital/News/Story/A1Story20090728-157467.html
Tue, Jul 28, 2009
The Straits Times
NSF's tweets on camp life fire up debate
by Debbie Yong
From his camp bunk in Pulau Tekong, an army recruit with time on his hands seems to be 'tweeting'.
Using Twitter, the popular microblogging site, his post last Tuesday said: 'Running with rifle and sbo (skeleton battle order).'
He goes by the username echizen92 and gives regular updates - within the 140 characters allowed - on camp life.
In a post last Sunday, he tweeted: 'Area cleaning, 5bx...route march, runs and chin-up is fun.'
The camp in Pulau Tekong is for full-time national servicemen (NSFs) undergoing basic military training.
Most of echizen92's tweets are posted via Tweet.sg, a website which allows users to update their profiles by sending an SMS to a local number.
Already, he has 23 'followers', that is, people who track and read his posts.
He does not provide a name and his account does not carry any profile picture.
While his profile also contains a link to a blog, it is set on private mode and requires a password to access. Attempts to reach the account's owner were unsuccessful.
When contacted, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'Mindef or SAF personnel are not to disclose or post classified or sensitive information and photos online.'
This rule applies to all, from recruits to reservists, and covers online posts too.
Given that details about operations, equipment and training may be sensitive or classified, a superior should always be consulted about the rule, the spokesman added.
Most NSFs stay off from tweeting from camp. Citing the risk of being issued extra duty, fines or detention, NSF Kho Kangdi, 20, said he would not do it.
'There's not much we can tweet about anyway,' he said, adding that his commanders would issue printed notices every three months warning personnel not to blog about their army activities.
'If you post a tweet online, it can generate followers you won't know.
'But if you had a bad day and need to tell someone, why not just call up your mum or SMS your girlfriend? At least it stays within the family or your group of friends.'
But one former NSF, who declined to be named, said: 'How much information can you reveal within a 140-word limit?'
This article was first published in The Sunday Times.
For more The Straits Times stories, click here.
Tue, Jul 28, 2009
The Straits Times
NSF's tweets on camp life fire up debate
by Debbie Yong
From his camp bunk in Pulau Tekong, an army recruit with time on his hands seems to be 'tweeting'.
Using Twitter, the popular microblogging site, his post last Tuesday said: 'Running with rifle and sbo (skeleton battle order).'
He goes by the username echizen92 and gives regular updates - within the 140 characters allowed - on camp life.
In a post last Sunday, he tweeted: 'Area cleaning, 5bx...route march, runs and chin-up is fun.'
The camp in Pulau Tekong is for full-time national servicemen (NSFs) undergoing basic military training.
Most of echizen92's tweets are posted via Tweet.sg, a website which allows users to update their profiles by sending an SMS to a local number.
Already, he has 23 'followers', that is, people who track and read his posts.
He does not provide a name and his account does not carry any profile picture.
While his profile also contains a link to a blog, it is set on private mode and requires a password to access. Attempts to reach the account's owner were unsuccessful.
When contacted, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'Mindef or SAF personnel are not to disclose or post classified or sensitive information and photos online.'
This rule applies to all, from recruits to reservists, and covers online posts too.
Given that details about operations, equipment and training may be sensitive or classified, a superior should always be consulted about the rule, the spokesman added.
Most NSFs stay off from tweeting from camp. Citing the risk of being issued extra duty, fines or detention, NSF Kho Kangdi, 20, said he would not do it.
'There's not much we can tweet about anyway,' he said, adding that his commanders would issue printed notices every three months warning personnel not to blog about their army activities.
'If you post a tweet online, it can generate followers you won't know.
'But if you had a bad day and need to tell someone, why not just call up your mum or SMS your girlfriend? At least it stays within the family or your group of friends.'
But one former NSF, who declined to be named, said: 'How much information can you reveal within a 140-word limit?'
This article was first published in The Sunday Times.
For more The Straits Times stories, click here.
