DEFENCE Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday that procedures in physical and endurance training in the military were in place and being followed.

These procedures, which cover aspects such as safety, medical and training protocols, were the subject of a review that took place during a three-day halt to physically-demanding activities throughout the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Mr Teo said: 'The Singapore Armed Forces is satisfied the procedures are in place and are being followed.'

The Defence Ministry said in a statement, however, that the SAF would also assess the suggestions received from the public as part of its regular checks on the safety of its activities.

The unprecedented 'time-out' on physical and endurance training, called following the deaths of two servicemen during training last week, froze all obstacle courses, route marches or fitness tests for the entire force of 300,000 active personnel and national servicemen.

These activities resumed on Saturday at 7pm.

Speaking on the sidelines of an education bursary presentation in Pasir Ris, Mr Teo said the 'time-out' had been 'very useful'.

Aside from giving time for the review, the cessation of activities raised awareness through the ranks of issues involved in physical and endurance activities and the precautions that were needed, he said.

These precautions include pre-exercise safety briefings, having medical personnel on standby and 'water parades', which are sessions in which servicemen chug down water to forestall dehydration.

The safety of servicemen has come under focus following the deaths of pilot trainee Officer Cadet Clifton Lam during a navigation exercise in Brunei's jungles, and Recruit Andrew Cheah, who was on a 2km training walk on Pulau Tekong.

Calls have been made in the wake of the deaths for the SAF to conduct more rigorous medical screenings.

On this matter, Mr Teo said the protocols for medical screenings were developed in consultation with a panel of the best specialists here.

At the most recent review last September, the panel, which included senior cardiologists, evaluated the military's cardiac screening process and found it stringent and in line with good clinical practice.

Mr Teo said: 'We go by what they recommend to us as the best and most appropriate protocols for screening and we review them regularly.'

He said that preliminary inquiries into the two deaths have shown that procedures were in place and complied with, and that medical procedures and evacuation were prompt.

Coroner's inquiries on the two deaths will be held in open court; two high-level inquiry panels have also been set up.

Asked whether today's incoming servicemen were less fit than their predecessors, Mr Teo said: 'My own sense, not based on any statistical evidence, is that our soldiers are fitter, but maybe less rugged.'

He urged pre-enlistees to 'get themselves as fit as possible' ahead of national service.

Asked about parents who send their children for medical screenings before enlistment, he said that it 'certainly is a precaution they can take', not just for national service, but also if their children play sports or if they thought them to be unwell.

He added: 'Regardless of whether parents do that, when they are enlisted into the SAF, we'll do a thorough medical screening using protocols recommended by the best specialists in Singapore.'

joolin@sph.com.sg

Also read: Tearful farewell to friend, mate and kin