From July, over 40,000 full-time NSmen will receive a monthly rank allowance of S$400, up by S$50.
Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean announced this at the launch of NS40, a series of events to commemorate 40 years of national service.
He also said a group of key appointment holders will get a 20 percent increment in rank allowances because these people are required to serve longer in-camp training (ICT) and are made to carry heavier responsibilities.
For Robert Bong, an IT Consultant at CRICT Research and Consulting Group, the NS40 exhibition at Ngee Ann City is a journey down memory lane.
In 1976, the then recruit, served his national service at Pulau Tekong and the only time spent in the bunk was in the evenings after training.
He said: "But after finishing the ironing and polishing, we couldn't do anything else because the lights went off at 11pm. We would sit outside the old bunk, look over the water into the east coast part of Singapore and feel very homesick!"
Since Colonel Bong's time, wireless classrooms and LAN-based simulation games have become part of everyday training.
Michael Palmer, MP, Pasir Ris GRC, said: "The army has changed – it's a lot more intellectual, more technical and more technological. I was just talking to one of the lieutenant colonels who was in my batch at OCS and we were reflecting that our officers now are actually taught to lead. In our days, we were tortured to lead."
Members of the public can also get a taste of being part of a Civil Defence rescue operation at a simulator display at the exhibition.
From detecting casualties to rescuing people from wreckage, the simulation gives the public a better appreciation of what the rescue team does.
The NS40 exhibition is held till 15 April.