From PES C to command school

As a national youth basketball athlete at the peak of his physical fitness, 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Joel Quek Qi Feng looked forward to enlisting and joining his peers in Basic Military Training (BMT) at Pulau Tekong.

However, his dreams were dashed when his pre-enlistee medical screening showed that he had a Degenerative Disc Disease as well as an annular fissure and disc herniation.

He was assigned a Physical Employment Standard (PES) status of C9 with exemptions from running, marching, jumping and carrying heavy loads.

“When I first found out about my PES, I was pretty sad. I wanted to do more for my NS (National Service), and I had hoped to be like my peers going to Tekong.”

The drive to serve

The 23-year-old enlisted into Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) School V in July 2024 and went through the nine-week BMT programme catered for PES C and E soldiers.

However, he felt that the PES C9 status did not fully reflect his physical capabilities, and decided to seek a review so that he could serve in a more fitting capacity.

Overcoming skepticism

Predictably, his decision to get a PES review was met with questions from those around him.

With a chuckle, 3SG Quek said: “Some (of my batchmates from School V) asked me why I put myself through all the physical training when I could have an easier life.”

His father was also concerned about his decision, albeit for different reasons. “My dad was worried that I might further hurt myself, especially with my pre-existing condition. But I reassured him that the Army prioritises safety, and eventually gained his trust.”

With his parents’ blessings, 3SG Quek approached his commanders to request a PES review.

They were fully supportive and scheduled him for an appointment with the camp’s Medical Officer (MO) midway through his BMT. The MO referred him to a specialist for further assessment, before sending his case to the Singapore Armed Forces Medical Board (SAFMB) for review.

A few months later in December 2024, he finally got his result: PES B1.

Excelling in command school

After getting his new PES of B1, 3SG Quek – who has been serving in 6th Army Maintenance Base (6 AMB) as an Electrical Technician after BMT – was identified by his commanders as having leadership potential.

With the support of his unit, he managed to get into Specialist Cadet School (SCS) in June 2025. Despite experiencing a “culture shock” from the tough training, he adapted and thrived.

In fact, he achieved the Golden Bayonet, which is awarded to top specialist cadet graduands from each vocation.

Looking back at his decision, 3G Quek said: “I’ve gained a lot (after getting a higher PES). I managed to go to command school and develop my speaking skills.

“I’ve also been able to take hold of more opportunities that have come my way.”

Starting on the back foot

For Officer Cadet (OCT) Braden Phua Chai Yee, the journey to review his PES started early.

The 21-year-old was disappointed when he was initially assigned PES C9 due to a flat foot diagnosis. “I come from a family of Regulars, so I really wanted to push on and become an officer to make them proud.”

Unfortunately, his first PES upgrade attempt before enlisting was unsuccessful. He enlisted into BMTC School V at Kranji Camp in May 2025 and was later deployed as a transport operator.

Second chance

During BMT, he made a second appeal to “up-PES”. He came prepared with a specialist memo from an external doctor, and saw a specialist referred to him by the camp MO to determine whether he was combat fit, before his PES review request was sent to the SAFMB for assessment.

Four months later, he got the good news – his PES had been upgraded to B1.

And in January this year, he started his BMT recourse at Pulau Tekong.

A rewarding experience

In March, after graduating from his BMT recourse, OCT Phua learnt that he had been posted to OCS – setting him onto the path that he once thought was out of his reach.

“It felt very rewarding. Just going through BMT (again) didn’t guarantee I would end up in OCS, so it felt like the culmination of my efforts.”

Now a month into his OCS journey, he calls the experience a challenging one so far, and says he is putting his best foot forward in the next eight months.

Reflecting on how things have changed since he successfully upgraded his PES, OCT Phua said: “I feel like I’ve gained a lot, especially in my mindset of challenging myself. The experiences I’ve gained since I got my PES B1 have made me more resilient.”

NS medical grading system to change from October 2027

On 13 Apr, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced that it would be updating its Medical Classification System (MCS) to provide a more precise assessment of servicemen’s medical fitness and functional abilities.

Instead of a single PES status, enlistees will receive more detailed results indicating their medical fitness and specific medical exemptions.

According to MINDEF, three in four appeals by pre-enlistees – from across the SAF and Home Team – to review their PES in 2025 were requests to upgrade their PES status.

That 75 percent of appeals are to upgrade PES “speaks well of the fighting spirit of our people”, said Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing.

Cohorts enlisting in the SAF and Home Team from October and November 2027 respectively will be medically graded under the refreshed MCS and no longer receive a PES status. Find out more here!