Just because older generations may have been committed to national service (NS) does not mean it is inevitable that their children and grandchildren will be too, and it is up to Singapore to ensure that each new generation finds its own commitment to NS. This was the message from Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen after the Committee to Strengthen National Service, of which SMU Director of the Office of Student Life Bervyn Lee is a member, concluded its first meeting at the Basic Military Training Centre in Pulau Tekong on Wednesday. With this in mind, the 20-member committee made up of ministers, MPs, top military brass, operationally ready national servicemen and employers will begin its work by spending the next six months holding focus group discussions and town hall sessions across the country.