President Tsai Ing-wen convened a high-level national security meeting today to discuss a plan to strengthen the national defense forces structure. It was decided during the meeting that the compulsory military service period would be extended to one year, and the monthly salary will be increased to NT$26,307.The new compulsory military service policy will take effect in 2024.
Premier Su Tseng-chang, National Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu and others were all seen arriving at the Presidential Office. President Tsai Ing-wen convened a high-level national security meeting on Dec. 27 to discuss a plan to strengthen the national defense forces structure. The government decided during the meeting to extend the compulsory military service period to one year. It's clear that the government views conscripts as garrison forces that will be responsible for the defense of the territory and important facilities from its decision to raise the monthly salary. Scholars say Taiwan has a declining birthrate that makes it unable to meet the recruitment ratio. Meanwhile, China's military is becoming more powerful, so extending the military service period can help to strengthen Taiwan's combat capability.
Shen Ming-shih, Director, Div. of Nat'l Security Research, INDSR: “If they want to carry out the modular training used by the U.S. military that means everyone has to know how to use all the weapons. All soldiers should be competent in operating drones after one year of service. If they have experience operating drones in their civilian lives that would be very helpful for drone combat.”
Experts say soldiers can be trained as riflemen and then further develop other specialties. That means the training will have to be overhauled. In addition to introducing the modular training used by the U.S. military to add simulated battlefield and anti-stress training, tactical marches, and joint exercises, the military can also consider lessons from the Ukraine-Russia war. Everyone needs to become familiar with operating anti-armor weapons, which may include Javelins and Harpoons, in addition to drones. They must also fire at least 800 rounds of live ammunition. Experts say there is only one year of preparation time. Will the military be able to complete the training of teachers and expansion of shooting ranges and barracks?
Song Yu-ning, Managing Editor, Defence International: “I think there is a little urgency. If we look at the new training centers and volunteer soldiers, their training methods aren't like this. If this is to be changed, then you first have to enrich their basic learning abilities. The number of target shooting sessions must also be increased along with the number of rounds fired. From what we can see right now, it may even be insufficient for volunteer soldiers.”
Volunteer soldiers and officers will have to be trained to serve as team leaders in order to guide and instruct conscripts. Experts say these people did not receive advanced training, so it will be a big challenge to impart crash courses in a short time. The new compulsory military service policy will take effect in 2024.
行政院長蘇貞昌、國防部長邱國正、外交部長吳釗燮等人上午陸續進到總統府，總統蔡英文27日召開國安高層會議，討論「強化全民國防兵力結構調整方案」，拍板定案兵役延長為一年，明確將義務役規劃為守備部隊，負責國土防衛，重要設施防護與協力民防等任務，薪資待遇大幅提高，從每月約6500元，增加到26307元。學者指出，台灣面臨少子化危機，無法滿足募兵制的編現比，加上共軍威脅近年急遽攀升，兵役延長有助提升戰力。
國防院國安所長沈明室提及：「要進行美軍模組化的訓練，那甚至班建置的所有武器都要能夠會使用。如果說服役1年之後，每個士兵都夠操作無人機，或者是他本來在民間就有無人機的專長，其實對使用無人機作戰來講是非常有幫助的。」
沈明室分析，義務役能從合格的步槍兵具備其他專長，因此，訓練內容大翻新，除了導入美軍的模組化訓練，增加模擬戰場實景抗壓訓練、戰術行軍及聯合演訓，也參考俄烏戰爭的樣態，必須熟悉操作反裝甲武器，可能納入標槍、刺針飛彈，人人都得活用無人機，而實彈射擊不會少於800發，有專家示警，只有1年準備時間，師資培訓、靶場營舍擴建，有沒有到位？
全球防衛雜誌編輯主任宋玉寧表示：「我覺得是有一點緊迫，因為畢竟現在的，我們看新訓中心他們這些志願役的官兵來講，他原本訓練模式一定不是這樣，那他要去改變，他本身要先充實自己本質學能，打靶時數也要增加，彈數也要增加。就現在的狀況，我們看到是可能志願役不是那麼足夠了。」
志願役士官得先培養成為教育班長，才能帶領、教導義務役。宋玉寧指出，這些人過去沒有接受先進的訓練，要在短時間速成將是一大考驗，兵役延長預計2024上路，國軍畫大餅要提升義務役戰力，外界將放大檢視訓練成效。
