Old Guard, New Challenges: Taiwan's Military Faces Hurdles in Recruitment Push

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan's defense ministry wants to address military recruitment shortages by easing the rules on re-enlisting retired veterans. Recent budget cuts could make attracting civilians back into uniform a challenge.

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00:00Taiwan's military is short-staffed, and the country's rapidly aging population is only

00:05partly to blame.

00:07Last year, 1,500 service people accepted offers of payment in exchange for early discharge,

00:12part of a policy meant to address pension system sustainability, adapt to reforms and

00:17manage personnel composition.

00:19These efforts have seen rates of early retirements quadruple in four years, and there are fewer

00:24young recruits willing and able to fill the gaps.

00:27Now the Defense Ministry wants seasoned soldiers back.

00:30It's proposing scrapping a rule that made it hard to re-enlist soldiers who'd return

00:34to civilian life.

00:36The idea is that anyone itching to get back into uniform can do so after a year.

00:40But attracting veterans back will take money, both for pay and better conditions.

01:01And money is in short supply.

01:03Lawmakers have frozen billions of U.S. dollars in military spending and cut equipment budgets

01:07by three percent.

01:09These analysts say the government will find a way forward, but that it needs to address

01:13better salaries for the plan to succeed.

01:32While many militaries face recruiting challenges, Taiwan's struggle is especially critical given

01:37the direct threat from China and its low enlistment rates.

01:41Calculations put last year's troop numbers at just 78 percent of where they should be,

01:45and far below the 85 percent capacity needed for battlefield effectiveness.

01:50With more soldiers continuing to retire early, this gap could become a problem for Taiwan's

01:55national security.

01:57Patrick Chen and John Ventriest for Taiwan Plus.

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