Defense ministry offers details on updated voluntary recruit training program

Описание: The Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday offered more details on its updated training regime for voluntary recruits, which will take effect next year. The duration of training will be extended to 380 hours over eight weeks, with more diverse curriculum featuring sports science and casualty care among others. The new program also puts extra emphasis on marksmanship, requiring recruits to shoot a total of 160 rounds of ammunition before the end of training.

Soldiers are hard at training in case their skills are required in a Chinese invasion. In recent years, criticism has mounted over the training regime for Taiwan’s voluntary recruits, with some people saying it is too conservative and traditional, resulting in soldiers who are not able to respond to modern-day threats. The Ministry of National Defense has announced it is changing its training curriculum starting next year.

Liu Shen-mo
Ministry of National Defense
The military has considered the need for combat training and taken into account the training regimes of other advanced countries. So the main focus is actual combat. Originally, the duration of training was 230 hours over five weeks. That will be increased to 380 hours over eight weeks. There will be four types of courses. Regular classes, physical combat skills, weapons training and combat training.

The courses will feature an array of subjects including stress management on the battlefield, sports science, casualty care, survival skills, tactical marching and jungle training. Originally, the program only required trainees to shoot 86 rounds of ammunition in the prone position. Now, they’ll be firing 160 rounds in standing, kneeling and prone positions and while marching. There will also be specialized courses about operating weapons and equipment depending on the needs at the different military units that the recruits are assigned to.

Liu Shen-mo
Ministry of National Defense
The comprehensive training course includes specialized training, training at military bases, joint drills and combat planning exercise to strengthen the combat abilities of soldiers and officers in performing combat missions.

The ministry had previously said it would announce by year’s end its definite plans to extend the duration of conscription from four months to one year. Premier Su Tseng-chang has said the plan is in its final stages for deliberation.

Sun Li-fang
Defense ministry spokesperson
The extension of conscription is a matter that covers a very big range of issues. It involves the international strategic situation and national security considerations, as well as the need to boost our combat readiness, and the rights of conscripts, including educational and economic factors. The ministry is currently in the final stages of coordination and planning and finalizing the details. I believe a public announcement will be made right when the plans are finalized.

The ministry stressed that the plans for longer conscription would be announced as soon as possible.