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Old Guard, New Challenges: Taiwan's Military Faces Hurdles in Recruitment Push
TaiwanPlus News
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2/5/2025
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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Transcript
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00:00
Taiwan's military is short-staffed, and the country's rapidly aging population is only
00:05
partly to blame.
00:07
Last year, 1,500 service people accepted offers of payment in exchange for early discharge,
00:12
part of a policy meant to address pension system sustainability, adapt to reforms and
00:17
manage personnel composition.
00:19
These efforts have seen rates of early retirements quadruple in four years, and there are fewer
00:24
young recruits willing and able to fill the gaps.
00:27
Now the Defense Ministry wants seasoned soldiers back.
00:30
It's proposing scrapping a rule that made it hard to re-enlist soldiers who'd return
00:34
to civilian life.
00:36
The idea is that anyone itching to get back into uniform can do so after a year.
00:40
But attracting veterans back will take money, both for pay and better conditions.
01:01
And money is in short supply.
01:03
Lawmakers have frozen billions of U.S. dollars in military spending and cut equipment budgets
01:07
by three percent.
01:09
These analysts say the government will find a way forward, but that it needs to address
01:13
better salaries for the plan to succeed.
01:32
While many militaries face recruiting challenges, Taiwan's struggle is especially critical given
01:37
the direct threat from China and its low enlistment rates.
01:41
Calculations put last year's troop numbers at just 78 percent of where they should be,
01:45
and far below the 85 percent capacity needed for battlefield effectiveness.
01:50
With more soldiers continuing to retire early, this gap could become a problem for Taiwan's
01:55
national security.
01:57
Patrick Chen and John Ventriest for Taiwan Plus.
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