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Quality more important than quantity in military service: experts

ROC Central News Agency

2012/03/25 20:28:26

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) The government needs to focus more on the quality of future military recruits than on their total number, a group of scholars said Sunday in a forum held to address Taiwan's current defense status and prospects.

The Ministry of National Defense should establish strict qualifications for individuals who wish to serve in the armed forces, said Chen Ching-pu, an associate professor at Yuan Ze University's Department of Social and Policy Science.

Chen's remarks came in response to the nation's plan to adopt a voluntary military service system to replace the existing compulsory one by 2015. The transition is supposed to condense Taiwan's military power and cut unnecessary spending.

The government's goal of recruiting 215,000 military personnel, or 0.93 percent of the total population, however, is higher than the figures of other countries.

Japan's voluntary military personnel represents only 0.18 percent of the population, while the United States is 0.48 percent.

Chen expressed concern that individuals lacking the ability to handle a military career might be recruited to make up the numbers.

To ensure the quality of the applicants, the concept that serving in the military is an honor needs to be widely promoted, he added.

Implementing the voluntary military service system could be one of the greatest reforms for President Ma Ying-jeou since he took office, said Lin Cheng-yi, a researcher at Academia Sinica, the nation's top research institute.

Describing the pending military reforms as "at the point of no return," Alexander Huang of Tamkang University called attention to how the transition can be made smoothly without an increase in the military budget.

The Defense Ministry should also introduce efficient management tactics into everyday military operations to make best use of existing budget, which is around 3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) at present, Huang said.

In a 20-page report, Huang and other scholars urged complementary measures to be applied alongside the volunteer military service system, such as comprehensive retirement plans and funding to assist those leaving the military after their service.

(By Nancy Liu)
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