1st group of volunteer female reservists report for training
ROC Central News Agency
05/08/2023 03:44 PM
Taoyuan, May 8 (CNA) A group of 14 female veterans reported to a location in northern Taoyuan City to start five days of volunteer reservist training on Monday morning, making them the first women to undergo such training in Taiwan.
The 14 reservists reported to a "strategic location" in Taoyuan's Bade District before the deadline on noon Monday, according to Reserve Command Political Warfare Department chief Major General Hsieh Yung-wei (謝勇維).
The military did not make public the "strategic location" for security reason.
According to Hsieh, the 14 women will undergo the same training as their male counterparts under the five-day program.
However, they will have separate dormitories and bathrooms to the male reservists, he added.
During the training period, all reservists, regardless of gender, undergo live-fire rifle shooting exercises and other training according to their specific expertise when serving in the armed forces, Hsieh added.
One of the veterans surnamed Chiu (邱) told reporters after reporting for duty that she was happy to be able to revisit her life in the military again for five-days.
She said it is important for women to undergo reservist training the same as their male counterparts, particularly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Another reservist surnamed Chiang (江) who was discharged from the military more than a year ago said she volunteered for the reservist training.
Chiang said she is nervous about the upcoming training, particularly as she now works night shifts and is no longer used to waking up early.
However, she added that such refresher training is important given ongoing cross-strait tensions.
"I want to do my part to safeguard the country," she added.
Chiang's husband surnamed Ho (何) who accompanied her when she reported for training told reporters they met while serving in the military as volunteer soldiers.
Ho said he has also been discharged from active military service and the couple have a one-year-old son.
He said he fully supports his wife's decision to volunteer for reservist training as the armed forces are like a big family to them.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced in January that it would start asking female reservists to volunteer for the same reservist training as their male counterparts later this year.
Previously, Taiwan's military said it only trained male reservists because it did not have sufficient capacity to accommodate both men and women.
Participants in reservist training have complained for decades that this is a form of gender discrimination.
While men in Taiwan are subject to compulsory military conscription and reservist training, women are not, but they can join the armed forces voluntarily to serve as soldiers and officers.
The MND did not say it is now requiring military training for female reservists because of an increased risk of war with China, but rather that it is doing so because all veterans regardless of gender should have the same responsibility.
As of 2021, a total of 8,915 women were listed as reservists. In addition to the reservists, 15 percent of Taiwan's 180,000 active military personnel are women, according to military figures.
The MND said that a total of 220 female reservists have volunteered to undergo required reservists training this year.
(By Wu Reui-chi and Joseph Yeh)
Enditem/AW
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