Following a review of the Ministry of National Defense’s fiscal 2020 budget, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center has asked that the ministry include plans to address seven Class 1 combat arms units that are at least 20 percent understrength in personnel.
According to the ministry’s classification, a Class 1 combat arms unit can include infantry, artillery, armor, armored cavalry, anti-tank and missile units and mechanized infantry, as well as infantry units stationed overseas.
While the center no longer provides actual numbers of combat strength per armed unit, it said that listed units have been understrength since as early as August 2016.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Mechanized infantry and offshore infantry garrisons were 40 percent understrength in 2016, while the center’s report last year said that mechanized infantry and armored cavalry units were 30 percent understrength and other listed units were 20 percent understrength.
As these units are expected to have better training and take to the front lines in a war, their personnel are expected to have greater physical training and capabilities than staff in logistics or administrative roles, the center said.
It is more difficult for such units to attract or retain volunteers, which the ministry has attempted to rectify since 2015 with increased incentives for those willing to enlist or stay in Class 1 combat arms units, the center said.
Enlistment ratios for combat arms units have in general increased to 83.29 percent, up from 59.1 percent in 2015, the ministry said, adding that units at less than 80 percent strength are expected to reach 80 percent by the end of this year.
The military intends to increase incentives and improve the service environment, as well as facilities to entice more individuals to sign up, it said.
The ministry said that it last year raised the incentives for personnel serving in Class 1 arms units by NT$4,000 — up to NT$9,000 per month in additional incentives — for those who have served in such units for at least six years.
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