The accidental firing of a Hsiung Feng III missile from a Chinchiang-class corvette on July 1, killing a fishing boat captain and injuring several of the boat’s crew members in the waters east of Penghu Island, has been the ongoing target of a wave of criticism from all sectors of society.
The event has turned a spotlight on the serious neglect of discipline in the military and the lack of training in the armed forces. It has also highlighted the urgent need for, and the importance of, national defense reform.
In addition to learning the necessary lessons from the incident, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and her administration should follow up with stricter controls over the use of precision weapons and establish guidelines for military training. The government should also push for national defense and military reform.
For example, to establish a chain of responsibility within the armed forces, the government should consider amending the law so that top officials, such as generals, admirals, lieutenant generals and vice admirals, no longer enjoy guaranteed employment — if serious mistakes are committed by units or forces under their command, the commander-in-chief or the Minister of National Defense should be able to relieve them of their duties.
To encourage non-commissioned military personnel to work hard, public acknowledgment of officers and soldiers that excel during combat exercises should be increased, perhaps annually on Armed Forces Day. This way, professional soldiers of lower rank would also feel respected and honored.
Furthermore, the practice of appointing only officers who have graduated from a military academy to top positions in the army, navy and air force — such as commander, chief of staff or secretary to the Minister of National Defense — should also be discontinued.
Instead, these posts should be filled by senior officers who have excellent track records. This would help improve morale among the lower ranks and it would also enable the armed forces to retain talented personnel.
If reforms are not actively pursued, commissioned officers will not see any opportunities, non-commissioned officers will not see any chance of advancement and soldiers will experience no sense of honor.
It is not surprising that the military system has failed. The accidental missile launch has had a massive negative impact on the image and dignity of the armed forces, and it might affect the implementation of a voluntary military service.
Tsai has said that comprehensive, far-reaching reforms are necessary to restore dignity to the armed forces. Such fundamental reforms should begin with the lessons that can be learned from the Hsiung Feng III incident.
Yao Chung-yuan is a former senior deputy director of the Ministry of National Defense’s Strategic Planning Department.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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