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Army allows reporters to participate in exercises

The army yesterday opened for the first time to the press one of its regular training exercises, which was based on a scenario that Taiwan was under ballistic missile attack by China.

The "Brave Lions" training exercise, which took place in northern Taoyuan County, was carried out by an infantry battalion of the local 269th motorized brigade, one of the toughest of its kind in the army.

The battalion was assigned a mission to wipe out Chinese special agents who were discovered to be lurking in the region in the wake of waves of ballistic missile attacks from China.

It marked the first time that a regular training exercise of this kind was opened to the press.

All of the invited reporters donned soldiers' gear and participated in every part of the drill, including a 25km march from Taoyuan to Hsinchu County.

The first day of the two-day training exercise involved a simulation of defensive measures against nuclear and chemical attacks as well as urban warfare with enemy troops carried out during yesterday's portion of the march.

Chief of the General Staff General Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) and army chief General Chen Cheng-hsiang (陳鎮湘) showed up at a pre-exercise weapons display at the base of the 269th brigade to welcome the press.

Unexpectedly, Tang began his welcome with an open talk on defense issues. It is quite unusual for Tang to be so open to the press in public.

Asked to comment on lawmakers' recent cuts to the proposed defense budget for next year, Tang answered with an implicit of criticism of lawmakers responsible for the matter.

"National security is not just the business of the military. It is also the business of the whole nation," Tang said.

Tang went on to express his anger at the navy's failure to follow his order to submit a budget proposal for next year based on real defense needs.

Tang was referring to a discovery by lawmakers that the navy had attempted to conceal from the legislature's defense committee its planned expenditure for a new batch of US-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles for use on the Cheng Kung-class frigates.

"I have issued an order [for proposing budgetary plans] to every service. Staff who fail to follow the order shall be punished," Tang said.

Navy personnel who are said to have been disciplined for the matter include navy vice commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Chang Chih-hua (常志譁) and navy chief of staff Vice Admiral Chang Wen-ping (張文平).

Meanwhile, Tang also expressed wishes for the salaries of the servicemen to be raised for what he said was fairness.

Citing the soldiers who participated in yesterday's training exercise as an example, Tang said: "These soldiers have to work from daybreak to midnight. They should get overtime pay," he said.

"I agree with the proposal from other public organs to restore taxation to the income of servicemen. But I agree only on condition that the servicemen's benefits be improved first," he said.
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