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FEATURE:Face of military service changing

Changes to the nation's compulsory military service over the years, including reducing the length of military service and allowing more female recruits, have gradually changed the life and atmosphere of local military units.

Effective Jan. 1 this year, compulsory military service was further shortened from 14 months to 12 months. While the latest reduction in the length of military service may be good news for new and future recruits, it has raised some concern that the military may not have enough personnel to promote security measures or that the quality of military training may be inadequate.

Seeking to allay these concerns, Ministry of National Defense (MND) spokesman Yu Sy-tue (虞思祖) said the ministry "has been working on the transition to this new policy since sometime last June, so I assure you it will not have any impact on national defense."

Yu said the ministry's "long-term goal is to replace the compulsory military service system with career military service."

To show the public that the military was prepared for tighter security measures during the Lunar New Year, the ministry invited the media to visit several military bases prior to the holiday break.

As expected, the visits showed a substantial reduction in the total number of recruits doing compulsory military service. At the same time, however, there was a visible increase in the number of female faces in uniform, with female officers, petty officers, sergeants, privates or frogmen joining their male counterparts in showing off their skills and capability.

"We are here to prove that we can do pretty much everything that a man can do," Air Force Captain Kao Shu-li (高淑莉) said.

Kao was leading a company of Tien Kung (Sky Bow) missiles in Sanchih (三芝) base in Taipei County. During a demonstration for a group of reporters on Jan. 15, Kao demonstrated her in-depth knowledge of missiles and was a picture of calm and professionalism in leading her company of men during the exercise.

"I know what I am doing. That's all," she said.

Asked why she joined the air force, Lieutenant Chiang Pei-chia (江佩嘉), a missile technician who was assigned to guide the media, said: "This is a job that a female can also do well. So, why not?"

Quite a number of female officers can also be found at the army's 564th Brigade in A-lien (阿蓮) Township, Kaohsiung County.

"Approximately 2 percent of our personnel here are female," said Major General Lin Feng-lung (林豐隆), head of the 564th Brigade.

Lin said that female staff do the same workload as male soldiers.

"They have separate living quarters. Other than this, they work, eat, train and play with fellow male soldiers," Lin said.

Lin affirmed what female personnel have done for his unit.

"To be honest, women are more careful and pay more attention to details," Lin said.

He said that having women in the army had "taught us more about respect for each other."

Lin, the leader of a tank troop, said that most of the senior positions are occupied by career soldiers, while recruits who are doing their compulsory military service are given relatively easy jobs.

"Frankly speaking, it is impossible for us to train a guy who is only serving for a year to drive a tank because by the time he completes his training, it would also be time for him to leave. It just doesn't make any sense," Lin said.

A corporal who will complete his military service in three months and who wished to remain anonymous told the Taipei Times that his job at the 564th Brigade was simple, but he had always tried his best to finish his task.

"My job is to keep my Humvee in good shape at all times. I have been doing this every day and I am glad that under my maintenance, this Humvee, although old, has never let me down," he said.
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