The first batch of about 500 reservists yesterday reported to Shanjiao Elementary School in Taoyuan’s Lujhu District (蘆竹) to undergo a new, more intensive 14-day reservist training program.
The program is operating in a scenario of defending the beach near New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), said 203 Brigade Third Infantry Battalion Deputy Commander Major Chen Ming-chung (陳明中).
All reservists would train for about 10 hours a day, including a two-hour, 10km nighttime combat march, for a total of 136 hours over 14 days, Chen said.
Photo: Military News Agency
Reservists said that the schedule — described by local media as “the toughest reservist training in history” — was daunting, but that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia demonstrates that tougher reservist training is necessary.
No one knows when China might attack Taiwan, underscoring the necessity for a reservist force capable of fighting, one reservist said.
Reservists must be capable of fighting when called upon, as demonstrated by the suddenness of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, another said.
Photo: Hsieh Wu-hsiung, Taipei Times
A reservist surnamed Chou (周) said that the military should first step up the training for active soldiers.
It felt “odd” that the military would step up training for reservists, who have never undergone full military training to begin with, he said.
Commenting on concerns about reservists’ nutrition during the march, the Ministry of National Defense said that they would be provided with dried rations and ready-to-eat meal packages.
Reservists would only be allowed to use their mobile phones twice a day, from 7pm to 8pm and from 9pm to 10pm, during the two weeks.
All of the Central Epidemic Command Center’s COVID-19 pandemic prevention regulations would be observed, said Lee Meng-han (李孟涵), the battalion’s medical officer.
The reservists were yesterday given a quick recap of camp regulations, were assigned patrol and guard duties, and underwent disaster-prevention drills and first-aid training, their schedule showed.
Today and tomorrow, they would revisit military occupational specialty training, arms disassembly and assembly, and combat first-aid, the schedule showed.
All units under company level would be practicing marksmanship and combat from day four to day 10.
Days 11 to 13 would focus on battalion-level combat training, while reservists would on the last day service their arms and return them before the official conclusion of the program.
The new training regimen would be tested in the first three quarters of this year on about 15,000 reservists at 24 battalions and one company, Ministry of National Defense All-out Defense Mobilization Agency Director Yu Wen-cheng (俞文鎮) said on Wednedsay.
It was devised after the military in 2020 said that it wanted to ensure that the nation’s reserve force could more reliably back up regular forces due to increased Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan.
Additional reporting by CNA
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