The Ministry of National Defense (MND) is offering cash rewards for information about drugs discovered at Chingchuankang (清泉崗) Air Base in Taichung, while lawmakers asked the ministry to redouble its efforts to prevent drug abuse by members of the armed forces amid a spate of reports on the issue.
Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) yesterday visited the base, where a large quantity of a substance thought to be amphetamines was found on Monday last week, and urged solidarity among enlisted soldiers and officers to stop illegal activities.
The leadership of the armed forces has to change the way anti-drug campaigns are carried out — usually with blunt warnings of the legal consequences of drug law violations — and adopt a more sympathetic approach when informing personnel about illegal drugs, Feng said.
In addition, security at bases must be increased to prevent drugs and contraband from entering, he said.
To understand how dozens of bags filled with drugs made their way onto a 2km strip of road that runs past a dormitory, a basketball court, a garage, a runway, an office complex and a hangar, the ministry is offering rewards for information that leads to the conviction of anyone involved, with a NT$100,000 reward for a report made by an individual and NT$500,000 for a report filed by a group.
Meanwhile, a further instance of suspected illicit drug use among members of the military was reported on Sunday.
A navy commander surnamed Huang (黃), of the Kaohsiung-based Navy Fleet Command, was allegedly found by police in possession of drug paraphernalia on Jan. 11, after which he filed a retirement application that was approved on Feb. 1.
Critics said that the speed of the approval indicates that the navy did not take proper disciplinary action and is lenient about such misconduct.
Drug abuse in the military is an issue of national security, as addicted officers could be manipulated into leaking confidential information, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) said.
“Drug tests are conducted on low-ranking personnel with officers being exempt from regular screening, but a comprehensive drug test on all the 215,000 people in the armed forces is needed to identify those with addictions,” Wang said.
Questioning the swift approval of Huang’s retirement request, Wang said dishonorably discharged officers are denied some of their pension benefits and the ministry should review Huang’s retirement application.
“Discipline is the basis of military might. If [drug abuse] continues, drugs alone could destroy the armed forces — without attacks by missiles or aircraft carriers,” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said.
Huang’s case might implicate other service members and the ministry must take proactive measures to eradicate drug abuse in the military and regain the public’s trust, Chiang said.
The navy said it took “administrative measures” to discipline Huang for non-compliance with leave regulations, and he was placed on a list of personnel to be discharged for suspected illegal activities, which it said explains the swift approval of his retirement application.
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