The Ministry of National Defense today released its annual performance report, detailing ongoing military improvements and continued expansion of the reserve force.
The ministry’s Administrative Performance Report for last year was released at a news conference presided over by Deputy Inspector General Chou Chin-lung (周錦龍).
Photo: Fang Wei-li, Taipei Times
The report outlined reforms to the reserve force, with the number of reserve troops to expand in this year’s Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military drills.
About 20,000 reserve troops would be called for training in the extended 14 days of war games to verify combat readiness and complete full-scale combat exercises, Chou said.
Last year’s exercises included 14,647 reserve troops from 58 reserve units, an increase of 2,032 reservists compared with the previous year, he said.
The training plans to include standing, kneeling and prone shooting positions using rifles and handguns, he added.
The ministry set out 11 administrative goals for last year, which were jointly implemented across departments, he said.
Goals included building overall defensive combat capabilities, enhancing joint operational effectiveness across the army, navy and air force, and familiarizing with realistic battlefield scenarios, he said.
They also included improving joint training effectiveness, advancing the reserve force and strengthening civil-military cooperation mechanisms, he added.
The ministry also aimed t to attract high-quality personnel, improve retention rates, encourage continued education for service members and adopt diversified promotional strategies to foster patriotism nationwide, he said.
The recruitment fulfillment rate was 95 percent last year, and the retention rate 82 percent, exceeding the target of 76 percent, he added.
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