The nation’s military academies have had 1,687 enrollments this year, statistics from the Ministry of National Defense showed, setting a new record high.
There are seven military academies across the three branches of the armed forces: the army’s Republic of China (ROC) Military Academy, the ROC Naval Academy, the ROC Air Force Academy, Fu Hsing Kang College, the National Defense Medical Center, National Defense University’s Chung Cheng Institute of Technology and the National Defense Management College.
Although the ministry confirmed the data as accurate, it did not comment on the details.
Photo courtesy of the Republic of the China Military Academy
There were 1,476 total admission slots, although there were more than 4,000 applications.
The 211 excess recruits are a record for the highest number of signups in the academies’ history.
It came as the ministry moves to improve benefits for personnel.
President William Lai (賴清德) in March announced plans to reform military pay, raising allowances for voluntary military service personnel and combat troops from April 1.
Category 1 combat units, which undergo the most rigorous training and have the most duties, saw an increase from NT$5,000 to NT$12,000.
The Legislative Yuan on June 10 also approved amendments to the Pay Act of the Armed Forces (軍人待遇條例), implementing a NT$30,000 monthly allowance for voluntary military personnel, up from NT$15,000.
The amendments go into effect on Jan. 1 next year.
Ministry spokesperson Major General Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said that the government places a lot of importance on the welfare of military personnel, leading to the adjustment in allowances.
At the beginning of this month, other benefits for personnel were implemented, such as providing them priority boarding on flights and upgrades to business class, if seats are available.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that ministries and agencies would coordinate other perks for active-duty service members to be launched in conjunction with private enterprises and venues.
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