•Publication Date：03/13/2013
•Source： Taiwan Today
•By Rachel Chan
Redoubling efforts to hit recruitment targets and retain talented personnel are top priorities for the ROC Ministry of National Defense as the country moves toward an all-volunteer military.
“Achieving recruitment quotas and improving benefits are cornerstones of our armed forces personnel policy this year,” an MND official said March 12 while briefing the Legislative Yuan on the ministry’s Quadrennial Defense Review.
According to the official, the MND hopes to recruit 161,000 service members this year, including 3,058 females, up from 1,528 in 2012.
The ministry is also reviewing strategies and tweaking recruiting measures to attract more talented and qualified candidates, the official said.
Gradually raising the salaries of recruits and increasing payments to service members posted to outlying areas and battle groups are two initiatives under consideration. Another proposal would see more effort put into recruiting students for military schools and launching various training programs for enlisted personnel.
Separately, the MND said it has launched feasibility studies for building an indigenous diesel-electric submarine. Under a Legislative resolution issued last year, the ministry submitted a four-year research project to the National Defense Industrial Development Foundation.
“Diesel-electric submarines are an important item on our procurement list, which is currently subject to cross-agency review by the U.S.,” the official said.
“We are in close communication with relevant officials and will continue taking a pragmatic view on the matter as U.S. backing and assistance is necessary to buy or build the vessels.”
