Reference Material of the third regular press conference of December 2016 of MND

1. Tentative Program for Reservists who voluntarily serve in the military camp

(1)Introduction

Due to the transformation of the system of military service, the standing forces are composed of voluntary persons in active forces, the retired voluntary reservists increased. Those are specialized in military affairs, quite different from serving in private companies. In order to improve the efficiency of military personnel and save the costs of training, the Ministry is currently promoting the projects of encouraging reservists to voluntarily serve as “holiday warriors” in the military camp. By convene training, the reservists mobilization momentum is gathered to achieve the objective of “few soldiers are raised in peace time, but enough soldiers may be mobilized in war time.”

(2) Tentative Program

Modernized war is characterized by “short early warning time and fast battle tempo. In order for reservists to keep touch with battle skill in peace time and be capable of paying due regard to their own post-retirement career, and in order to form a force immediately so as to meet the practical needs of war, the Ministry has planned to implement the existing practice of military convene training based on the willingness of reservists in 2017. In so doing, the Ministry will accumulate experience and therefore it may proceed and improve the practice in the future.

A. Ways of Registration:

From now on, reservists who meet the qualifications may fill out the application (as attached) and submit the application to the Armed Forces Reserve Commands located in any county or city; after being examined, the application will be subject to approval by each Command. Furthermore, reservists who have not yet retired from his military camp may also submit applications to his affiliated group.

B. Recruited:

Volunteer reservists who have been retired within eight years and who possess high-intermediate expertise, and active volunteers who have applied for retirement. The priority will be their original camp/force or the similar camps.

C. Requirements and qualification:

a. Nationality: applicants should possess ROC citizenship, and he should not possess other citizenship.

b. physical strength condition: applicants should be qualified for at least NO. 1 or NO. 2 as stipulated in the “Operating Procedure for classification of physical strength for military personnel”.

c. performance: applicants should get at least A degree in working performance within one to three years before he retires from the camp.

d. morality: applicants should never receive jail sentence, detention, rehabilitative Measures or compulsory rehabilitation.

D. Days in Camp:

The project of reservists voluntarily serving in the camp short-term will be carried out on a trial basis in 2017. In principle, the total time spent in the camp annually will be 29 days with “two days in the camp every month; a seven-day drill”. However, if there is mission requirement by the force/camp, subject to approval by the reservists, the force may increase or decrease total days in the camp.

E. Time in the camp:

Reservists will stay at the camp from 8AM to 5PM each day when he enters in the camp (he should comply with the regular hours of the force), and do not sleep at the camp/dorm in principle, except for those who live at a longer distance. As for the seven-day drill, he should spend his time in the camp from 8AM of the day he enters the camp to 5PM of the day he leaves, and should sleep at the camp; during this period, he should follow and comply with the drill tasks and regular hours of the force.

F. Order issuance for Convene Training:

Armed Forces Reserve Command in each county or city may issue order for convene trainings ten days before the Convene Day (reservists may provide the designated correspondence address instead of permanent address). In the meantime, the camp will notify the soldier of the date with telephone, text message, and communication software. Reservists may have official leave pursuant to Article 43 of Act of Military Service System in order to serve in the camp.

G. Trainings:

The objective is to restore his expertise and battle skills. The schedule for trainings will be formulated according to station trainings, operational readiness training, base trainings and annual significant drills. It will adopt the approach of “training by doing” and work together to facilitate the preparation work for mobilization.

H. alteration of identity:

Reservists who are under convene training are deemed as soldier in service. They are entitled to relevant rights and have relevant obligations, have to abide by relevant laws and regulations, and have the responsibility of protecting confidential information regarding public affairs for his life. Besides, reservists may not leave for mainland China during service in the military; reservists will not be banned from leaving for mainland China when he is not serving in the camp.

I. Exit Mechanism:

Reservists will not be eligible to serve in the camp if he does not meet physical requirements, fails to attend the convene trainings more than 3 times, uses drug, violates laws or leaves for mainland China during the period he is in the camp. The Command will no longer issue convene training to him, and he may not apply for voluntarily serving in the camp.

J. Salary:

The daily salary for them is the same as the voluntary soldier in service. They are also entitled to enjoy transportation fare, meal missing allowance insurance and compensation benefits/pension.

(3)Overview of implementation

A. Units:

Reservists who apply for voluntarily short-term military service will be first arranged to join the units listed in the following table. Other forces may also be considered to be the units when over 5 persons apply for joining the units.

B. Date for entrance in the camp:

The schedule will be arranged by the force that issues order of convene trainings. Currently, there are two kinds of entrance day: Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday, Sunday; their actual entrance date depends on the date of the order of convene trainings. As for the seven-day drill, the entrance date will be arranged by the force that issues order of convene training.

(4)Conclusion

The system for reservists to voluntarily serve in the camp will be verified on trial basis in 2017. The Ministry of National Defense encourages reservists to actively participate in national defense affairs, pave the foundation for all-out defense, and jointly defend national security. The Ministry will examine relevant measures and revise regulations in the hope of making the system more suitable for our country and further enhance the capability and readiness of our military.

2.Tentative Program for three standards for basic physical trainings and tests

(1) Origin

A. Since 2008, the army has established three basic physical strength tests (sit-ups, push-ups and 3000 meters running) and various alternative items. The ratio for eligibility has increased to 88.5% in 2016, up from 28.1% in 2009. The implementation has borne fruit.

B. Since the implementation of basic physical trainings and tests, the Ministry has collected the failure cases and analyzed their type of work and working environments. Among other, those who serve in the fleets, hospital or aged have more room for improvement due to the characteristics, working environments and physical conditions. Besides, since its implementation in 2010, some soldiers have gotten injured due to physical activities, self-trainings and tests. In order to lower the ratio of injuries, the Ministry has reviewed and revised the standards for various ages.

(2) Comparison of the revised standards for trainings and tests

A. After analyzing the 1.5 million tests and referring to standards of various countries, the Ministry has reviewed and adjusted the standards with adjusting age bracket from 4 years to 5 years.

B. after revising the standards, the ratio of injuries is expected to decrease

(3) Explanation for revisions

A. The Ministry has formulated different trainings items according to different tasks of different force. The basic physical strength trainings is listed as requirement, which aims to strengthen physical strength, stamina and perseverance. The adjustment of the standards is aimed to lower the ratio of injuries so as to facilitate the implementation of battle trainings.

B. The adjustment of standards for physical trainings and tests is not to reduce or weaken the strength of trainings; instead, this move is aimed to raise the willingness of soldiers to receive trainings on the safety basis, foster sports culture so as to effectively enhance the battle capability of our military.

C. The standards will be examined based on the physical strength and conditions of various ages of the army, and adjusted based on the medical, sports and scientific analysis, not just tailored for the aged.

D. The test for sit-ups, push-ups will be conducted using the current method. As for 3000 meter running, soldiers may choose any of these four methods: 3000 meter running, 5 kilometer hiking, 800 meter swimming, or 5 minutes rope skipping.

E. Soldiers who pass the test in station of physical strength test, base trainings or commands may be absolved from tests within one year.

F. The adjusted standards will be implemented on a trial basis for a year starting January 1, 2017. The standards will be regularly adjusted according to the conclusions from the results of tests, questionnaires and survey and research analysis.

(4)Conclusion

Soldiers are responsible for defending country and people. Considering “health management”, the implementation of physical strength training is aimed to effectively lower the ratio of injuries by encouraging soldiers to get into the habit of doing exercise and fitness trainings under multi-way, simple, and convenient circumstances of examinations in the hope of further fostering the sports culture. The Ministry of National Defense will carry out physical strength trainings in a steady way. The Ministry calls for support and encouragement.