The China Post
Date: September 16, 2016
By: Joseph Yeh
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced that it would soon introduce a “weekend
This undated file photograph taken at a Northern Taiwan military base shows a view of a military parade. (Joseph Yeh, The China Post)
warrior” program to boost the nation’s combat readiness.
In an announcement made on its official website earlier this month, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it was now drafting a reservist short-term voluntary service program in order to sharpen reservists’ combat readiness.
The program will be officially launched next year, with reservists making use of holidays or weekends to return to select military bases to sharpen their combat and related skills, it added.
MND said it conducted surveys on reservists during their muster-calls from late May to early July this year to collect feedback about the proposal.
MND encouraged those with questions or suggestions about the program to write letters to the ministry to express their views. It also urged interested candidates to apply after the program’s official launch.
Local media reports said the program design was based on the example of the U.S. National Guard.
The participants of the program can continue to hold regular jobs on weekdays, but are required to report to the camp one weekend per month for training. [FULL STORY]
