Taiwan’s military volunteer staffing fell to 76.62% — South China Morning Post
In Taiwan, the staffing rate for military positions filled by volunteers stood at 76.62% at the end of June, below the 80% target. Personnel shortages affect infantry, artillery, missile and air defence units, among others, the South China Morning Post reports, citing assessments by the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center.
Shortages in frontline units
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the share of positions filled by volunteers reached 88.52% in 2020. It fell below 80% in 2023, stood at 75.93% in 2024, and was 77.31% at the end of last year.
Numerous Category I formations — elite units intended to operate on the front line in the event of a conflict — are staffed below 80%. They include army infantry, mechanized infantry, special, artillery, armored, anti-tank and territorial defence units. The problem also affects Marine Corps infantry, armored and artillery formations, naval and coastal missile units, Air Force missile units, and the 202nd Military Police Command.
New weapons require specialists
The Budget Center warned that personnel shortages could increase the workload on serving military personnel and complicate the training and retention of specialists needed to operate new weapons. Taiwan is accelerating military procurement amid growing pressure from China’s People’s Liberation Army.
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Max Lo, executive director of the Taiwan International Strategic Studies Society, said that with staffing below 80%, it would become increasingly difficult to train and retain enough operators for complex systems. In his view, the military should restructure its forces and reallocate personnel rather than attempt to fully staff the existing structure.
Analyst Liu De-yun said the shortage forces service members to extend their service time and operate systems with fewer personnel than prescribed. The heaviest burden, he said, falls on junior sergeants, who may simultaneously be responsible for personnel, discipline, training and administrative work.
Pilots and demographic pressure
Taiwan is receiving new US weapons, including 66 upgraded F-16V fighter jets. It plans to form another fighter wing for them and add 107 flight officers. The first two aircraft were delivered last week after repeated delays. The Air Force said pilot staffing exceeds 90%, but Chi Chung, a researcher at the Association for Strategic Foresight, warned of a shortage of experienced majors and lieutenant colonels needed to train young aviators and command missions.
The Budget Center also pointed to the demographic factor: the number of men eligible for compulsory service fell below 100,000 for the first time in 2023 and is forecast to decline to fewer than 80,000 next year. The Ministry of National Defense said it is seeking to reduce personnel losses, improve recruitment and retention, relax some entry requirements, increase allowances for several categories of service members, and improve military pay and living conditions.
