"Female Reservists Also Undergo Shooting and CBRN Training: Taiwan's Choice Amid Invasion Threat"

Extending the Mandatory Service Period from 4 Months to 1 Year

Amid rising military tensions between China and Taiwan over the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the Taiwanese military has begun its first female reserve training. Taiwan, which operates a conscription system, is facing difficulties in securing military personnel due to low birth rates and short service periods, similar to South Korea. In response, Taiwan is strengthening its national defense by mobilizing female reservists as well.

According to Taiwan Central News Agency (CNA) on the 8th, 14 female reservists started a 46-hour training program over five days beginning at noon that day.

They belong to a male reserve infantry battalion (500 personnel) and will undergo marching, shooting, specialty training, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) training, and combat exercises alongside male reservists. Prior to the training, the Taiwanese military prepared separate accommodations, restrooms, and shower facilities specifically for female reservists.

The Taiwanese military plans to significantly increase the number of female reservists starting with this training. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, they intend to request 220 female soldiers who were discharged this year to undergo reserve training.

A Taiwanese military official told the news agency, "The female reservists have arrived and reported at the operational area within the Bade (八德) district of Taoyuan (桃園) in northern Taiwan. After measuring body temperature and conducting rapid COVID-19 tests, they will confirm their specialties, receive equipment, and then begin training."

15% of Active Duty Personnel Are Female; Reserve Duty Not Mandatory After Discharge

The government is rushing related measures, such as increasing the size of the mobilized reserve forces and extending the military service period from the existing 4 months to 1 year (to be implemented from January next year).
[Photo by AFP·Yonhap News]

Among Taiwan’s 180,000 active-duty personnel, about 15% are female soldiers. While they can join the reserves after discharge, unlike men, it is not mandatory. As of 2021, 8,915 discharged female soldiers were registered as reservists in Taiwan.

However, unlike male veterans, these women had not previously undergone separate reserve training due to a lack of sufficient training facilities that could accommodate men and women separately. But facing a sharp decline in military personnel resources, the Taiwanese military has now started to activate female reservists.

In addition, the Taiwanese government is accelerating related measures such as increasing the size of the mobilization reserves and extending the mandatory military service period from the current four months to one year (starting January next year). This is based on the assessment that the security crisis is severe, especially as the Chinese People's Liberation Army has recently conducted large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan.

Taiwan’s mobilization reserves total 118,000 personnel, including 96,000 under the old system (once every two years for 5 to 7 days) and 22,000 under the new system (once a year for 14 days). Going forward, the age for mobilization reserve training will be extended from the 8th year after discharge to the 15th year, increasing the total reserve force to 260,000. Accordingly, the number of reserve brigades will rise from seven to twelve.

Furthermore, starting this year, the Taiwanese military plans to replace the existing shooting training at fixed targets on the shooting range with more realistic shooting exercises involving moving targets during reserve training to enhance combat capabilities, according to local media reports.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.