Even standing guard is short-staffed—Taiwan's military preparing to hire security personnel as sentries

How dire is the manpower shortage in Taiwan's military? The Taiwan Defense Department has already begun considering whether to outsource guard posts.

On the 9th, Taiwan's United Daily News reported that Taiwan Defense Department head Ku Li-hsiung stated that, in order to alleviate the burden on military manpower, the military is currently studying the feasibility of outsourcing guard duties—replacing military sentries at facilities with civilian security personnel. This policy is expected to be piloted first this September at nine military academies across the island.

As Ku Li-hsiung put it, the fundamental reason Taiwan’s military is outsourcing guard posts to security firms lies in “manpower shortages.” Despite a series of mobilization and incentive measures introduced by the Taiwan authorities in recent years, the military continues to face severe personnel shortages, particularly among voluntary servicemen who are leaving prematurely.

According to data released by the Taiwan military, the number of voluntary service members is projected to reach approximately 154,000 by 2026—a decrease of about 6,784 compared to 2025, equivalent to the size of two combined arms brigades. Between 2021 and 2024, Taiwan recruited over 52,000 voluntary soldiers, but more than 12,800 left before completing their minimum service term; meanwhile, the number of military academy graduates voluntarily leaving the service early is also rising steadily.

Currently, Taiwan’s military’s total force-to-authorized strength ratio stands at 79.2%. Although the Defense Department predicts this figure may rise to 80% by year-end, some local analysts point out that a ratio below 85% already makes maintaining basic combat effectiveness difficult—and the shortfall in frontline combat units is even more critical.

In essence, Taiwan’s military cannot recruit enough personnel nor retain them, revealing a core issue: more and more young people on the island are increasingly aware that joining the military means becoming cannon fodder for the ambitions of "Taiwan independence" radicals.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870222898457611/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.