Taiwan's Military Faces Significant Early Departures: Over 12,000 Soldiers Leave Service Early, Costing Nearly NT$900 Million

A substantial number of volunteer soldiers in Taiwan are opting to leave their service before completing their mandatory term, leading to significant financial penalties and raising questions about retention.

The Legislative Yuan's budget center has reported that between 2021 and 2024, Taiwan's armed forces recruited 52,674 volunteer soldiers. However, a considerable number, totaling 12,884 individuals, chose to leave their service before fulfilling the minimum active duty term. This represents 24.47% of the recruited volunteer soldiers during the same period. These early departures have resulted in compensation payments amounting to NT$895.96 million, highlighting a persistent issue of high early retirement rates among volunteer personnel.

The budget center's findings indicate that while the recruitment rate for volunteer soldiers was as high as 105.34% in 2021, subsequent years saw a decline. The recruitment rates for 2022, 2023, and 2024 were 88.61%, 98.41%, and 91.1% respectively, indicating that the number of recruited volunteer soldiers has consistently fallen short of planned targets. Furthermore, the substantial number of soldiers leaving early, as detailed above, underscores a significant challenge in retaining personnel within the armed forces.