Taiwan’s defense minister vows to expand military counselors

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In response to a distressing rise in suicides within Taiwan's armed forces, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) vowed on Wednesday (April 24) to bolster the number of military counselors. This decision follows the alarming report of 16 cases of suicides or attempted suicides this year alone, culminating in at least 14 fatalities among the ranks.

Addressing the Crisis

The recent spike in suicides signifies a troubling trend, surpassing the annual average of just under 14 cases recorded from 2017 to 2022 among the 160,000-strong military personnel. The issue was brought into sharp focus following the tragic death of an army lieutenant surnamed Chang (張), who was discovered deceased in his vehicle in Chiayi County on Monday after not returning to base from a two-day leave. Minister Chiu described these incidents as "regrettable" and acknowledged that the causes behind the military personnel's decisions to take their own lives stem from various factors, not just service or disciplinary issues.

Policy and Response

Criticism has been directed at the Ministry of National Defense for not meeting its ambitious "zero suicides" policy goal, set in 2016. With the military facing scrutiny over its mental health support infrastructure, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) pointed out the inadequacy of having only about 400 counselors for the current force, especially with plans to increase troop numbers to 260,000 by 2029. Minister Chiu has committed to consulting with other agencies and experts to determine the necessary increase in military counselors and has promised to report back to the legislative committees within two months, aiming to address this critical issue head-on.

As Taiwan's military grapples with this pressing challenge, the commitment to expanding mental health resources signals a crucial step towards safeguarding the well-being of its personnel. The nation now watches closely as the Ministry of National Defense takes strides to fulfill its pledge and stem the tide of this tragic trend.