The Ministry of National Defense should consider how to more effectively use senior military professionals. Apart from nurturing talent, professors at the National Defense University (NDU) can assist the ministry in strategic planning and defense policy analysis. If Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) doctorate holders were effectively recruited, the institute would become a world-renowned think tank for cross-strait military research
Recently, five Chung Cheng Institute of Technology academics at the NDU applied to be discharged. All of them earned their doctorates from prestigious institutions, and three planned to continue their careers at other universities after being promoted to full professor or colonel.
However, the university rejected their requests, which aroused doubts about obstructing their career and depriving them of the right to work.
Later, legislators became involved and held a press conference. They told the NDU to approve the professors’ applications before Aug. 16 to avoid contravening their employment rights.
The NDU is the largest military academy in Taiwan. It aims to nurture talent in many aspects: strategic planning, army tactics, defense technology, resources management, and legal and political warfare.
It is not easy to nurture quality talent. However, these five professionals chose to leave the military academy despite having three to nine years before their term of service ends.
They are specialists in science and technology and were funded by the government. This is not only a brain drain in the university, but also in the ministry.
The government should not overlook this important issue.
Senior management positions in the university, including the president, vice president and education chief, are filled by an admiral, lieutenant general and major general respectively, but the term of service is short, which does not favor reform and development at the university.
The NDU has had 11 presidents in the past 20 years. Only three of them held the position for more than two years and many resigned after less than one year. It was the same for vice presidents. Many left in three to six months.
The term of service needs to be longer for a president to push through reforms or to gain insight into long-standing problems.
I suggest that the ministry create a “permanent civil vice president” position by amending the Organization Regulations of the National Defense University (國防大學組織規程).
The position holder would assist the president in handling school affairs and military professors’ problems and needs, and help to nurture the university’s top academic researchers and strategists.
This is not an exceptional case of brain drain. Taiwan should take the problem seriously to avoid losing more senior military talents.
The ministry could offer job opportunities for those who want to leave the university. Departments and agencies in the ministry and the INDSR are places where they can give full play to their capabilities.
There should be a plan to fully make use of these high-tech talents, such as by allowing them to stay in the national defense community so that they can contribute to our country with their military expertise.
This is a huge challenge for the civilian minister to get right.
Yao Chung-yuan is an adjunct professor and former deputy director of the Ministry of National Defense’s strategic planning department.
Translated by Fion Khan
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