Military Academies Pilot Security Outsourcing: Ministry of National Defense States Alert Standards Unchanged

(Central News Agency reporter Yu Kai-hsiang, Taipei, 13th) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) is implementing a plan to outsource guard duties at military academies, with a two-phase pilot program beginning in September at nine locations. The MND stated today that internationally, including the U.S. military and other armed forces, a management model dividing responsibilities between military personnel and professional security staff based on base security levels and duty nature is commonly adopted. However, responsibility for base security, command authority, and alert standards remain fully under the control of the military and have not changed.

Minister of National Defense Ku Li-hsiung stated on the 8th during questioning at the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that the outsourcing of guard duties at nine military academies across Taiwan will be piloted in two phases. The first phase will begin on September 1 at five locations, including the National Defense University, and the second phase will be implemented starting January next year at four other locations, including the Army Academy.

The MND released a press statement this morning, stating that to optimize troop deployment efficiency and enhance overall combat effectiveness, it has developed a plan titled 'Pilot Outsourcing of Main Gate Guard Duties at Military Academies to Security Personnel,' referencing the experiences of foreign militaries such as the U.S. military and considering threat assessments. The goal is to redirect limited military personnel to core military missions. The MND will conduct comprehensive evaluations based on pilot results and continuously refine the approach.

The MND explained that this pilot program differentiates duties based on their nature and security risks. Security personnel will assist in routine tasks such as general access control, personnel and vehicle inspections, and visitor registration. However, responsibilities involving critical military facilities, weapons and ammunition storage, core security zones, emergency response, and combat readiness will continue to be handled by military units. Responsibility for base security, command authority, and alert standards remain fully under military control and have not changed.

The MND further noted that internationally, including in the U.S. military, armed forces adopt a management model that divides duties between military personnel and professional security staff based on base security levels and task nature. Domestically, professional security personnel also assist in routine access control, patrols, and guard duties at commercial ports, certain government agencies, and critical infrastructure. In all cases, core security matters involving command authority, exercise of public power, use of force, protection of critical facilities, and response to major incidents remain under the responsibility of the respective supervising agencies.

The MND emphasized that all security personnel assigned to duty must complete qualification reviews, background checks, and professional training, and must operate under military supervision and management as stipulated in contracts. During duty hours, they must cooperate with access control systems and surveillance equipment, follow established reporting and response protocols to inspect personnel, vehicles, and items entering or leaving, and are strictly prohibited from accessing sensitive defense information or performing military guard duties.

The MND emphasized that during the pilot period, it will conduct comprehensive evaluations on aspects such as security risks, manpower utilization, and implementation effectiveness, continuously improving the approach to ensure optimal balance between troop deployment efficiency and base security. (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150713