“replacement service” is what Andrew did, and it will be 12 days.
I guess what Andrew applied is 補充兵役 (Replacement Service: military training shorter than 2 months) due to 家庭因素 (family problem). You are classified to 替代役體位 (Substitute Service Category) due to your physical/medical condition, and will do the replacement service which is a military training shorter that 2 months. If your birth year were before 民國83, you would do alternative service for the period about 1 year.
i guess we all got confused with this one, especially me.
my friend from work called them to ask, they confirmed it’s 12 days conscript then they asked if i would like to start on April 9 which is the next available schedule, so i took it.
i really do tried hard on this one… maybe I’m so confused with the process and their system that’s why i came here for information. I apologize if i keep on asking you guys. i just really don’t know what to do… maybe most of us really don’t know since we didn’t grew up here…
i also feel like i have developed anxiety. I habe not stop thinking about this military processes ever since i started it haha and i can’t get a good sleep. that’s another reason i keep on asking.
I’m not angry or anything. I’m just explaining my self… i just really don’t have a family here that could help me. i just usually seek my friends at work, but of course they have work so they can’t always assist me.
@Andrew0409, thank you a lot! you have been a huge help to me… sorry if i keep on disturbing haha. maybe i would make my own forum with my experience and the procedures, might help someone in the future. you guys might want to know as well…
@tando, thank you as well! your explaination make it much clearer for me!
Congratulations on finding out what you wanted to hear for your conscription.
Your slipped disk a permanent affliction or are you getting ongoing long-term treatment?
From my experience, it can be minor or major, and even a major slipped disk can be “snipped”.
Your slipped disk to the point of sending ‘false’ pain signals to your brain due to it hitting a nerve in your back?
i guess it’s permanent since my doctor explained to me that it can’t be cure.
And yes it is hitting my nerves that most of the time i feel pain from my back to both of my legs.
therapy is the only treatment suggested to me, just to reduce the pain. as they explained that therapy would align my nerves to it’s proper position.
Read carefully of the things I said to bring. Coins coins coins!!! For the vending machine. Ask me any questions.
And I hope you’re a non smoker.
Make sure you make friends right away if you can’t read and write well. There are parts where I had to write a lot and I couldn’t. I had my friends write for me. Or at least have something to trade them for their help.
And just sit out for any activity so you don’t mess up your back during it. It’s BS and they don’t know anything about your physical condition and their knowledge of medical shit is backwards. Just sit out. They can’t do anything about it. Obviously don’t sit out when it’s a group thing like cleaning. But any physical activity they make you do. Just don’t do it. Don’t even kneel, I didn’t because my knee. I just stood up and said I was going to because it hurts my knee to. And someone may have said I’m a national athlete and I didn’t correct them so no one messsed with me lol.
Yes, they recruit you as well and you can enlist during your time. Honestly whole thing is just a 12 day recruitment process. Everyday they give you some info and someone talks to you about the benefits.
The salary isn’t bad considering what an average college grad makes out of school. They will also pay for your education and help you become a officer with a salary bump. Free utilities like water and electricity while in service. Money for a house. Your kids go to college for free. Stuff like that. Honestly don’t know why more men and women don’t do it considering it’s actually not bad and you don’t even have to see combat like say the US.
thanks @Andrew0409
i sure will, I’ll review your post again then maybe make a list of questions first before i ask you so I won’t keep on asking haha. I’m having a lot questions right now in my thoughts…
and my doctor, i think the term is orthopedic…
my doctor in Philippines and the one i talked with here in Taiwan told me the same thing… i can have a surgery, it’s only optional if i really can’t bare the pain. right now, seems like i can handle it so i habe no plans on doing that surgery
Lowest rank of private makes 34k a month. Officers start around 50-60k. You can get up to 20k more a month being in one of those islands. So you can make 54K as a private with no college education if you go to one of the island. And I think your salary isn’t taxed or is taxed less?
Not bad considering in service they pay your rent and housing and utilities. Plus they feed you when stationed. Retirement is also pretty comfy. Not bad for the average Taiwanese.
That’s why the military may be seeing more females joining for the long term.
Same thing goes for the police force. In last decade or so I’ve noticed a big uptick in females police officers out and about around town on scooters, etc.
They realize that the benefits are pretty decent versus the risk.
Yes, there are a lot of non combative soldiers that are neeeded in the military. Specialist and analysist, logistics people, etc. it isn’t all like people running around training for combat. And to be able to make 34k without an college education in Taiwan and have a huge chunk of your expenses covered so you actually save money is rare in Taiwan. And 34k is just the min starting out as a private. You start to make 50-60 if you have a college degree or they will help you get one so you can become an officer and many officers just do office type work. Your pension is good and the country takes a lot of finacial burdens off you. However you do have to give a lot of your life to your job in the military. It isn’t a joke and criminal offenses are judge under military court. So like if you drink and drive, your penalty is much higher and you can lose your rank, get discharged with no benefits and see military prison. So it takes a lot of discipline and your life.
Yeah, and this isn’t a job. You can’t give your notice and just quit. You’ll go to military prison if you refuse to do it lol.
Taiwan also isn’t all that patriotic about military personal. In fact some of the views of them are negative so that’s why I personally don’t want to join. And plus you don’t get cool uniforms. The military should really do a better job with good looking uniforms. And you can’t wear them offsite on leave and pick up chicks you know. Plus it’s too ugly to. Korea has upped their game in military uniforms and the guys there are taking advantage from what I heard haha.
And I don’t know who’s in charge of the fitness requirements and stuff. Our military looks frail as fuck. Maybe I can propose to the government to get me to whip up programs to beef them up. Some of the privates are fat and out of shape it’s ridiculous. They don’t know how to exercise and some of the things they told us to do is like bad and I told them that’s not how you should train lol.
@Andrew0409 yes they are MD and licensed, I’m positive about that. They have explained it clearly to me. Every doctor i have talked to also said the same thing, even the doctor from the therapy clinic and my mother’s friend who is also a doctor all of them are MD… i just got tired of it… thanks for the concern though
i have reviewed your story and so far this are the questions i have:
UNIFORMS
are you always in uniforms? like the green shirt you said. or do you got to change something comfortable on break times or sleeping time? like wearing shorts or sandos.
SHOWER
I’m sorry if this weird I’m just very concerned with hygiene haha. is it like a huge shower room where all of you take a shower together? or is it a cubicle type?
BAG
do i really have to use the ridiculous bag that they gave me? i was planning not to use it.
WRITING
you mentioned to be friendly so someone would help me with writing. are you referring to personal details such as address, parents name, etc. or there is something else along the way?
SIT OUT
you advised me to sit out when they asked me to do something? are you talking about the drills? like running, push ups, etc.
MEDICATION
will they ask too much about the medicine? because most of my medicine are not from here in taiwan. Most likely i will bring vitamins and some supplements for my back, and some basic for head ache, colds, diarrhea.
CLASSES
will it be a problem if i can’t understand most of it?
HAIRCUT
since they shaved your hair there. I guess it’s okay if i won’t bother having a haircut before my conscription?
btw i am very concerned about the hygiene part, especially when you said people are starting to get sick. i gues i better bring my own alcohol?
that’s all i got so far, since everything you shared seems to be clear and very helpful. thanks!
