Well, that’s something at least.
I’ll agree, soldiering isn’t for everyone, but it is a profession that demands a little more respect than what you give it.
And in a country where we have to give up our original passports to gain citizenship (and do military service), I think it would be fitting if “citizens” who dodged military service were deprived of some of their rights of citizenship until they served.
While hiding out in college for all those years is not wise, you say you have a job so good on you. Anyone who manages to avoid serving in the military gets a round of applause from me. :bravo: If there were more like you, the world would be a much better place.
Indeed, if everyone was doing it. But I guarantee you there will be at least one wolf around the corner with sharp teeth.
Why? There will alwys be armies around. And most countries have an army, theirs, or somebody elses.
I guess CF IMAGES would like to be ruled by the PRC Army lol.
But as a foreigner in Taiwan it’s always easy to say anything about an army you would never get to serve in.
If you guys are so in love with rules, regulations, “serving” and “duty”, get married. You don’t need the military to give you these freedoms.
[quote=“Satellite TV”]
But as a foreigner in Taiwan it’s always easy to say anything about an army you would never get to serve in.[/quote]
Did you serve in Taiwan’s army? How was it? You could provide a lot of helpful info to the young 'uns.
Now if the OP has not done military service then whyso long to complete the PHd… Graduate high school at 18… 4 years for bacherls 22… masters 2 years at 24 or say 25… phd finishes by 28…
32 year old mommas strawberry boy still cant get education finished… will be a 40 year old student still trying to avoid the draft…
Yes… sure is a sound career move… 
Oh yeah, this is a sensitive issue. Army is a 1 1/2 year of commitment and duties, being a husband is a lifetime prison with the woman clamping my ankle with the old ball and chain (if the cute adorable girl morph into a screaming old lady after the honeymoon).
Why? There will alwys be armies around. And most countries have an army, theirs, or somebody elses.
I guess CF IMAGES would like to be ruled by the PRC Army lol.
But as a foreigner in Taiwan it’s always easy to say anything about an army you would never get to serve in.[/quote]
I’d say the same thing about the Australian army. Wouldn’t matter if Aust were being invaded by another country, I still wouldn’t join the military.
Oh yeah, this is a sensitive issue. [color=#FF0000]Army is a 1 1/2 year of commitment and duties[/color], being a husband is a lifetime prison with the woman clamping my ankle with the old ball and chain (if the cute adorable girl morph into a screaming old lady after the honeymoon).[/quote] 
Actually, it’s less than a year already.
Edit: What kind of women do you hang around? Although, I find it fantastical that you get any at all, what with your manly views and and logic regarding a mere one year of service (vs 14 years after school and still living in girlish fear of the draft).
Why? There will alwys be armies around. And most countries have an army, theirs, or somebody elses.
I guess CF IMAGES would like to be ruled by the PRC Army lol.
But as a foreigner in Taiwan it’s always easy to say anything about an army you would never get to serve in.[/quote]
I’d say the same thing about the Australian army. Wouldn’t matter [color=#FF0000]if Aust were being invaded by another country, I still wouldn’t join the military[/color].[/quote]
Seems Churchill was right afterall.
I’m sorry, is it just me or have all the f***ing men died? It’s been made abundantly clear in similar threads that you don’t actually have to serve in the Armed forces, there are other options. I don’t know what I find worse, hiding from service in your thirties or people who see nothing wrong with that. We have mountains of threads on the evils of the PRC ravenously eyeing Taiwan across the straits, but when some guy proudly tells us of how he’s still hiding at 32 we have folks who say, “hear!! Hear!!” :bravo: :bravo: “What a man!”
If anyone still believes this island wont be part of the PRC in the next generation, then you’re deluded.
[quote=“bismarck”]
Seems Churchill was right afterall.
I’m sorry, is it just me or have all the f***ing men died?[/quote]
Gandhi lived to the motto “ahimsa paramo dharma”. It translates roughly as “non-violence is the highest virtue”.
A patch of land is not worth killing for.
[quote=“cfimages”][quote=“bismarck”]
Seems Churchill was right afterall.
I’m sorry, is it just me or have all the f***ing men died?[/quote]
Gandhi lived to the motto “ahimsa paramo dharma”. It translates roughly as “non-violence is the highest virtue”.
A patch of land is not worth killing for.[/quote]
I wonder if you still would’ve held that view if the boys who died holding off the Japanese from invading Australia had shared your views, or if the Americans had felt similarly after Pearl Harbor.
Gandhi’s ideas of non-violent resistance only worked because he had a population of 200 million verses a few thousand British soldiers, functioning within the realm of a colonial system that was way past it’s sell by date. I wonder if he would’ve maintained that opinion if a million man Chinese army had poured into India slaughtering every living thing to take a patch of land that “isn’t worth killing/dying for.”
And are things like freedom, liberty and democracy no longer worth defending from invaders neither? Shit, if we held this view seventy years ago we could’ve saved millions of lives and just let the Nazi’s have Europe. Afterall, they were just looking for a little Lebensraum. Hardly a principle worth killing for.
It may serve our purposes here to remember that the Rape of Nanjing and countless other atrocities in Europe and Asia during the war occurred only because the regions/countries in question didn’t have the means to defend themselves.
Besides which, no one is asking him to kill anyone for a “patch of land”. His country requires a few months of service, which needn’t be in the military. Instead, he’s opted to be a perpetual student to avoid the draft and proudly tells of how at 32 his job at least helps him to pay for his studies. Whereas he could serve in another service (like NIA), and actually do something he might find useful, build contacts, make new friends and then get on with his life without having to think about it anymore.
With less than one year in the army, and all the male taiwanese soldiers (add the women soldiers also, if any) to fight against China army, with our junk, outdate weapons bought from US doesn’t sound very promising. Besides many politicians and leaders with funds and family (and green cards or whatever) in their hidden agenda doesn’t encourage the people here. Those who have the means are doing like the politicians in Taiwan, preparing a safe escape plan.
Sad, but true.
I’m glad I can say that I was a soldier once. And a proud one. A dying species, it appears. :neutral:
I used to know some guys in filmmaking circles who deliberately gained weight and did other things to their bodies to get out of military service years and years ago (and I wonder how many of them are facing or will face health problems as a result). The way they boasted of doing so, however, seemed to indicate that they actually felt a little ashamed and needed some kind of public approval to feel better about it. Perhaps this is the same kind of thing; I don’t know. On the other hand, I do find it interesting that some posters here who haven’t served themselves making fun of this guy, though I can of course understand where they are coming from, and from what I hear military service here is much easier and shorter-term than it used to be, and there are also alternative service options.
Did you serve in Taiwan’s army? How was it? You could provide a lot of helpful info to the young 'uns.[/quote]
It was wonderful. Got to see the country areas.
And this thing about a wolf around the corner, I believe the wolf is actually living inside Taiwan. From the peoples taxes, the politicians here, Ah-Bian jr. can get money for his rolex, limos, big wedding feast, diamonds for the wives, daughters studying abroad, houses and apartments in States or wherever else, now the men also need to give their blood to fight the China army because, hey they are the “enemy”! Our tax money is already feeding their luxuries and it is not enough, we also need to give our lives proudly. Legislators earning too much money, many kids can’t pay their school food, legislators don’t want reduction in their salaries to “help”, their help is screaming and passing the blame to someone else, and pocketing money enough to leave the country while telling the people and the soldiers “LOVE TAIWAN” and trying to convince that the enemy is the wolf across the sea that is going to take over our lands, money and life. And many believe.
So you need to blame everything else on society in order to not serve some time for your country.
Purerly pathetic imho. Can’t wait to see your resume… Graduated high school, then spent 17 years avoiding the draft by extended studies… lol
This has nothing to do with the wolf around the corner excuse.
Did you serve in Taiwan’s army? How was it? You could provide a lot of helpful info to the young 'uns.[/quote]
It was wonderful. Got to see the country areas.[/quote]
Didn’t know you’d done your service here. Welcome to the club. 
Sorry PG I was revving up Buttermelt a bit. Some of the less fortunate such as myself and Cooling Tower did not get to serve full time. If you have served before in an army overseas you cannot do so again in Taiwan. Some of us are too old or too lame to be physically fit enough to serve as frontline troops.
However we can still be called up for the 2 week reservists spells. They have a lottery draw where a few lucky ones get to go play for 2 weeks. Tin Soldiers an all.
Regardless of that… it’s not like we ever purposefully shirked our responsibilities. Once you are over 35 you are not generally drafted… and I didnt get my ID card till I was 39 I think. Turning 50 this year so dont need to run around throwing nades every year.
However, my wifes brother who was originally excluded from service as his father died when he was a young teenager and he is the only son, was at 27 year old drafted. As he had previously been studying Medicine, going off to the army was something he just got out of the way.