This fellow, an ABC who thought serving in the military despite not being able to speak much Chinese was a good idea, seems to regret his decision:
More here: chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/nati … r-lays.htm
Book soon to be available in English. 
Probably sooner than mine, anyway.
What a crybaby! 
I’d hate to see the boys found unfit for duty. 
language barrier is the main problem
Poor basturd, but then he did volunteer for service.
They should get him a job as an english teacher.
WTF was that all about ?
A Taiwanese boy moved to New York State with his mother and later became a naturalized US citizen. His father, who remained in Taiwan, became ill in 2011. Therefore, he decided to come back to Taiwan in order to take care of his ailing father. Because he’s still a Taiwanese citizen and within the proper age for conscription, he had to do his military service. As you can see from this video, he can’t handle Taiwan’s military establishment. 
I have pity for the poor sod. Soldiers can be a tough lot on any weak link in the chain. I gather from the link the OP provided that the young chap was subject to ridicule because of his poor Mandarin. I wonder what help his NCOs and Officers provided, and whether they kept a close eye on any of his tormentors.
Of course he was ridiculed for his poor Mandarin but things are not bad in the military for him because of his poor Mandarin. things are bad for him because he is a complete pussy.
Jesus. I hope i’m not like that when i get called up…
Would you really rather go to jail? :loco:
But seriously though you think the language barrier would be a problem? I can’t read and write. But I can understand and speak a lot if I am put on the spot or when I’ve had a few pints. Will acting like you don’t understand mandarin help lol?
As said, it depends on the attitude. Got several friends who are not even originally from English speaking countries and whose Mandarin was less than perfect, but they managed to survive the army bit, dignity intact. But I have heard that yes, there is as much bullying as if it was high school. You could expect the same level of maturity…
As to what gets thrown in the President’s lap, well, what I have seen/heard… pity can’t tell you, some will make you laugh, some will make you cry…
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forumosa court of public opinion. I will now call an expert witness to the stand to give his personal and professional opinion regarding the case at hand.
This expert witness was born in Taiwan, immigrated to the United States during elementary school, grew up and was educated within the public education system and college. Shortly after college he returned to Taiwan and being of the legal age for conscription, was called up for duty. He reported for duty, he stood up like a man and walked through the hell fire that is Taiwan military service, with very limited Chinese ability at that time, and successfully and honorably completed his legal military obligation. He’s still alive.
Taiwan Luthiers…take the stand please.
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You’ve seen the Youtube video and heard the news story about this young man, isn’t that correct?
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Do you believe that this young man is truly fearful for his life and there truly exists a clear and present danger to his safety?
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Does systematic bullying exist within the Taiwan military to the extent at which this young man’s video would make us believe?
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Have you ever been a victim of, participated in, or witnessed any physical torture which could cause great bodily injury or death during your conscription time?
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Could this young man’s problems be related to his own arrogant behavior and attitude with his fellow conscripts. His failure to work as a team and/or putting his own selfish interests above others within his platoon? In essense, would you say that all of his problems are directly caused by himself and not the Taiwan military system?
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Do you believe that he’s simply just a crybaby momma’s boy who can’t cut the mustard and doesn’t want to?
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You survived the system. What were your secrets to success? Why is this young man failing?
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If you could speak directly to this young man, what would you say to him?
- You’ve seen the Youtube video and heard the news story about this young man, isn’t that correct?
I have not seen the youtube video… but I am not all that keen to looking at youtube videos. However I have seen the news story and it says since he has dual citizenship, he has no actual obligation to serve in the army, as in he has the option to get out of it. He chose to sign up because he felt it was his “duty”.
- Do you believe that this young man is truly fearful for his life and there truly exists a clear and present danger to his safety?
I don’t know, oftentimes the news does not give the complete story. However there are a lot of corruption in the military however the one thing they fear the most is media exposure because it causes all kinds of brass to descend on them like a vulture. Perhaps he’s being a crybaby for this reason.
- Does systematic bullying exist within the Taiwan military to the extent at which this young man’s video would make us believe?
It varies over 1000% depending on what units you get sent to. I heard stories that back in the day they can have you murdered and then reported you as AWOL. However there are so much media exposure with respect to conscription that any incident that happens to a unit will have the brass look at them with a microscope. Especially bad are the death of any soldier, so they try to avoid that, because everyone in the chain of command will be punished for it. This is also the reason why boot camp is a joke here.
- Have you ever been a victim of, participated in, or witnessed any physical torture which could cause great bodily injury or death during your conscription time?
No, other than some touching here and there (and there was an incident involving sexual harrassment in my unit long after my departure, which was obviously reported in the news), there have been no incident of torture. Someone in my unit was sent to the stockade, but that was because he was a real asshole who had no respect for the chain of command. Another incident that happened was the lieutenant CO physically assaulted the CO, and it got reported to the higher up, and both of them got reassigned promptly (and the lieutenant probably got court martial).
- Could this young man’s problems be related to his own arrogant behavior and attitude with his fellow conscripts. His failure to work as a team and/or putting his own selfish interests above others within his platoon? In essense, would you say that all of his problems are directly caused by himself and not the Taiwan military system?
It’s hard to say. The news story did not mention which unit he was a part of because things vary a lot depending on the unit you are in. If he pulled his weight and was a proper soldier I can’t imagine anyone picking on him, but if he was being arrogant and crybabyish then he would be picked on in just about any military in the world. And do not think bullying and hazing do not happen in the US Military, it happens too. The difference is that you can’t get into the US military unless you prove that you are a soldier. PT tests in the Taiwanese boot camp is a joke.
Also NCO’s in the Taiwanese military, particularly master sergeants are assholes. Military officers are nicer, to soldiers that is (I think they typically command NCO’s so they are meaner to NCO’s)
- Do you believe that he’s simply just a crybaby momma’s boy who can’t cut the mustard and doesn’t want to?
He didn’t have to join the army but he volunteered. I would imagine that if he did he must thought he could be a soldier. However I do not know what his physical fitness is like but I seriously don’t think they’d just let him in if he couldn’t do a single push-up. Things are typically harder if you enlist (rather than enter by conscription) because you are receiving better pay and benefit (like 50% off utilities for your family), you have to earn your keep. Maybe he just regretted his decision and thought throwing a tantrum would get him out of it… it’s not that simple.
- You survived the system. What were your secrets to success? Why is this young man failing?
I don’t know, follow orders? I didn’t do that well in the military and I barely survived. It’s not like that TV show “I survived” or “Locked Up” but you know, don’t draw attention to yourself, follow orders, and just “go with the flow”. My mandarin skill is better and the only thing I couldn’t do is write Chinese, also my family/relatives have extensive experience in the Taiwanese military (My dad is a retired Colonel, my uncle is a retired Lieutenant Colonel) so maybe that helped. I need more information from the guy to really say anything because the media never tells the whole story.
- If you could speak directly to this young man, what would you say to him?
All I can say is, if he signed up for it, then man up and finish the term.
That was very very insightful. Thanks a lot buddy.
To [quote]Taiwan Luthiers[/quote]
- Have I got time/ the possibility to postpone my conscription?
I’ve got a job now but still need to get called up. They did not call me last year as I entered Taiwan in September which apparently is “too late” in their calendar year. I’m 5 months into my new job and being a fresh graduate and all, I hope to complete more than a year before I do my term (March, 2014). What’s it like? They call you and you just go? I have dual citizenship and apparently I can somehow postpone it (According to my local rep office) for 6 months. If I don’t do it, I have to drop the Taiwan Passport which IMO is much better than the Indian one.
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“It varies over 1000% depending on what units you get sent to”. What do you mean by that? Is it the Infantry/Naval/Air Force classifications? Or the units inside those classifications?
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“No, other than some touching here and there”. Could you please elaborate on that? Dont judge, just want to be ready…
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“Taiwanese boot camp is a joke” Which is harder, the boot camp or after the boot camp? I heard the boot camp is solid and after that you get to relax a little bit. But i guess it’s not true?
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When did you do your term?
It means it varies a LOT depending on which company/battalion/regiment you go to. Some are very hard while other are easy. However bootcamp seems easier than the actual unit you would serve in because hazing is almost unheard of during boot camp. I did my term around 2004 when it was a year and 10 months.
[quote=“hs172”]That was very very insightful. Thanks a lot buddy.
I’ve got a job now but still need to get called up. They did not call me last year as I entered Taiwan in September which apparently is “too late” in their calendar year. I’m 5 months into my new job and being a fresh graduate and all, I hope to complete more than a year before I do my term (March, 2014). What’s it like? They call you and you just go? I have dual citizenship and apparently I can somehow postpone it (According to my local rep office) for 6 months. If I don’t do it, I have to drop the Taiwan Passport which IMO is much better than the Indian one. [/quote]
What year were you born? Before 1984 you could postpone conscription by doing “visa runs” every 4 months. You could also enter a school and get off that way.
really depends on what unit you are assigned to. but generally, life is easier after boot camp, but even more boring. right after you get assigned to a unit, you have to deal with a lot of crap, and learn to deal with the politics. Half way through you are no longer a noob and typically you can get out of doing a lot of things.
In my case it was a lot less training but a lot of running errands, moving lots of equipments up and down many flights of stairs (some of them very heavy). Sometimes I wonder what’s worse: Harsh training or not a lot to do but lots of politics. As a conscript you’re not really forced into as much politics (it depends on your job though, a book keeper has to put up with them for example) but as soon as you become an enlistee, the politics come like locusts. I tried asking my dad about this but he always dodge the question. I think there’s a lot of stuff they’re not really allowed to say without getting in serious trouble.