Retired US Generals Observe Taiwan's Civil Defense Training, Urge Citizens to Engage in Emergency Response Services
The Formosa Association invited retired generals from the US, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines to observe Taiwan's 2026 civil defense joint training in Nantou. The exercise simulated a Chinese People's Liberation Army attack on Taiwan, covering tasks like casualty rescue and civilian evacuation. Retired General Mark Montgomery was impressed by the public's enthusiastic participation and suggested that citizens aged 19 to 60 should engage in public services such as medical, civil defense, emergency response, and reserves on a part-time basis.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 12, 2026 at 20:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 12, 2026 at 21:00 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 19:34 (70h 34m after Collected)
The Formosa Association today invited retired US Army Generals Charles Flynn and Mark Montgomery, former Japan Self-Defense Forces Chief of Staff Shigeru Iwasaki, former retired Japanese Generals Tomohisa Takei and Kiyofumi Iwata, former Philippine Army Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Leodevic B. Guinid, and former South Korean Army General Im Ho-young, among other retired generals from various countries, to Nantou Zhongliao to observe the 2026 Civil Defense Joint Training. They also engaged in exchanges with domestic and international experts, scholars, and Taiwanese civil defense groups.
Liu Yu-hsi, convener of the Civil Defense Joint Training and member of the Presidential Office's All-out Defense Resilience Committee, briefed the retired generals on the exercise scenario. The scenario envisioned a Chinese People's Liberation Army attack on Taiwan from 36 days before the landing to the day of the landing, with attack types including blockade, air raids, fifth column activities, and harassment. Various civil defense groups participating in the joint training cooperated with the national army in combat casualty care, assisted in civilian evacuation, established emergency medical stations and disaster shelters, and conducted community security patrols. Self-trained reservists also played the roles of national army, PLA, and fifth column forces to simulate combat situations.
Retired generals from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines observed combat casualty care during the civil defense exercise. Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-wei photographed the event on April 12, 2026. Retired generals from various countries exchanged practical experiences at the training site and showed concern for the details of the participants' training. South Korea, like Taiwan, implements a conscription system, and Im Ho-young shared with retired generals from other countries the reserve training and civil defense tasks that Korean servicemen need to participate in after returning home from military service.
Montgomery, who has long followed the situation in Taiwan, told a Central News Agency reporter that he was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of the Taiwanese people in participating in civil defense training. He found it admirable to see the public fully committed to such an important mission, given the difficulty of the imagined tasks.
Regarding how Taiwan can further integrate military and civilian efforts to promote all-out defense, Montgomery stated that Taiwan must strive to improve its reserve forces and build more effective reserve units. He noted that Taiwan's civil defense forces have already performed excellently in responding to disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons, making the integration of civil defense and reserve forces crucial, though it will require significant effort.
Montgomery said that based on Taiwan's current situation and the threats it faces, every citizen aged 19 to 60 should at least participate in public services such as medical, civil defense, emergency response, and reserves on a part-time basis.
Some foreign retired generals also privately stated that given Taiwan's current situation, military-civilian integration is very important, and if citizens have the opportunity, they should also learn military skills that could be used in the event of war.
Guinid said in an interview that the direction of this civil defense joint training is correct, and the scenario is close to actual combat. He added that Taiwan's civil defense belonging to the Ministry of Interior is a correct decision because it will not interfere with the operation of the Ministry of National Defense during wartime, and the civil defense department will be responsible for wartime evacuation and casualty transport. He also suggested developing a dedicated app to record and mark casualty information in detail, so that doctors do not need to re-triage patients upon reception. (Editors: Lin Ke-lun, Yang Kai-xiang) April 12, 2026.
Liu Yu-hsi, convener of the Civil Defense Joint Training and member of the Presidential Office's All-out Defense Resilience Committee, briefed the retired generals on the exercise scenario. The scenario envisioned a Chinese People's Liberation Army attack on Taiwan from 36 days before the landing to the day of the landing, with attack types including blockade, air raids, fifth column activities, and harassment. Various civil defense groups participating in the joint training cooperated with the national army in combat casualty care, assisted in civilian evacuation, established emergency medical stations and disaster shelters, and conducted community security patrols. Self-trained reservists also played the roles of national army, PLA, and fifth column forces to simulate combat situations.
Retired generals from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines observed combat casualty care during the civil defense exercise. Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-wei photographed the event on April 12, 2026. Retired generals from various countries exchanged practical experiences at the training site and showed concern for the details of the participants' training. South Korea, like Taiwan, implements a conscription system, and Im Ho-young shared with retired generals from other countries the reserve training and civil defense tasks that Korean servicemen need to participate in after returning home from military service.
Montgomery, who has long followed the situation in Taiwan, told a Central News Agency reporter that he was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of the Taiwanese people in participating in civil defense training. He found it admirable to see the public fully committed to such an important mission, given the difficulty of the imagined tasks.
Regarding how Taiwan can further integrate military and civilian efforts to promote all-out defense, Montgomery stated that Taiwan must strive to improve its reserve forces and build more effective reserve units. He noted that Taiwan's civil defense forces have already performed excellently in responding to disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons, making the integration of civil defense and reserve forces crucial, though it will require significant effort.
Montgomery said that based on Taiwan's current situation and the threats it faces, every citizen aged 19 to 60 should at least participate in public services such as medical, civil defense, emergency response, and reserves on a part-time basis.
Some foreign retired generals also privately stated that given Taiwan's current situation, military-civilian integration is very important, and if citizens have the opportunity, they should also learn military skills that could be used in the event of war.
Guinid said in an interview that the direction of this civil defense joint training is correct, and the scenario is close to actual combat. He added that Taiwan's civil defense belonging to the Ministry of Interior is a correct decision because it will not interfere with the operation of the Ministry of National Defense during wartime, and the civil defense department will be responsible for wartime evacuation and casualty transport. He also suggested developing a dedicated app to record and mark casualty information in detail, so that doctors do not need to re-triage patients upon reception. (Editors: Lin Ke-lun, Yang Kai-xiang) April 12, 2026.
FAQ
Where was the 2026 Civil Defense Joint Training held?
It was held in Nantou Zhongliao, Taiwan.
What was the main purpose of the civil defense training?
The main purpose was to simulate a Chinese People's Liberation Army attack on Taiwan and train for tasks such as combat casualty care, evacuation assistance, and setting up emergency medical stations.
What did retired General Montgomery suggest regarding Taiwan's civil defense?
He suggested that citizens aged 19 to 60 should participate in public services such as medical, civil defense, emergency response, and reserves on a part-time basis.