Taiwan's military is struggling to fill its ranks as the pool of young men shrinks, and the Defense Ministry is rolling out 14 measures to slow the bleeding.

• The number of draft-eligible young men is expected to fall below 80,000 next year, a direct result of Taiwan's falling birth rate.
• Recruitment has dropped three years running, from 18,900 new sign-ups in 2023 to 17,113 last year.
• The Defense Ministry has signed recruiting deals with 116 universities and 432 high schools and vocational schools to reach students earlier.
• Bigger signing bonuses, higher pay for volunteer soldiers, and cash rewards for troops who refer friends and family are all on the table.
• Recruiters now face monthly and quarterly quotas, with underperformers replaced and top performers publicly rewarded.

Outlook: Even with better pay, barracks upgrades, and clearer promotion paths, demographics work against the military, so staffing levels look set to stay tight.