Enhancing National Resilience through Civilian Training Evolution

Suddenly, this topic came to mind because I saw the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosting a GCTF (Global Cooperation and Training Framework) workshop. A recent theme was “Enhancing Civilian Capacity and Strengthening International Workshops." According to the AIT press release, this aligns with the newly established “Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee" at the Presidential Office, at least in terms of terminology.

This GCTF workshop was co-organized by the National Police Agency under the Ministry of the Interior. My immediate question was, what role does the National Police Agency play in “civilian training"? The police have many opportunities to interact with the public, and the formal civil defense is managed by the police. However, in recent years, the outdated civil defense system has been widely criticized. From former ministers Hsu Kuo-yung and Lin Yu-chang to the current minister, Liu Shih-fang, we have not observed any significant efforts by the National Police Agency in this area. The expansion of the Second Special Police Corps has little to do with civilians. The entire civilian sector, under the banner of “whole-society" defense, has been stirring restlessly but remains neglected.

This discrepancy has led to a surge in private training courses, creating a phenomenon of “a hundred flowers blooming." For those without formal training in any field, it is challenging to choose the right path.

Emerging Civil Defense Groups and Training Systems

In the past three years, many new self-proclaimed “civil defense" groups have emerged. From a long-term perspective, this is certainly a positive development, but in the short term, optimism is unwarranted. Some groups are well-known in certain social circles, while others are only known within specific systems. Regardless of their organizational structure, these groups share some common traits:

– Established for less than five years.

– Their internal training systems are still developing, some are exploratory, and some lack any system (but claim to have one).

– Most have not established long-term cooperative relationships with existing civil defense or disaster prevention organizations.

Of course, these issues are not unique to emerging civil defense groups. Many educational organizations face resource constraints, limiting the necessary training resources such as funding, equipment, and venues. Civil defense organizations may lack sufficient funds to purchase essential training equipment or pay instructors. Even with some resources, the “courses" offered by many civil defense organizations have not been tested in practical situations. For those seeking self-learning paths out of concern for “war disasters," their earnest expectations may remain unmet after multiple training sessions, let alone being practically useful.

Difficulty in Training Content and Program Development

Developing effective training programs is challenging, requiring a deep understanding of potential risks and threats. Emerging organizations may lack the experience and data support to formulate these plans, resulting in less targeted training.

Apart from a few exceptions, most core members of emerging organizations also lack long-term training and response experience. The development of response capabilities and educational standards indeed requires substantial practical experience. Having a good heart is noble, but it is insufficient to support the development of a training system within one’s group.

For “consumers," the common phenomenon observed in the past one or two years is akin to “shopping" for training modules, colloquially referred to as “grouping together for classes." For example, attending a module at new organization A, then another module at new organization B. If organization A offers a new module of interest, people gather to take the course for peace of mind. This training trend indicates a time when we must honestly face and transform the issues for the development of overall societal resilience.

Here are some observed phenomena:

– The most popular first aid/EMS training systems have been developed in Taiwan for decades. New groups usually do not qualify to teach complete courses and can only offer fragmented units.

– Other training, which appears militaristic like squad tactics, has limited effectiveness if the trainees’ status is inappropriate.

– There is no good mechanism for retraining or recertification, often relying on occasional “drills" or “exercises" for comprehensive evaluation.

The Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee or other related government agencies should establish comprehensive guidelines for integrating these training systems and adopt a more proactive stance. Otherwise, they cannot effectively utilize the vast civilian resources, wasting the overall societal potential.

Challenges of Being a Volunteer

Some “consumers" with higher awareness might become “volunteers," but scheduling difficulties do not disappear. Many civil defense volunteers have their own jobs and family responsibilities, making it challenging to find suitable times for training. This may result in discontinuous and insufficient training. It is also not part of their daily “duties," making it hard to apply in daily life. Furthermore, as mentioned, there is a lack of a retraining mechanism. There is a long way to go from completing a course to practical operation.

Moreover, the continuity of training and the commitment of volunteers is a challenge. Emerging organizations may face high volunteer turnover and low commitment, affecting team stability and training effectiveness. These units must heavily rely on social issues to drive course development and module evolution.

Finally, volunteer psychological and physical preparedness is crucial. Training involves not only technical preparation but also psychological and physical readiness. Volunteers might lack sufficient psychological and physical response capabilities when facing real disasters or emergencies. This is why some course modules focus on psychological preparation. However, no amount of psychological preparation compares to experiencing a major disaster firsthand. Ideally, one should never encounter such events, but the experience of psychological reconstruction from surviving such calamities should be treasured and have a clear mechanism for transmission.

Legal and Policy Constraints

Different regions have varying legal and policy requirements for civil defense organizations, potentially limiting training and operational methods. For example, some areas may have strict regulations or restrictions on certain types of training, which is understandable when comparing the U.S. and Taiwan. It is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of these restrictions in the legal framework.

Conclusion

In summary, the GCTF workshop highlights the different attitudes of the National Police Agency towards external and internal matters. The Ministry of the Interior, as one of the key agencies responsible for advancing national resilience, should actively engage in deliberative and policy discussions. We hope to see the Ministry take more deliberate and proactive steps in the future.

* This is the translated version of the original Chinese article https://blog.schee.info/2024/07/01/gctf-and-thoughts-on-civilian-training