Taiwan Spec Ops Go Dark
Media Blackout
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3 June 2023 (Saturday)
Taiwan Spec Ops Go Dark
Media Blackout
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI - Media trips to military bases around Taiwan are now common. Over the past 30 years, I have been on over 100 C-130 sorties to bases to cover exercises and demonstrations. This does not even include the bus trips to closer bases near Taipei or naval patrols.
Nothing seemed out of bounds to me. This included Taiwan’s special operations units.
I have had the honor of interacting with all of Taiwan’s spec ops, including the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command’s: jungle warfare school and airborne school; Marine Corps’ Amphibious Reconnaissance Patrol (ARP) that include four bases; Marine Corps’ Special Service Company (SSC); Army’s legendary 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB/Army Frogmen) that serve exclusively on the outer islands; and the Army’s Special Service Company trained for anti-terrorism and hostage missions.
Much of this data can be found in my 570-page Taiwan Army Weapons and Equipment, including Marine Corps (2022). Additional material includes the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), 202, 205, 209 Arsenals and the 401/402 Factory.
For 30 years I have had complete access to special operations bases and personnel, including an Army two-day jungle warfare training course.
Until this year…
Now ALL media is forbidden to enter these facilities.
This includes even the MND’s Military News Agency, which has had carte blanche long before I arrived in Taiwan as a journalist.
I was one of the first foreign media, via Jane’s Defence Weekly and later Asia Bureau Chief, Defense News, to be invited to these bases in 2000, along with the Associate Press, AFP and Reuters (which were the only other foreign media allowed). I often found myself fairly alone in some of the most secret facilities on Taiwan. Now the U.S. military has been sending advisers to train Taiwan special operations units. This, in my opinion, is why all media (domestic and foreign) have been barred from these bases.
ABOVE: photograph taken by Wendell Minnick of 101 ARB exercise for beach infiltration.