Veterans Affairs Council

The Veterans Affairs Council (VAC; Chinese: 國軍退除役官兵輔導委員會; pinyin: Guójūn Tuìchúyì Guānbīng Fǔdǎo Wěiyuánhuì; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kok-kun Thè-tû-ia̍h Koaⁿ-peng Hù-tō Úi-oân-hōe) is a branch of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with "responsibilities to assist in education assistance, employment assistance, medical care, home care and other general services" for retired servicemen and women from the Republic of China Armed Forces. VAC is a National Member of World Veterans Federation.[1][2]

Veterans Affairs Council
國軍退除役官兵輔導委員會
Guójūn Tuìchúyì Guānbīng Fǔdǎo Wěiyuánhuì (Mandarin)
Koet-kiûn Thui-chhù-yi̍t Kôn-pîn Phú-thô Vî-yèn-fi (Hakka)
Agency overview
Formed1 November 1954 (as Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen)
1 November 2013 (as VAC)
JurisdictionRepublic of China (Taiwan)
HeadquartersXinyi, Taipei
Ministers responsible
Parent agencyExecutive Yuan
Websitewww.vac.gov.tw

The incumbent minister is Feng Shih-kuan, a retired Republic of China Air Force General who took office on 5 August 2019.

History

Front gate of the Veterans Affairs Council building

VAC was founded as cabinet-level organization on 1 November 1954 as Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen (VACRS; Chinese: 國軍退除役官兵就業輔導委員會; pinyin: Guójūn Tuìchúyì Guānbīng Jiùyè Fǔdǎo Wěiyuánhuì). It changed name to Veterans Affairs Commission in 1966 and to Veterans Affairs Council on 1 November 2013.[3][4]

Missions and functions

  • Ensuring the Vitality of the Armed Forces
  • Securing Social Stability and Prosperity
  • Maximizing Human Resources
  • Supporting National Reconstruction
  • Developing Substantive Diplomacy

Organizational structures

  • Department of Planning
  • Department of Veterans Service and Assistance
  • Department of Homecare and Nursing Care
  • Department of Education and Employment Assistance
  • Department of Healthcare and Medical Care
  • Department of Business Management
  • Department of Retirement Payment
  • Department of Administrative Management
  • Department of Personnel
  • Department of Civil Service Ethics
  • Department of Accounting
  • Department of Statistics and Information
  • Legal Affairs Committee

Hospitals and Veterans Homes

VAC operates hospitals and retirement homes, including:

Associated Enterprises

Cingjing Farm

Under its charter to provide employment assistance to Taiwan (ROC) military veterans, the Veterans Affairs Commission operates a number of for profit enterprises in Taiwan that employ veterans. Some of the related businesses include:

  • Shin-Shin Bus Company (欣欣客運)
  • Danan Bus Company (大南汽車)
  • Wuling Farm
  • Fushoushan Farm
  • Cingjing Farm
  • RSEA Engineering (榮民工程公司) - As on 1 July 1998 no longer associated with the Veterans Affairs Commission.

List of VAC Ministers

Political parties:  Kuomintang  Democratic Progressive Party  Non-partisan/ unknown

For ministers who retired from the Armed Forces to serve, the Service column denotes their military branch before retirement.

NameTerm of OfficeDaysPartyService branchCabinet
Minister of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen
1Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦)1 November 195424 April 1956541KuomintangCivilianYu Hung-chun
2Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國)25 April 195630 June 19642989Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralYu Hung-chun
Chen Cheng II
Yen Chia-kan
Minister of the Veterans Affairs Commission (since 1966)
1Chao Tsu-yu (趙聚鈺)1 July 19647 June 19816185Kuomintang  Republic of China ArmyYen Chia-kan
Chiang Ching-kuo
Sun Yun-suan
2Cheng Wei-yuan (鄭為元)18 June 198128 April 19872141Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralSun Yun-suan
Yu Kuo-hua
3Chang Kuo-ying (張國英)29 April 198717 November 1987203Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralYu Kuo-hua
4Hsu Li-nung (許歷農)18 November 198726 February 19931928Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralYu Kuo-hua
Lee Huan
Hau Pei-tsun
5Chou Shih-pin (周世斌)27 February 199314 December 1994656Kuomintang  Republic of China Army Lieutenant GeneralLien Chan
6Yang Ting-yun (楊亭雲)15 December 199431 January 19991509Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralLien Chan
Vincent Siew
7Lee Cheng-lin (李楨林)1 February 199919 May 2000474Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralVincent Siew
8Yang Te-chih (楊德智)20 May 20005 February 2003992Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralTang Fei
Chang Chun-hsiung I
Yu Shyi-kun
9Teng Tsu-lin (鄧祖琳)6 February 200319 May 2004469Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralYu Shyi-kun
10Kao Hua-chu (高華柱)20 May 200431 January 2007987Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralYu Shyi-kun
Frank Hsieh
Su Tseng-chang I
11Hu Chen-pu (胡鎮埔)1 February 200719 May 2008474Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralSu Tseng-chang I
Chang Chun-hsiung II
12Kao Hua-chu (高華柱)20 May 20089 September 2009478Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralLiu Chao-shiuan
13Tseng Jing-ling (曾金陵)10 September 200931 July 20131421Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralWu Den-yih
Sean Chen
Jiang Yi-huah
Minister of the Veterans Affairs Council (since 1 November 2013)
1Tung Hsiang-lung (董翔龍)1 August 201319 May 20161023Kuomintang  Republic of China Navy AdmiralJiang Yi-huah
Mao Chi-kuo
Chang San-cheng
2Lee Hsiang-chou (李翔宙)20 May 201625 February 2018647Kuomintang  Republic of China Army GeneralLin Chuan
William Lai
3Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正)26 February 201825 July 2019515Independent  Republic of China Army GeneralWilliam Lai
Su Tseng-chang II
Lee Wen-chung (李文忠)26 July 20194 August 201910Democratic Progressive PartyCivilianSu Tseng-chang II
4Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬)5 August 201920 May 20241750Independent  Republic of China Air Force GeneralSu Tseng-chang II
Chen Chien-jen
5Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發)20 May 2024Incumbent49Independent  Republic of China Army GeneralCho Jung-tai

See also

References