, 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁res erves ▁reported ly ▁total ▁ 3 , 8 7 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Cons cription ▁remains ▁universal ▁for ▁qualified ▁males ▁reaching ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 8 . ▁Force ▁stream lin ing ▁programs ▁under ▁way ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁are ▁combining ▁redundant ▁institutions ▁and ▁stead ily ▁reducing ▁the ▁military ▁to ▁ 2 7 0 , 0 0 0 ▁personnel ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁However , ▁even ▁then ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁comp uls ory ▁basic ▁training ▁for ▁all ▁males ▁reaching ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁As ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁force ▁decre ases , ▁the ▁RO C ▁int ends ▁to ▁gradually ▁expand ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁volunte er ▁soldiers ▁with ▁the ▁event ual ▁goal ▁of ▁forming ▁an ▁all ▁volunte er ▁career ▁force . ▁ ▁The ▁RO C ▁Ar med ▁Forces ' ▁officer ▁corps ▁is ▁generally ▁viewed ▁as ▁being ▁compet ent , ▁displaying ▁a ▁high ▁degree ▁of ▁professional ism . ▁However , ▁as ▁a ▁whole , ▁the ▁culture ▁in ▁the ▁officer ▁corps ▁tends ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁c aut ious ▁and ▁conserv ative . ▁The ▁military ▁also ▁faces ▁difficulties ▁in ▁the ▁rec ruit ment ▁and ▁ret ention ▁of ▁junior ▁officers ▁and ▁N CO s ▁due ▁to ▁competition ▁with ▁the ▁private ▁sector . ▁There ▁are , ▁however , ▁plans ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁a ▁volunte er ▁armed ▁forces . ▁ ▁The ▁RO C ▁Ministry ▁of ▁National ▁Def ence ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁service ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 4 ▁months ▁from ▁the ▁original