An army sniper was discharged from the military and is facing an investigation after he was found with three bullets in his luggage by Taichung Airport police before taking a flight to Kinmen in October, Taiwan's armed forces said Sunday.
The corporal surnamed Chen (?), who had been serving under the Army's Aviation and Special Forces Command in Kinmen, was dishonorably discharged on Nov. 10, after police authorities in Taichung Airport had found three 5.56mm rifle bullets in his luggage, the command’s spokesperson Major General Wang Chun-chieh (???) told CNA.
Aside from his dishonorable discharge, Chen is also currently under investigation by civilian prosecutors, Wang said, without elaborating.
Wang did not provide more details but according to the Chinese-language Apple Daily, Chen was one of several military snipers chosen to participate in a sniper shooting training session held in Taichung City in September.
As Chen had performed very well during the session, he had decided to keep three bullets that had not been fired during the session as souvenirs, the report said.
He was supposed to keep the bullets at his home in Taichung, but he had forgotten to take them out from his luggage and they were subsequently found by airport authorities before he was set to fly back to Kinmen in late October, according to the Apple Daily.
Wang said the command is using the case as an example to remind all service persons not to make a similar mistake in the future.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel