TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Army paratrooper who survived a 396-meter-fall during a training accident in 2018 has recovered enough from his injuries to be discharged and start a new career as a psychological counselor.
Paratrooper Chin Liang-feng (秦良丰) on Wednesday (Aug. 28) donned his military uniform and went to the Cishan military base to receive his discharge papers while accompanied by his father Chin Tien-jen (秦天人). His comrades in the military also held a farewell party for him in the afternoon, per CNA.
Chin Tien-jen told CNA the military notified them in July that his son had to be discharged because he could not participate in required assessments. His service term was originally set to end in August, with discharge planned for Sept. 1. The discharge was processed earlier considering his weekend duties and upcoming role in psychological counseling at a military hospital.
Chin said his son insisted on attending the ceremony in his military uniform to "finish what he started" and maintain the special forces spirit, not wanting to be discharged as a patient. “To ensure he has no regrets in his life, I went with him. Thank you to the unit for your assistance and support,” said his father.
Chin also mentioned that his son participated in the Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital's recruitment process, passed the relevant procedures and interviews, and demonstrated his ability to take on the psychological counseling role. Chin said his son would use his inspirational attitude and experience to continue displaying the “spirit of the iron-willed paratrooper,” assisting fellow soldiers in need, and facing various challenges with a more positive attitude.
Chin expressed gratitude for the concern shown by various sectors of society, saying his son will rely on his strength to move on to the next stage of his life. Chin said he hopes that his son can continue to work while undergoing rehabilitation.
In May 2018, during a parachute drill at the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung during the Han Kuang military exercises, Chin Liang-feng as part of the Aviation and Special Forces Command jumped from a C-130 transport aircraft at a height of 396 meters. Due to the main parachute not fully deploying and insufficient wind for the reserve parachute, he fell to the ground.
Initially, he experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) before reaching the hospital but was resuscitated. Through perseverance and rehabilitation, he has regained the ability to walk slowly.