Britain has approximately 55,000 ex-Regular Army personnel liable for recall under the Reserve Forces Act.
In a recent parliamentary written question, former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace sought information from the current Secretary of State for Defence regarding the number of former regular Army members with regular reserve call-out liability as of April 1, 2024.
In response, Andrew Murrison, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Defence, disclosed that as of January 1, 2024, there were 22,676 Army Regular Reservists with recall liability under Section 22 of the Reserve Forces Act (RFA) 1996.
Additionally, approximately 55,000 ex-Regular personnel, as of March 2024, are subject to recall under Section 68 of the RFA 1996.
“These figures include ex-Regular Officers who retain a recall liability in perpetuity,” Murrison clarified.
It’s important to note several caveats highlighted by Murrison:
- The number of Army Regular Reservists with recall liability is based on data as of January 1, 2024, in accordance with Published National Statistics.
- The Army Regular Reserve comprises ex-Regular Army personnel who maintain a commitment to be called up for service when required.
- The second figure of approximately 55,000 individuals is based on management information and includes ex-Regular Officers who retain a recall liability indefinitely.
- This data is not gathered for statistical purposes and is subject to a different level of scrutiny compared to official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. The most recent available data is as of March 2024.
These figures encompass a diverse range of individuals, including ex-Regular Army personnel who retain a workforce obligation to be called up for service in times of need. The data provided also includes those who have completed their military service but retain a liability to be recalled in the event of national danger, great emergency, or an actual or suspected attack on the UK.
While the disclosed number of 77,000 former troops liable for call-out in emergencies indicates a significant reserve force, the lack of specificity regarding the readiness, training, and current capabilities of these individuals raises questions about the effectiveness of their potential deployment.
On topic slightly, I remember when I was in, one of our duty ncos came round the block saying we all had to sign a form but we’d be getting a £500 bonus. I read it and it said that we were changing our reserve commitment from 7 years to 22! All for the princely sum of £500. I said I wasn’t going to sign it and they got pissed off at me bringing me up in front of the coy commander for refusing. When he read it he laughed and said he wouldn’t sign that either.
Moral of the story is they never change your terms and conditions of your service for your benefit. EVER
Hmm, “I want two volunteers,” bellows the RSM. “Smith and Jones one step forward, NOW!” 🙂
Hi Brom,
Joking aside, I know there has to be discipline in the services but the story you tell demonstrates a serious overstepping of the boundaries of authority.
Well done for standing up to it.
Cheers CR
Just how it used to be lol I’m hoping things have improved
What year was this?
Late nineties mate
I left the RN in 2013. I’m pretty sure it was still 7 years then. I used to get a letter every December to confirm my home address, and I think you got 50 quid for completing and returning the form. Don’t think they do that now, though.
I left the army in 2009 after 34 years regular service.
They had binned the annual post-service drill of physically reporting to a local TA Centre or barracks years before and didn’t even have the system you describe to update my home address annually. The retention of basic uniform items had also been dropped.
However I am required to keep the MoD Pensions office informed if I change contact details…or my bank!
I imagine if the Pensions office is going to pay out your pension they’ll need to know about your bank details?
Oddly if they really need your services because of war for example there would be a bill through parliament putting everyone’s services & property at the disposal of the Government within 24 hours. On that basis you probably would be annoyed you had missed out on £500. 😂
I know what you mean about T&Cs – It’s not unheard of for things to improve. The odd thing is that quite a lot of the conditions are unenforcable anyway.😂
It’s an interesting point, balancing the ability to sign up bodies vs the question at what point does the individual loss their skills and become so out of date and or middle aged that they been a bit of a liability. With also a balance of what we see as our individual rights ( very important in the modern western world) vs our obligation to society ( seemingly less important in every way in the modern western world).
The extreme example is Finland with its national service…this is universal national service but unlike most forms of national service it’s entire focus is only to train reservists it’s essentially a university required school for reservists and every male is therefore essentially a reservist ( it has an 80% of finish males complete the service)…but it’s literally a training program.. either 165 days for privates with a none skill based role 255 days for highly technical roles and 347 days for those selected for officer and NCO training…they are them in the reserves until 50 or 60 years old ( essentially almost all finish men are trained active reservists )…but to also reduce skill loss during their life they are also repaired to undergo 40, 75 or 100 days ( depending on rank) referesher days across their active reserve life…..
of the 20% or males who do not do military service ( generally for health reasons or they live in a specific demilarised zone) they are obliged to do civilian service which is essentially the same terms as military service but in no military areas that support the security of Finland ( essentially civil defence).
even when you end your active reserve term, you can still be called up…it just needs a specific act of parliament infact Finland has a total defence plan in which every single person and all sectors of government and the economy are part of the defence of the nation….every finish citizen is considered to have a “general duty of national defence” and you will go to prison if your found to have failed that duty.
military and civil service is seen as an rite of passage in Finland… after all for most its a very focused 5 and a half months of training followed by 40 days over about 30 years not a great burden really….unless the nation suddenly needs defending.
I’ve argued before for a multiple tier “paper formation” system. So for example you’re in a Light Mech Infantry Battalion, and you sign off and then don’t join the AR. You get assigned to a “Light Mech Ready Reserve Unit.” This unit doesn’t exist day to day, it just holds a stock of uniforms and PPE and has a couple of clerical staff who deal with the stock and the roster of personnel. You are assigned to this unit for a number of years (Say 4 for sake of argument). In the event of a general War, or call up exercise you report to that unit, get a couple weeks of refresher training and then either as a formed unit or individual replacements or cadres you are sent out as the Army needs you.
After 4 years you get re-assigned to a new unit, lets call it a militia unit, where you are still kept registered, but your “recall time” is increased to a few months for more in depth refresher training. This system would allow for a stepped regrowth of the armed forces, Regular, Army Reserve, Ready Reserve, Deep Reserve, Civilians if needed, without reintroducing peace time conscription.
Yes indeed, that reflects the finish system..in that all reserves are part of actual units that exist in a ready state ( they have lots and lots of stuff..especially artillery) and as they get older they are moved to less demanding second echelon reserve units.
There are differences in this system though: The finnish system is about age, mine is about skill fade. You’d have a Gunner in his late 20’s who is in the Deep Reserve because he left the army at the age of 24 and is now past his Ready Reserve years.
A 50 year old CSM on the other hand might be in the Ready Reserve because he completed his 22years service at the age of 48, so has only been out for 2 years.
This seems so simple it is brilliant. Has anyone suggested this up the COC?
I doubt it, my voice doesn’t carry far beyond UKDJ forums and sub unit level.
I really don’t think anyone beyond this forum actually takes any notice either way.
Pretty sure people in Andover do.
I’m not so sure about that Frank.
George was on the invite list of a press day to go and visit BAE System in Glasgow and be shown around one of the T26’s. That wouldn’t happen if only us posters took notice of UKDJ.
I sense UKDJ’s approachable format is gaining it an audience that includes some of the grown ups…
Cheers CR
Well, you might be surprised mate. Forums such as this are monitored for opsec breaches. All 3 services are involved in this. 591 SU are one such unit who do this, so “upstairs” most certainly know what is said.
So just maybe a bright idea might be recognised.
You’d be surprised! The UKDJ and some of its content has been used by the Parliament’s Defence Select Committee. On a number of occasions it has been used to either ask the question based on some of the content or rebuke a given answer during cross examination.
The UKDJ along with other forum’s such as a Navy Lookout can be used as a tool used by ministers to keep the Government in check in regards to military matters.
✌️🎻👍😁
Interesting details about Finland’s system – very efficient and organised, unlike our own – I am very glad they are now in NATO!
It is amazing how negative top brass like to be about reservists in Whitehall meetings.
The problem is that if you had functional reserves money could be……
I wonder how many of those 77,000 will develop stress and or depression if called up. Things would have to be pretty drastic if I was ever going to don a set of 8’s again.
Morning Andy,
The reality is today mate that the infrastructure to support the armed forces has also shrunk dramatically to fit it’s current size.
There may well be technically tens of thousands with a call up obligation, but how many additional bodies can we realistically absorb in short order, before there’s no equipment to give them, or a roof to put over their heads?
I would think much more than 15,000 / 20,000 and it would get awfully cosy!
Top and tails in the bunks perhaps!
I’m getting ahead of this mate, I’ve volunteered my services in the Woman’s auxiliary Balloon Corps, if top and tails is required, I’ll do my duty…..
Indeed and that’s where the UK does not stand up compared to say the finish system..which has whole reserve units, with equipment and infrastructure in place ready for the reserve to be activated.
Morning Jonathan, I can understand that, the historical (and ever present) threat of attack by a belligerent and unstable neighbour, led to their system re mobilisation of the population.
If the Orcs suddenly spilled over the border, then the likes of Finland and Poland will be the nose to nose with boots on the ground.
The UK has different requirements and while we all broadly agree that the Army has sank below critical mass, we certainly don’t want, or need to raise a citizen militia a million strong.
The UK should ( in my opinion) have a balanced regular Army of about 100,000, with its 30,000 AR.
Having the facilities and equipment to recall an additional 20,000 / 30,000 is probably prudent in these uncertain times.
Our main emphasis should be RN (RM) and RAF.
They would be the main contribution we would make to an attack on NATO and that’s were expansion of capabilities should be prioritised.
One thing’s for sure, if the Orcs set into Finland, NATO response or not, the Fins would send them packing back over the boarder with massive losses.
Agree.
👍
Indeed we don’t need the same level as Finland is the extreme..but a bit better organised and resourced would be nice…and actually proving the opportunity to make it easier to volunteer for a short training stint in the services would work well…they used to offer very short commissions ( short service limited commission) pre university…im sure a far few 18 year olds would happy spend 6 months off training to then sign up as a reservist….we are struggling to recruit…and it would be an advantage to have a large fully equipped reserve…there are ways and means that are not 100% conscript…
Interesting Jonathan, I agree this excellent idea would make a lot of sense, but the bean counters will never sign off on it, or the additional equipment needed to arm and equip this modern day VR force….
If we had to call up the Regular Reserves then perhaps WW3 was in the offing or at least a very major conflict largely confined to Europe.
If we could not quickly build more ships, submarines and aircraft, then how does vastly more manpower for the RN and RAF help that much?
If NATO’s main task was to repel a massive ground attack in continental Europe, shouldn’t our army get quickly and significantly expanded, as happened in the previous world wars? The army could absorb, deploy and use many more soldiers even if new, additional, complex, combat platforms could not be built in time.
Evening Graham, but what would we equip these 10’s of thousands of additional soldiers with in short order?
We don’t really hold war reserve stocks anymore as we once did.
We would probably be hard pushed to provide basic field equipment for an additional 10,000 personnel quickly after the bean counters sold off just about everything that wasn’t bolted down and not in use, including many of the storage locations such equipment was actually stored in!!!!
As you know, we once held fairly extensive stores of equipment in our strategic reserve, from boots and webbing, through to firearms.
As a general pointer, the final FTR ( Factory Thorough Repair) to store of service firearms took place in the late 80’s, when 50,000 L1A1’s, were completely rebuilt by Parker Hale and placed in Donnington store in effectively new condition, virtually all of them re barreled with brand new barrels.
Called up reservists would rapidly receive some refresher training and equipped with the L1A1 (and personal equipment, stored 58 pattern web equipment, uniforms, old turtle shells etc etc.
Equipment, firearms and infrastructure were there to rapidly equip recalled reservists to reinforce existing units and replace combat losses, after all, we can only imagine the horrifying battlefield casualties that a NATO/ Warsaw pact clash would have generated!
Then came the peace dividend and we sold it all off…..
The need to rapidly expand the Army in this new peaceful future disappeared, as far as those in charge were concerned at least.
The expanded facilities and equipment to actually employ the extra mass simply isn’t there anymore after decades of cuts unfortunately.
Those in the ‘know’ think that ‘just in time’ production will kick in and supply all that’s needed without the dead costs of maintaining and inspecting stored war reserve equipment..
What could possibly go wrong….🤔
Hi John, I was hoping you weren’t going to ask me that one! The ultimate ‘elephant in the room’. During my service time, I never got close to this issue. We must have the kit to bring units from PE to WE, but beyond that I just don’t know. Your assessment is probably bang on.
This is what John Healey should be asking about rather than asking how many women there are in the RFA!
Morning Graham, I suppose we’ve been trimming away since options for change haven’t we mate.
While the frontline cuts grab the headlines, the support cuts were simply easier to get away with and both parties undermined and hollowed out military support and sustainment for decades.
The easiest of those was getting rid of the war reserve stocks in meaningful mass.
I suppose the upcoming service rifle replacement programme would allow us to rebuild our war reserve of firearms at least, as we apparently intend to stick with 5.56mm,
The A3 rebuild of the L85 effectively gives the rifle a new life and produces a viable reserve firearm.
However, if I was a betting man, I think the Mod will order 150,000 new service rifles and start destroying the L85’s.
The Government (and opposition) are simply going through the motions and apparently have absolutely zero interest in making any changes in our defence posture.
The harsh reality is they have both comprehensively destroyed mass and the ability to rebuild mass easily.
They have been so thorough in their work that it would take 3% on defence and years to build back the three services to a sensible level, rebuild and refurbish the necessary infrastructure and the resilience to sustain it.
I
Hi John, MoD has certainly been cutting both the visible (manpower, infrastructure and platforms) since the end of the Cold War as well as the ‘invisible’ such as equipment for reservists etc.
Interesting that the Naval Reserve used to have their own vessels, but no longer.
I am not sure that it is confirmed that we will stay with 5.56mm for small arms after L85 A3 – we may adopt the 6.5mm calibre that the Americans are so keen on.
I am still not clear if we hold a full suite of kit (everything from boots and uniforms to weapons, vehicles and radios) for both the Army Reserve and all of the Regular Reservists – and for those of the other two services. I have a horrible feeling that we don’t.
We do not have a habit of retaining kit once it is declared Obsolete. It is sold, gifted or scrapped in very quick time.
Agreed
Same with Sweden.
When the balloon goes up… so to speak 😉
Well indeed, you can laugh mate, but you’ll thank me when me and the ladies are winching up the barrage balloons to catch hypersonic missiles….
I volunteered for FANY.
I do love the FANY.
Well after winching balloons up and down all day, I will probably need a nice cup of tea and some FANY attention….
Nothing soft about life o the home front….
So do I. And I know who they are and what you did there. 😆
FANY ( PWVC )
“I’m getting ahead of this mate, I’ve volunteered my services in the Woman’s auxiliary Balloon Corps, if top and tails is required, I’ll do my duty…..”
‘Tis a noble thing you do Sir and don’t let anyone tell you any different. Especially now that you might be top and tailing with a lady who is um…. packing heavier equipment than you….. 😮
Agree on the numbers John and while there are some jobs that can be done by pretty much anybody ie guarding somewhere to free up manpower, those who had climbed the ladder might see themselves as above all that kind of thing which the Forces kind of encourage. Especially for a ‘fighty’ call up you’re really looking at younger guys who probably left because they were pissed off, possibly not the ones who will be desperate to go back to it and suddenly get a bout of depression come on. Don’t blame them either really.
Good points Andy, don’t worry these will always be a place for you in the balloon Corps mate!
Cheers mucker, if I was ever going to be lured out of retirement it would be the Womens Auxiliary Balloon Corp that would drag me back. 😇
You may have accidentally hit upon an idea, that may defend areas against suicide drones. If balloons were used during WW2 to deny areas and access routes to Luftwaffe bombers. Could they do the same for drones? If you think about it, today’s drones are given a set of waypoints to fly to. Then a target it terminates at. This is usually navigated by domestic based GPS. Again they don’t fly at a great altitude to their target. The drones “normally” don’t carry sensors that could detect the tether wire or balloons. So perhaps they could be of use as a form of passive defence?
Good point, perhaps balloons with some sort of thin webbing in between, like raising a curtain…..
Some sort of lightweight nylon line perhaps….
In an ideal world, a system that could be triggered, would rapidly inflate and reach height in a few minutes, deploying a curtain to stop drones.
The possibility of mass drone attacks, launched from the sea at Portsmouth, Faslane or Barrow etc must be keeping a lot of folks wide awake at night….
I’m sure there was article on here that stated that the MOD don’t have enough weapons to issue all current serving witha gun? if thats the case WTF is point of having reserves? or is it back to WWII the guy behinds picks up the gun fm dead guy in front 😡
I remember my uncule trying to desperately re enlist in 1990 for gulf war and he was gutted they would not take him.
I heard many accounts with similar stories in 1982.
I think the vast majority of people who joking force do so because they want to fight and if the chance comes after they leave there is a real feeling of missing out.
There will always be some but being cynical, some of those will be ‘stroking their ego’ knowing that it doesn’t work that way. If you’ve been out a couple months then fine but if you’ve been out 5 years then even if you are genuine then you’ll not be that much use. If we’re getting to some ‘Red Dawn’ invasion of the UK then aye, guys with practical experience will be handy for the militia but otherwise, colour me doubtful for going back to a professional military deploying.
I should be safe now after 10 years but I was aware that for the first couple of years after leaving I suspect I’d have been called back to work in a headquarters/support environment because of my niche job. Things change though and throw in a bit of skill fade and guys with more recent experience… Unless the UK was going to a ‘proper’ war then it would take time to get back up to speed anyway so a bit of a waste of time.
Or indeed how many are now medically unfit for recall service.
That’s if they want to come back. There might be certain reasons why they are ex e.g. stress, depression, injury, being made redundant, resentment towards the MOD/government, take your pick on their bullshittery.
Thats a tad harsh isn’t it calling depression ‘bullshittery’ ?
As for redundancy if I had been made redundant from a job theres no way on earth Id go back to assist them – and thats without risk getting shot at thanks very much.
I find it amazing you can be forced to come back tbh- and gives a ready made excuse to reduce forces accordingly – shouldn’t happen.
I think he was aiming the bullshittery label at the MOD/government and how they treat people…not the stress, depression, injury etc being bullshittery.
In reality Grizzler, how many of these guys would be physically fit enough and current enough to be of any use?
How much equipment is available to equip recalled personnel?
I would imagine they would recall people who have left in the last 4/5 years max, that could be brought up to speed relitivly quickly.
I dare say the remainder would be told to report to their local AR centre to register and probably the bulk just sent home again…..
Thinking on this, I would imagine the majority would be given armbands and told to support civil services / law enforcement etc, in a modern day Home Guard type force.
In a situation of impending war, that would probably be the best use of thousands of slightly overweight middle-aged folks, who left the armed services 8 plus years ago…..
In all honesty John, what would they have us all do? If the s*** hit the fan then i suppose there’s the outside chance that they’d recall anyone under 60 and issue out a recently rediscovered arsenal of SLRs that avoided being destroyed or gifted to Sierra Leone, but i can’t think of an effective role for the Old & Bold and that’s before you take into consideration the lack of kit/barracks etc that’s already been mentioned – perhaps they’ll give us a yardbroom and bin bag and make us sweep up radioactive ash? (on £11.44 per hour lol)
Remember only a small minority of people being recalled *ARE* the old and bold who’ve done 20 years, loads of people who did 4 and got out and are now in their late 20’s and early 30’s are in that list too.
Well at my rather unspritely age, I’ve just gone through HM Coast Guard recruitment.
We used to exercise the capability from time to time during the cold war. Mobilization, ex soldiers would be recalled to the colours, they’d be issued a uniform, get given 50£ and then the uniform would be taken off them and they’d be sent home.
A lot of ex-Army get bad knees later in life !
I had no idea that it would be up to a Regular Reservist to decide if he/she wants to come back – they will surely get their call-up papers and be ordered to report.
And if they say “I don’t want to” RMP’s exist for a reason.
In my 50s now and my colleges but hey we’re fitter than quite a lot of 20yr ,most of us run still ,Gym work sports etc time to polish Boots 🤔 🇬🇧
Call out? ….So the woke mob is going to call them out and use social media to dox and cancel them? 😆
I recall in about 1996 when out in FYR, the clerk in our department, now badged AGC, had formerly been a REME clerk for a few years, and had been out for about 5. Had got married, had a child and never really mentioned his 3/5 years in the Army. Next thing he knows, papers through the post calling him up for 6 months service. Fortunately for him, we were based in the relatively quite city of Split, but it was still a bit of a shock to him and his “new” wife.