Navy, Army see retention boost, RAF facing challenges

Recent data from the Ministry of Defence has revealed a significant improvement in the average length of service among personnel in the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force by 2024. This recovery follows a notable decline in service length observed around 2020.

The tables provided by Alistair Carns MP, Minister for Veterans and People, show the average number of months that service members, both officers and other ranks, spend in the Armed Forces before leaving. The data covers three key years: 2015, 2020, and 2024.

Table 1. Average Length of Service (Months) on Outflow from the Untrained & Trained Regular Navy by Officer / Other Rank and Calendar Year, 2015, 2020, 2024:

Table 2. Average Length of Service (Months) on Outflow from the Untrained & Trained Regular Army by Officer / Other Rank and Calendar Year, 2015, 2020, 2024:

Table 3. Average Length of Service (Months) on Outflow from the Untrained & Trained Regular RAF by Officer / Other Rank and Calendar Year, 2015, 2020, 2024:

The Royal Navy has demonstrated a strong recovery in retention rates for both officers and other ranks. In 2020, the average length of service for officers dipped to 209 months from 213 months in 2015. However, by 2024, this figure rose to 218 months, reflecting a positive trend in keeping experienced personnel within the service.

For other ranks, the situation is even more pronounced. The average length of service dropped from 116 months in 2015 to 97 months in 2020, marking a challenging period for retention. By 2024, the length of service rebounded to 121 months, exceeding the 2015 level and indicating effective retention initiatives or changes within the Navy.

The British Army has similarly seen an improvement since 2020. Officer service length decreased from 192 months in 2015 to 182 months in 2020, but by 2024, it had nearly returned to the earlier level at 191 months. This suggests a recovery in maintaining officer numbers after a difficult period.

Among other ranks, the improvement is more substantial. In 2015, the average length of service was 99 months, dropping to 90 months in 2020. However, by 2024, it rose to 109 months, marking a significant positive change. The data implies successful efforts to address factors that led to the previous decline.

The RAF’s figures are more complex. Officers saw an increase in average service length from 229 months in 2015 to 263 months in 2020, before slightly decreasing to 257 months in 2024. This slight drop still leaves the figure notably higher than in 2015, indicating overall strong retention among officers despite the minor reduction.

However, the data for other ranks tells a different story. The average length of service fell consistently from 186 months in 2015 to 174 months in 2020 and further to 172 months in 2024. This ongoing decline highlights ongoing challenges in retaining non-officer personnel within the RAF. The Royal Navy and British Army have demonstrated that targeted retention initiatives can yield positive results, while the RAF may benefit from a similar focus, particularly concerning ‘other ranks’.

The data serves as a positive indicator that recent efforts to enhance personnel retention are paying off, for the Royal Navy and British Army, at least.