THE REGULAR RESERVE

Individual Reservists (IR) are former members of the Regular Army who after completion of their full-time service may be recalled to the Colours, or who volunteer after their legal Reserve obligation has expired. They have varying degrees of liability for recall and training depending upon factors such as period of Regular Army service, age and sex. Categories of IR are described below:

a. The Regular Army Reserve of Officers (RARO). Retired Regular, Army Emergency Reserve or TA Officers. Those granted Commissions from 1 April 1983 have a compulsory training liability for six years after leaving the Active List. Others may volunteer to train;

b. The Regular Reserve. Ex-Regular soldiers (male and female) who have a compulsory training liability (normally for six years after leaving the Colours) or who have volunteered to join it from other categories;

c. The Long-Term Reserve. Men (but not women) who have completed their Regular Reserve liability and who serve in this category until aged 45. They have no training liability;

d. Army Pensioners. Ex-Regular soldiers (male and female) who are in receipt of a Service pension. They have a legal liability for recall to age 60 (but only to age 55 would be invoked). They have no training liability.

IR are required to keep at home an Instruction Booklet (AB 592A), their ID card and a personalised booklet (AB 592B). The AB 592A provides IR with general instructions on what they have to do if mobilised. It contains a travel warrant and a special cash order. The AB 592A is computer produced and updated quarterly as required to take account of such changes as address, medical category and age. It explains where the reservist is to report on mobilisation and arrangements for pay and allotments, next-of-kin, clothing held etc.

Under present legislation IR may only be mobilised if called out by Queen's Order. Mobilisation may involve only a few individuals/units or any number up to general mobilisation when all are called out. If mobilisation is authorised, Notices of Call-Out are despatched to those IR concerned, by Recorded Delivery, as the legal notification. Announcements of call-out are also made by the press, radio and television.

Under the proposals for the new Reserve Forces Act, IR will be liable to call-out under the same new provisions as described above for the TA. In addition, the Act will bring the conditions relating to all three Services in line and will include officers and pensioners who are currently covered by separate legislation/Royal Warrants.

Only Regular Reservists and some members of RARO have a liability to train. The legal liability is for up to 15 days plus four periods of 36 hours each year. This liability has not been enforced for many years.

The only training that is currently funded is for 1,500 man/weeks per year to enable the RARO and Regular Reservists who volunteer to take part in collective training with both Regular and TA Units. Payment is made at TA rates plus £215 (tax-free) bounty.

The Annual Reporting Exercises (ARCES), which required some RARO and all Regular Reservists to report for one day to have their clothing and documentation checked and undergo a brief one+ hours' training period also ceased in 1991. The reporting element has now been replaced by a postal system which provides a payment of £20 (taxed) to those who return an updated proforma.