TA / Army reserves
Discussion
It all depends on which unit you want to join, so don't constrain yourself with your local unit. If you have a particular profession which may lend itself to a particular unit (IT/Comms-Royal Signals, Geologist/structural engineer-Royal engineers) then that may interest you, but also could be a busman's holiday. Never understood why a HGV driver would join the RLC to err, drive a HGV?
Something to consider is entry as a soldier or a commissioned rank if you have the appropriate education.
The greatest issues facing the Army Reserve are resources and operational opportunity. The Army is skint, fact. Most Reserve units are limited to 27 training days per year. Within the constraint it takes 18mths-2years to train an Infantry soldier. So, it can seem an age to get anywhere and then when you do, all that is available is a 5-6 weekends per year and a 16day consolidated collective training period.
As the Army is skint, and there are no campaigns on going the regular component is effectively sat around doing nothing. So, the operations in which the Reserves where historically employed, UN Cyprus and Falklands are soon to be done by the regular component as they are already being paid, thus removing the need to temporarily employ Reserves.
This doesn't apply to some units which have a specific skill set which the regular army does not have. There are operational opportunities for specialists in niche roles.
Yet there are some Walter Mittys, but this is much less prevalent than it was 20yrs ago as a healthy proportion of Reservists have operational experience, in some cases more operational experience than a regular soldier would have had in the early 2000s.
What role would you like to do?
Something to consider is entry as a soldier or a commissioned rank if you have the appropriate education.
The greatest issues facing the Army Reserve are resources and operational opportunity. The Army is skint, fact. Most Reserve units are limited to 27 training days per year. Within the constraint it takes 18mths-2years to train an Infantry soldier. So, it can seem an age to get anywhere and then when you do, all that is available is a 5-6 weekends per year and a 16day consolidated collective training period.
As the Army is skint, and there are no campaigns on going the regular component is effectively sat around doing nothing. So, the operations in which the Reserves where historically employed, UN Cyprus and Falklands are soon to be done by the regular component as they are already being paid, thus removing the need to temporarily employ Reserves.
This doesn't apply to some units which have a specific skill set which the regular army does not have. There are operational opportunities for specialists in niche roles.
Yet there are some Walter Mittys, but this is much less prevalent than it was 20yrs ago as a healthy proportion of Reservists have operational experience, in some cases more operational experience than a regular soldier would have had in the early 2000s.
What role would you like to do?
stevesingo said:
It all depends on which unit you want to join
I'm not exactly sure what the different options of joining are. TBH the websites are pretty useless for navigating this kind of thing.It would either be officer training, or as a specialisation. I don't know what relevant skills I have, though I have lots and lots.
The answer is probably just ty try it and see if I gel, but knwoing what age range is predominantly found in the TA, and type of character etc that gets drwan to it could save me a lot of time!
I'd suggest getting in contact with your local outfit first, they can give you a much more in depth idea of the reality, and the take it from there.
In recent years the reserve have gone on more Ops than at any time in recent history, the regulars are suffering manpower shortages, see Guards Div in the news this week for example, so this gives reserves the opportunity to really get stuck in.
Good luck, I thought about the reserves, after leaving regular service, but time with a young family constrained matters.
In recent years the reserve have gone on more Ops than at any time in recent history, the regulars are suffering manpower shortages, see Guards Div in the news this week for example, so this gives reserves the opportunity to really get stuck in.
Good luck, I thought about the reserves, after leaving regular service, but time with a young family constrained matters.
Use this https://www.army.mod.uk/rolefinder to explore the role options. Everything from Mental Health Nurse to SAS are possible, but look for something that you would get job satisfaction and a challenge from. Most of the turn over in reservists is due to expectations not being met.
Then work out which of units are within what you would realistically travel.
http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20088.aspx?suppresssea...
Your local unit will try to pull you in to their organisation for their benefit, not yours. God knows how many young men turned up at a recruiting office with ambitions to join the one unit and ended up in another?
Then work out which of units are within what you would realistically travel.
http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20088.aspx?suppresssea...
Your local unit will try to pull you in to their organisation for their benefit, not yours. God knows how many young men turned up at a recruiting office with ambitions to join the one unit and ended up in another?
ellroy said:
Good luck, I thought about the reserves, after leaving regular service, but time with a young family constrained matters.
Like you ellroy I considered the reserves and in the end put 4 years in after leaving the Royal Air Force, great times and glad to have done so but the OP is looking at the Army so nothing more to add except wishing them the best of luck.Efbe said:
Does anyone have any experience of the Territorial Army/ Army Reserves?
As in, what's it like, is it just full of a load of wannabe Rambo's who couldn't cut the regular army when they were young enough?
What sort of people go? and any other experiences you may have of it?
I had a really good time with some great blokes. Always a few caricatures of course, same as in any group, but by and large a good bunch.As in, what's it like, is it just full of a load of wannabe Rambo's who couldn't cut the regular army when they were young enough?
What sort of people go? and any other experiences you may have of it?
I'd say contact your nearest unit of interest and have a chat and take it from there, nothing ventured etc.
Thanks all, useful advice here
turbobloke said:
Like you ellroy I considered the reserves and in the end put 4 years in after leaving the Royal Air Force, great times and glad to have done so but the OP is looking at the Army so nothing more to add except wishing them the best of luck.
Well not necessarily the army, it's just here in the middle of West Yorkshire I'm a long way from either the sea or any airbases, which limits my options.I actually did it the other way round. I'd applied for the Regulars but had a long waiting time until basic so I joined my local TA unit, Royal Anglians in Hemel.
Absolutely loved it. Great bunch, fought hard and played hard.
Thanks to nearly a year with them, I absolutely breezed REME basic (didn't tell anyone and kept my head down) but got bored at my first posting, asked for an Infantry swap which they refused so started volunteering for every course and Op under the sun. I had a very interesting six years.
As said, get down to your local unit and see what's what. Also look at any trades that appeal and see where those units would be.
Absolutely loved it. Great bunch, fought hard and played hard.
Thanks to nearly a year with them, I absolutely breezed REME basic (didn't tell anyone and kept my head down) but got bored at my first posting, asked for an Infantry swap which they refused so started volunteering for every course and Op under the sun. I had a very interesting six years.
As said, get down to your local unit and see what's what. Also look at any trades that appeal and see where those units would be.
In Leeds / West Yorks you've got quite a few Reserve options: Scaleys and Int are in north Leeds, 4 Para are about. If you enjoy ladies clothes there is also a RMR outfit. If you're keen on running up hills with a fridge on your back there is also 23.
Think there are also some loggies and REME around south yorkshire way.
Think there are also some loggies and REME around south yorkshire way.
I can't speak for the Army Reserve, but I'm 2 years into the RAF Reserve. Average age is about 40 for us. We have the whole range of ages from school leavers to a 61 year old ex TA PTI who just re-passed as a PTI in the RAF. Experience again spans from school leavers to PhDs. I love the guys and girls on our Squadron. This sort of thing really gels friendships, I find.
We have loads of trades on offer from ICT, driver, chef, Inteligence, all medical trades, engineers, electricians, police, the list goes on, and lots you do not need prior civilian or military experience in.
There are reserves squadrons at Leeming, woodvale, cosford which may be within reach. I commute 100 miles each way to my squadron as it's the only one in Wales.
We have loads of trades on offer from ICT, driver, chef, Inteligence, all medical trades, engineers, electricians, police, the list goes on, and lots you do not need prior civilian or military experience in.
There are reserves squadrons at Leeming, woodvale, cosford which may be within reach. I commute 100 miles each way to my squadron as it's the only one in Wales.
I did about 3 months at a Sigs unit while at uni in 2003. Most of the seniors and officers were pretty sound but the junior ranks were either geeky civvies who thought they were nails or ex regulars who thought they were nails. Best thing I remember was 40p a pint at piss ups. The weekends away were spent just sat around twiddling our fingers.
You get a bounty after doing so many days a year. A weekday evening = 1/4 a day.
I lost interest but ended up joining the regular Marines and have worked with some decent RMR guys. When I passed out of training I was sent to do my HGV license at Leconsfield where they called out my TA number instead of my RM one. That earned my some dirty looks from my colleagues.
You get a bounty after doing so many days a year. A weekday evening = 1/4 a day.
I lost interest but ended up joining the regular Marines and have worked with some decent RMR guys. When I passed out of training I was sent to do my HGV license at Leconsfield where they called out my TA number instead of my RM one. That earned my some dirty looks from my colleagues.
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