A Strategic Review of the U.K.’s Reserve Forces to determine how the reserves can be better organized, trained, equipped and supported was recently published.
“This comprehensive Reserves Review provides a crucial blueprint for the future of Reserve Forces and recognizes the vital contribution they have made and will continue to make,” Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said in a statement to the Houses of Parliament.
The review, the first ever focused specifically on U.K. reserves, produced seven central findings, including improving training, creating clearer command structures and increasing the use of individual reservists’ skills. These seven recommendations break down into 80 more detailed recommendations.
The government accepted all seven of the recommendations. About half the recommendations are immediately being implemented; work is under way to address the rest.
The review was launched in April 2008 to reflect the changing demands faced by reservists in recent years.
As well as preparing to defend the country in the event of a major conflict, reservists are now required to work as an integral part of the U.K.’s military force on operations and many have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq with 2,000, eight per cent of current forces deployed, currently serving in these theaters in roles varying from fighting on the front line to medical support.
Ainsworth said, “Our Reserve Forces have served this country with distinction in all the major conflicts and crises that we have faced in recent times, including current operations, with 18,000 deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003.The roles and demands faced by our reservists have changed considerably over the years, and their structures, training and organization need to be updated to reflect this.
Since 2003, 15 reservists have been killed in operational theaters, Ainsworth said.
“The review has redefined the purpose of the U.K.’s reserves and notes that they provide defense with a cost effective way of retaining specialized skills, which are invaluable to current operations,” he said. “The review also acknowledges that reservists remain vital for supporting national resilience and it recognizes the very important role that they play in connecting the Armed Forces with the nation.”
Providing greater clarity to reservists about what is expected of them and what they can expect in return forms another key point of the review, which for the first time sets out a proposition of what the Reserve Service offers volunteers and clearly states the rewards, benefits and training opportunities available, the MoD said.
It has also set out to strengthen the assistance provided to employers who support reservists through deployments and training, and to accommodate the demands of reservist commitment.
In the future, the reserve is likely to be needed for augmentation as much as for maximum effort, and be used more effectively to connect with the nation.
Defense should consider how to best adjust the balance of liability, roles and readiness within and between the reserve and regular forces. Defense should also establish a mechanism to maximize delivery of niche capabilities across the reserve.
Training is pivotal, and should be overhauled to make it more relevant, consistent and correctly resourced.
Ainsworth noted in his statement that: reservist training will be refocused with a greater emphasis on preparation to support current operations. Initial training will be restructured so that new recruits receive sufficient military skills to participate in their units’ collective training within six months of joining, and are fully trained and eligible for mobilization within three years. Routine training will also be reviewed and enough training days allocated to ensure annual military competency standards could be achieved by all.
Command and control, principally in the Territorial Army, should be clearer to deliver the necessary purpose, greater flexibility of use, and better integration.
Defense should accept the proposition for the reserve and acknowledge its current fragility in certain areas.
Defense should review the terms and conditions of service, removing complexity and administrative barriers between the reserve and regulars.
“The Territorial Army [TA] will be better integrated with the Regular Army,” Ainsworth said. This will ensure the Army, both Regular and Reserve, is best structured to support ongoing and future operations. It will include stopping reservist tasks that are no longer needed, thereby bringing efficiencies and enabling manpower to be used for higher priorities.
“A number of posts within TA signals units were formed to operate equipment that has now become obsolete,” Ainsworth said. “These posts will now be removed and include Headquarters 12 Signals Group and 33, 34 and 35 Signals Regiments. It makes sense to reallocate resources from these posts to higher defense priorities. This decision has not been taken lightly and we are very aware of the exceptional contribution made by the Royal Signals within the TA.”
Where possible, he said, those affected by the decision would be offered other opportunities in the TA.
The minister said more work would be done to decide the most effective configuration for the TA Royal Signals.
While this decision was made separately from the Reserve Review, “it is entirely consistent with it.”
Ainsworth’s statement to Parliament said the review “makes clear…that Reserves provide an integral part of our military force structure.”
The review is a blueprint to ensure that our Reserve Forces have a clear and bright future to match their illustrious past,” Ainsworth said.
Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) Maj.Gen. Simon Lalor, the U.K.’s most senior serving reservist, welcomed the review: By acknowledging the vital contribution Reserves make on operations, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then looking in detail as to how the Reserves can be better organized, equipped and supported, this review has provided the MoD with a clear mandate for change and improvement. As a result, the Reserves will be in the best possible shape to meet the challenges not just of today but more importantly of tomorrow.”