I n t h e W o r k p l a c e
Vital Reserves V
olunteers give up their spare time to train and are becoming ever more integrated with their Regular counterparts.
Tey provide a vital contribution to the Defence of the Nation, a fact that has been clearly demonstrated by the mobilisation of 18,000 Reservists in support of enduring operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the last 6 years.
The value, commitment, service and sacrifice the Reserves have made, and continue to make, prompted a Strategic Review of the UK Reserve Forces to determine the capabilities the UK requires from its Reserve Forces and to ensure they are correctly structured and supported to deliver those capabilities.
The Review made 7 strategic and a further 89 detailed recommendations for the MOD to consider. The MOD have agreed the strategic recommendations and will begin work on implementing 42 of the detailed recommendations immediately. They will then continue to consider how best to develop the remaining recommendations in line with other defence priorities and available resources.
The 7 strategic recommendations made by the review team are:
Effective Use In 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.
Balance Defence should consider how best to adjust the balance of liability, roles and readiness within and between the Reserve and Regular forces. Defence should also establish a mechanism to maximise delivery of niche capabilities across the Reserve.
Training Training is pivotal to the Proposition. The delivery of training should be overhauled to make it more relevant, consistent and correctly resourced.
Command and Control Command and control should be clearer to deliver the necessary purpose, greater flexibility of use and better integration.
Rationalisation The volunteer estate should be modernised and strategically rationalised to improve its strategic management and design its 21st century footprint.
Acknowledgement Defence should accept the Proposition for the Reserve and acknowledge its current fragility in certain areas.
Barriers Defence should review Terms and Conditions of Service, removing complexity and administrative barriers between the Reserve and Regulars.
Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) Major General Simon Lalor – the UK’s most senior serving Reservist said: “On behalf of the Reservist community, I welcome this report. It marks a step change in the development of the UK’s Reserve Forces, being the first time they have been looked at in their own right. 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 organised, 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.”
From a Federation perspective the most interesting elements of the Report are hidden in the small print. On the subject of welfare the report comments that: ‘The commitment to Reserve service
30 Summer 2009
demands no small sacrifice and also impacts on families... Just as Regulars, Defence recognises the importance of supporting Reservists and their families. Welfare support is required at all stages of a Reservist’s career...’ It further states: ‘There is a need to make Reservists and their families more aware of the welfare resources available to them from the date of joining’.
The Report is a timely reminder of the need for the RAF FF to reach out and engage with this important cadre, to explain the Federation’s role and offer representational services to them.
The Chairman has already attended the Annual Conference of the Officers Commanding RAuxAF Squadrons and given a presentation on the Federation’s work. An area of the website is now under development for Reservists and their families and all Squadrons will receive Envoy. Also, the Federation intends to include two RAuxAF Squadrons in the evidence-gathering workshops this year in the hope of gaining insight into the issues impacting on Reservist family members and how these might differ from those affecting the Regular cadre.
The full report is available to view at:
www.raf-ff.org.uk under ‘Policy’ ‘News’
www.raf-families-federation.org.uk
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