FEDERATION RAF
A Merlin helicopter hovers over Royal Air Force reservists with RAF Benson’s 606 (Chiltern) Reserve Squadron during an Underslung Load Course at Benson airf eld on 21st March 2013.
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A reservist Gunner with 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron, Royal Auxilliary Air Force f res a machine gun during two weeks Annual Continuous Training at Hythe Range Complex. The ranges teach the troops Close Quarter Marksmanship and live f ring stages.
Imagery © MOD Crown Copyright 2016 26 Winter 2016
RESERVES By WO Shobha Earl, Command Warrant Offi cer Reserves
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) owes its origin to Lord Trenchard’s vision of an elite corps of civilians to form a part time volunteer air force and serve their country in their spare time on fl ying squadrons. Auxiliaries have been supporting the RAF and military operations since 1924. During the Battle of Britain fi ve RAuxAF day- fi ghter Sqns were amongst the ten top scoring squadrons (out of about 60 squadrons that took part). An extraordinary performance from squadrons only made up from part time ‘gentlemen amateurs’ in comparison with the regular crews of the RAF.
Today’s RAuxAF is encompassed with the RAF Reserves and continues to exist to support the RAF on operations and other tasks, at home and abroad and at all scales of effort. The size of the Reserves has dramatically increased and expanded into UK Geographical areas where there has been no recent RAF presence. Every reservist has a clearly defi ned role and task within the UK’s military forces and form an integral part of the ‘RAF Whole Force’. The RAF currently employ over 2,500 personnel on 27 Sqns in 20 locations. Reservists are employed on various contracts ranging from:
part time volunteer reservists (PTVRs) reporting for 27-35 days annual training
full time reservists (FTRS) and part time reservists (ADC) employed for 30-180 days
Sponsored reservists (specialists who are called up for specific operations).
Successful recruitment campaigns have ensured that the Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) goal of 3118 RAF Reservists is on target. RAF Reserves new recruits undertake a Basic Recruit Training
Course (BRTC) over a 15 day period and can participate in joint graduations at RAF Halton alongside regular recruits on completion of the basic recruit training.
Reservists then progress to supervised trade training undertaken at specialist trade schools and some elements delivered locally at squadrons. The current focus is now on the retention of trained reservists and making best use of the experience reservists are gaining, both through training and deployments within the Whole Force.
RAF Reserves Sqns have delivered outstanding support to operations since 2003 on OP TELIC, OP HERRICK, OP ELLAMY & OP OLYMPICS and more recently on OP SHADER, GRITROCK, KIPION, MONOGRAM & TORAL as well as Defence Engagement. Reservists support the delivery of assured capability across all RAF tasks at home and abroad. At any one time 10-15 % of combat ready reservists are mobilised for deployed ops. 5000 man-days of routine support is provided throughout the RAF through routine utility in support of a variety of tasks and Ceremonial events alongside the regulars.
As the Whole Force matures and the Service develops better ways of integrating our manpower pool in support of RAF outputs both at home and overseas, it is now befitting that reservist personnel are indistinguishable from their regular counterparts in all aspects of their service activity. As a result, authority was recently granted to remove the requirement for identifying auxiliary insignia ‘A’ badges on all orders of service dress.
More information
raf.mod.uk/recruitment/lifestyle- benefits/life-as-a-reserve/
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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