When a member of the Regular Army leaves the service, he or she remains liable to be recalled in times of need, and this group of ex-Regular personnel is known as the Regular Reserve.
Around 420 Regular Reservists were called-up for service in Iraq in 2003, and around 90 are serving today in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.
The length of time people remain in the Regular Reserve depends on a number of factors, such as the length of their Regular service, age and sex.
Ex-regulars often join the Volunteer Reserve Forces when they leave Regular service, giving them a dual Reserve status.
There are a number of categories of Regular Reserve service:
Regular Army Reserve of Officers (RARO)
- RARO I - Officers who transferred from the Regular Army Active List, and officers who volunteered for this class.
- RARO II - Officers transferred from TA Group A.
- RARO III – Officers commissioned for service with RLC/EFI
- RARO V – Volunteers from The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service Part-Time Element).
Regular Reserve Service
The Regular Reserve is divided into two categories, Sections A and D. They both entail similar liabilities as to reporting, training and call-out, but Section A is compulsory whereas Section D is purely voluntary. TA soldiers with particular employment qualifications may apply to join Section D on completion of their TA service. Members of the Long Term Reserve and Army Pensioners (see below) may volunteer to join section D and may attest for periods of four years at a time. The upper age limit is normally 55.
Long Term Reserve
All male (but not female) soldiers who enlisted before 1 Apr 97 have a statutory liability for service in the Long Term Reserve until their 45th birthday. Men and women who enlisted on or after 1 Apr 97 serve for a total of 18 years or until age 55, in the Regular Reserve and Long Term Reserve combined from the date of completion of their full time Colour service. Long Term Reservists may only be recalled under Section 52 of the Reserve Forces Act (RFA) 1996, for home or overseas service, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency.
Pensioners
Until age 60 those in receipt of an Army pension may be recalled under Section 52 of the RFA 96 for home or overseas service, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency. Present policy, however, is not to recall a pensioner who is over the age of 55.
Working in partnership with the regular army
