A group of keen young adults visited the headquarters of E Company, 7th Battalion The Rifles (7 RIFLES), in Milton Keynes to attend an open evening where they met Riflemen and medics who are currently serving in the Territorial Army.

The evening was to show these potential recruits what sort of challenges they would face in the infantry and how the recruitment process would progress after signing up at an Army Careers Centre.

The stands on the evening were hosted by serving members of 7 RIFLES, some of whom had deployed to Afghanistan for 6-month tours on Operation Herrick.

The idea behind the event was to enable potential recruits to ask questions of the Riflemen and medics. Visitors were shown various items of medical kit, weapons, personal kit, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) kit, and an 81-millimetre mortar.

Future Reserve Forces

The Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, recently set out the government’s plan to expand the Reserve Forces. ‘Reserves in the Future Force 2020’ detailed the intention to create new, fully integrated Reserve Forces that are well-trained, well-equipped and well-funded. The ambition is to grow the Reserves to around 35,000 across all 3 Services.

In the new plans, the Territorial Army will change its name to the Army Reserve to better reflect its enhanced role and its full integration into the ‘Whole Force’. £80 million will be invested in the Army Reserve estate to accommodate the larger numbers.

Have you got what it takes to be a reservist? We are recruiting to the Reserve Forces now.