BEHIND THE HEADLINES: Making a difference with the armed forces' reservists

REPRESENTATIVES from the Army, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy were all present for a presentation at Rodney Parade, Newport, to promote how reservists can benefit business.

Despite Wales making up just five per cent of overall UK population, nine per cent of the three services are from Wales.

With high-quality training, reservists offer significant benefits to employers, with transferable soft skills like leadership, teamwork and communication.

Reservists add value to business with this high-quality training and it is estimated that they are worth £377 million to employers, which works out as £16,800 per reservist.

As role models, they have a strong cultural mindset with committed values and having already been tested in demanding circumstances, reservists can deal with high pressure situations

With transparent openness about how long reservists may be away for, and the period of notice required before they are called up for service, relations between the armed forces and employers have never been better.

Reservists are not mobilised for a lengthy period of time and their family and employer is taken into account. Whether they are called also depends on the scale and nature of the threat.

There’s a period of notice in advance, which is nine months in the Army and three months for the air and navy.

With mobilisation, when there’s a requirement to deploy reservists, they are asked to volunteer. The MoD pay for the employer to advertise cover for the job and any increase in costs is covered.

Added to this the fact that the cost for employers is practically nothing. Employers are only asked to support the reservists’ training, rather than the individuals having to use their annual leave.

As part of this so-called corporate covenant, companies including the likes of Tesco, HSBC, BT and National Express have been quick to pledge their support for reservists.

Among those present at the presentation earlier this month was Tony Bagnell, head of operations at the £35-million EADS research and development laboratory in Newport, who has employed dozens of reservists in the past.

He said: “I left Newcastle at the age of 16 to join the RAF.

“I spent 23 years in the RAF and 22 years in industry, so I saw both sides.

“They are high performers and I endorse their soft skills as well as the training they receive to support the business.”

There are seven army reserve units in Gwent, with five in Newport and two in Cwmbran.

The Army is the seventh-largest employer in Wales and 20 per cent of Army training takes place in Wales, with 385,000 training days held on private land in 2014.

Specialists represent five – 10 per cent of the force. They are niche posts, such as cyber specialists and linguists. They have minimum military training but are called when they are needed.

Some 70-90 per cent of army reservists are generalists, who are involved in the likes of engineering and communications.

Speaking of the appeal of employing reservists, Colonel Stephen Cartwright, a general officer from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, said: “The reservists are a great source of talent and hold the affection of the public.

“They are tested in demanding situations.

“They have a very strong cultural mindset and are role models hungry for success.”

If you are aged between 18 and 49, you are eligible to apply to be an army reservist.

There are 23,920 current reservists, with an eventual target of 34,900. Numbers have not been in marked decline as such, but there has not been an increase since the Second World War.

Leighton Owen, from Cwmbran joined the 104 Regiment 217 Battery at Raglan in March, 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010-2011.

He said: “It was always something I wanted to do and I’ve got so much out of it.

“I’ve got fitter and more punctual. Working with a team helps with your man management and you meet people from different social groups.

“It’s taken me all over the world, whether it’s rock climbing in Germany or skiing in California.

“I really enjoy it all still.”

The Royal Navy is made up of five arms: the ship in the surface fleet, the aerial fleet air arm, the covert submarine service, the amphibious royal marines, and the civilian fleet of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Opened on October 15, 1980, HMS Cambria is the only Royal Naval Reserve unit in Wales, based in Sully in the Vale of Glamorgan.

As a member of the Royal Naval Reserve you could be giving vital logistical support to ship crews, sending detailed signal information to merchant shipping, or planning the landing of an amphibious task group.

There are three different categories: Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve ex-regular and Royal Naval Reserve with specialist skills.

More than 2,300 men and women currently serve as reservists in the Royal Navy alongside their normal day job and most have no previous military experience when joining.

Jobs within the Royal Naval reserve are varied, whether they are on shore or at sea. They can include: logistics, intelligence, diving, mine warfare, information systems, submarine operations and maritime trade operations.

Every exercise that a reservist takes part in is designed to underpin the operational roles they may encounter both in the UK and around the world.

Serving reservists take part in physical and mental challenges and activities involving practical leadership, basic weapon skills and sea survival.

Reservists normally commit to the equivalent of 24 days a year for training, which takes place mainly during the evenings and at weekends.

Reservists are paid for their time, with pay increases with seniority. However, new recruits can easily earn over a thousand pounds a year, in addition to a yearly tax-free bounty which ranges from £400 to £1,600 depending on the length of service.

The initial training to become a reservist takes place one night a week or at weekends for the first 20 weeks, followed by a two-week residential course at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall which includes an overnight exercise on Dartmoor. New recruits will then be given training for a specific role, ranging from logistics to submarine operations.

In recent years, personnel from HMS Cambria have been involved in operational deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Gulf and numerous exercises across the globe.

When needed, the Royal Naval Reserve supplements the full-time ranks with extra manpower, and in some cases provides additional specialist civilian skills.

New recruits must be aged between 16 and 40, have a basic standard in English and maths, and be able to complete a one-and-a-half-mile run within a specific time period.

Elsewhere, as a reserve with the RAF, you use your spare-time to develop transferable skills, increase your self-confidence, meet people from a wide range of backgrounds and enjoy adventurous training opportunities.

Roles are available from 18 right up to 54 years and six months of age.

Reserves commit a minimum of 27 days per year on a renewable 12-year basis. Each year includes a two-week (15 days) block for general RAF training, and at least 12 weekend or holiday days for additional training, trade training, or training exercises.

While you may get the opportunity to train overseas as part of your annual 15-day training block, most of your time will be spent on a nearby RAF base. Each one of these has its own role, from front-line operations to training establishments.

Like regular RAF personnel, reserves can be mobilised on expeditionary operations at some time during each 12-year contract.

They can be deployed to a UK, overseas or temporary base for up to six months, plus another six months for pre-deployment training and post-deployment relaxation with their families..

During your time away you could be travelling with your unit, filling in for another member of the RAF, or working alongside regulars and reserves from other services. You could also be part of a small team dedicated to a particular job, or a big disaster relief mission.

The RAF will cover your costs and provide advice and assistance to your family when you’re away. The maximum period you’ll be away from your employer is one year.

The RAF Reserves in South Wales are represented by 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron Royal Auxilliary Air Force.

The Cardiff-based unit was founded in 1937 and reactivated last year as part of the expansion of the reserves.

Squadron Leader Matt Best, explained how the reserves fit into the Royal Air Force.

He said: "Reservists are fully trained to do the same job as regulars and be deployed to the same places with all the same challenges faced by regulars.

"You'll be paid the same daily rate as a regular, but the added attraction of a tax-free bounty if you serve for 27 days in a year.

"That time can be made up of evenings, weekends and longer deployments.

"When we were involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, reservists played a big part in RAF operations there, but you could also be deployed in the UK or in support of civilian authorities as we were during the Olympics or on flood relief in 2013."

The Royal Auxilliary Air Force offers trades as diverse as intelligence analyst, driver and chef, with opportunities also in media operations, RAF police, or physical training.

Cathy Sharples is a reservist with 614 Sqn. The photographer works with the unit’s media flight and has recently returned from Estonia where she was covering the deployment of RAF Typhoon fighters to defend Nato airspace.

She said: "I love the fact you get to do exciting jobs like being deployed overseas, but whatever job you do, you get the chance to develop and be pushed to your potential and out of your comfort zone."

Squadron leader Gill Pritchard, of the 614 (County of Glamorgan) Sqn Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron, has been involved with the reserves for 22 years.

She said: “I have gone on to serve in Germany, Cyprus and Afghanistan. I could not have achieved this without the full support of my employers.

“Through the reserves, I developed my personal and professional skills. My decision-making was enhanced

“They were totally different jobs but there were transferable skills. It did not encroach on my civilian employment.

“In fact, it added to it.”