§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to encourage ex-service personnel to rejoin the armed forces; and if he will make a statement on the value of ex-service personnel to the armed forces. [121521]
§ Mr. CaplinEx-Service personnel are routinely encouraged to consider rejoining the armed forces. All three services ensure that regular contact is maintained with former service personnel from the moment of discharge (and in many instances in the weeks leading up to the discharge date), when their continued value to the armed forces is fully explained to them, and for a period of time thereafter. Such has been the nature of these initiatives that in financial year 2002–03, a total of 762 ex-service personnel rejoined the armed forces and for the first five months of 2003–04 a further 345 former service personnel have rejoined.
The armed forces greatly value ex-service personnel. Those who rejoin the regular forces bring their past experience and expertise with them which is particularly useful when individuals join branches or trades currently experiencing a shortfall. Many who rejoin do not have to repeat the full re-selection process and many of those formerly on the trained strength do not have to repeat initial training. This is a considerable saving on time and resources.
Ex-regular personnel have played, and continue to play, a vital role in recent operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq.