If you’re looking for something extra from your life, an exciting, challenging and rewarding experience in your spare time, then The Territorial Army could be for you. The TA offers the best of both worlds to people who want to experience Army life but are unable to make a full time commitment. For more information click here.
Nationwide, the TA makes up one quarter of the strength of the British Army and now routinely works side-by-side with the Regulars. The TA have been significantly involved with defensive, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Iraq. For the TA soldier film click here.
Through your TA training and regular exercises you’ll learn a range of valuable skills which can benefit you in your civilian life, your personal fitness will improve and you’ll meet a great bunch of people. There will also be plenty of opportunity for overseas travel, adventure training and sport.
Who can join?
For men and women wishing to join the Territorial Army, you need to be aged between 17½ and 43 – in certain circumstances, the upper age limit can be higher – and be a citizen of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland and should normally have lived in the UK for at least five years.
What is the commitment?
Most units train one evening a week – usually a Tuesday or Wednesday, plus one weekend a month and there is normally a 2-week camp, frequently abroad.
Once trained, you are liable for call-out under the Reserve Forces Act 1996. If you are mobilised, your regular job will be legally protected and you and your employer both have the right to seek exemption or deferral under certain circumstances.
What is the reward?
You’ll be paid at the same rate as your Regular counterparts and be entitled to a tax-free bonus if you achieve the required standards.
You will also be able to take part in a wide variety of adventurous activities which typically include, canoeing, sailing, skiing climbing and trekking. They’ll be huge fun and will help build your self-confidence and teamwork skills.
What sort of training is involved?
In the Territorial Army as in the Regular Army you are always a soldier first. So every recruit in the Reserve Forces goes through basic recruit training. The only exceptions to this rule are soldiers with previous military experience. During this stage you will learn basic soldiering skills on training weekends, midweek drill nights and finally a two week course. This is normally run by the Regular Army at a Recruit Training Centre for the TA. You will learn about such things as weapon handling, physical fitness, fieldcraft, First Aid and map reading.
Once you have completed your basic training you will then start your trade training, say as a driver, radio operator, chef, electrician or mechanic. A mix of classroom and hands-on training will have you performing your specific tasks effectively, efficiently and professionally within a year. The test of your new skills comes when you go out on exercise and contribute to your unit's success. Most members of the TA have found that the trade skills they have learned have been invaluable in civilian life. For specialist roles click here.
A unit is built up of many teams. After a year or so, you may be chosen to lead a small group, and you will be invited to attend additional training to develop your personal skills and prepare you for the additional responsibilities of promotion. For the training and selection video click here.
Officer Training
Training to become an Officer in the Territorial Army is a challenge quite unlike anything you are likely to encounter in civilian life. For the Officer training and selection video click here.
If you have an appetite for responsibility and a basic ability to lead and motivate others then becoming a TA officer could be one of the best decisions you’ll make in your adult life. Without the leadership of its officers the TA would not have been able to play the significant role that it does within the British Army. Click here to see TA Officer video. The benefits are considerable:
- Be a vital part of the British Army
- Receive world class training leading to the TA Commissioning Course at Sandhurst
- Meet new challenges which will help you realise your potential
- Lead and manage an exceptional team
- Make new friends and have some serious fun
- Be paid at the same rate as your counterparts in the Regular Army
There are a number of ways of becoming an officer in the TA but the most direct is to join via the new Direct Entry Scheme. This allows you to train as an officer right from the start of your time with the TA. To find out more and to be able to download an application form log onto Whatever your background, if you have the aptitude, you could be selected for officer training.
The military training is only a part of it. There is nothing like the feeling of finishing a hard days training and then having a shower, getting changed and going to the bar with a group of friends who have been through the same experience as you. "Work Hard, Play Hard" is the motto, and that group of friends will stay with you for many years.
What Territorial Army units are there in the South East?
The South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association area is one of the largest in the country and covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, East and West Sussex and The Channel Islands. Within the area there are over 40 TA units offering a huge variety of activities and trades. The units include:
Royal Artillery
Infantry
Royal Engineers – Bomb Disposal
Royal Signals
Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME)
Where are my nearest units?
For Life in the Territorial Army click here.
For more questions on the Territorial Army click here.
For videos and information on Summer Challenge click here.
Click here to list units in your town/county.