Operational Service

Lieutenant Darren Young - UN Observer, Korea

“We monitored the traffic going to and from North Korea. It was up to us to ensure the Armistice was being complied with in our area. Deploying provided me with a challenge, and completely new activities every day."

- Darren Young, Self Employed

Today's Army Reserve is a professional, operationally focused organization, with a mission to provide trained volunteers and units for overseas service.

But don't worry, we won't send you to Afghanistan the moment you join.

Operational service as a member of the Army Reserve is an intensely rewarding experience, but the decision to deploy is entirely up to you.

Putting your hand up to serve

Operational Service in the Army Reserve is completely voluntary, deployments of Army Reserve soldiers are drawn from units whose members have put their hand up - or volunteered to serve for a particular period of time in a particular region of the world.

Once you are a qualified member of the Army Reserve you will be notified by your unit of opportunities to serve overseas when and where they arise. You will then get the opportunity to decide whether you are able to commit to a particular deployment. You will then be able to consult family, friends and your employer on the matter before reaching your decision.

What happens if I volunteer?

Once you have decided the time is right for you to deploy and you are accepted onto a particular deployment, you will be given a full-time offer of service for a fixed period of time which will cover your Pre-Deployment Training (PDT), the Deployment itself and paid leave once you return home. If you prefer, you can return to work earlier and take your leave allowance as a lump sum payment.

How long will I be away from my civilian job?

This depends on the particular deployment you are going on. For four month deployments you should expect to be away from work for six months - which includes associated training and paid military leave. For six month deployments, you could be away from your job for up to nine months.

How will the Army assist me while I am deployed?

When you deploy overseas, you and your family will be assigned a Deployment Support Officer (DSO) who is there to assist both you and your family with any issues that may arise from your deployment.

Your Unit Employer Support Officer (UESO) will also be able to assist with any issues that arise in relation to your employer, and if you wish, they will keep your employer updated with news and information about what you are up to on your deployment.