New 10,000 Reserves Incentive for Ex-Regular Personnel

Ex-Regular personnel who join the Royal Air Force Reserve could soon be in line for a cash incentive of up to 10,000 as part of a new Financial Incentive agreement.

The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has approved an ex-Regular Financial Incentive (ERFI) which will entitle former serving personnel from all three services who join the Royal Auxiliary Air Force up-to £10,000 by reaching four key milestones. The new incentive will be paid in addition to a reservist’s daily pay and annual bounty and will be backdated for eligible personnel who have already joined since 1st April 2014.

Introducing the incentive aims to further stimulate the growth of the trained part-time volunteer component of the RAF Reserve as part of the ongoing Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) Programme.

The RAF element of the FR20 Project is predominantly focused on increasing the trained strength of the part-time volunteer Reserves from 1,000 to 1,860 personnel by 1st April 2017 and to maintain this strength until 2020 and beyond.

Ex-Regular personnel who arrive fully trained not only provide an immediate gain to trained strength, but they are able to fill key officer, senior Non-Commissioned Officer and junior management posts without delay, which is crucial to the successful formation of a coherent unit; particularly valuable when establishing new Reserve squadrons. The experience provided by ex-Regulars is also key to providing the necessary nucleus of experience that Reserve Squadrons need in order to be able to train and retain new recruits. The ERFI scheme will be open from 1st November 2014 to 31st March 2017; ex-Regular personnel who have already joined the Reserves since 1st April 2014 and meet the criteria may also apply.

After completing 18 years of service for the RAF, Squadron Leader Darren Scales – a filmmaker and university lecturer in his civilian life is now a head of media operations for the Reserves at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. Speaking about his role, Sqn Ldr Scales said: “You have the best of both worlds. A normal civilian existence, but then stepping back into this uniform you get to utilise your skills, as well as  work and socialise with your friends.”

In order to be eligible for the ERFI an ex-Regular recruit joining the RAuxAF must have joined the RAF Reserve after 1st April 2014. Detailed eligibility criteria may be found in the Internal Briefing Note 51/14. Eligible personnel may apply for the ERFI using application forms which can be obtained from RAF Reserve Sqn Human Resources staff.

You can arrange to visit any of the RAF Reserves squadrons across the UK to discuss the opportunities around your RAF or military skill set, as well as the ranks available.

To find out more visit raf.mod.uk/recruitment or call the Reserves helpline on 0333 202 1099 or 0845 606 9069.