George Robertson, a former defence secretary and Nato head who co-authored last year's strategic defence review (SDR), has claimed that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not know where most military veterans are for emergency recall. Speaking at an event in Salisbury, Wiltshire, the Labour peer said the MoD has failed to maintain contact details for the 95,000-strong strategic reserve.
Under existing law, all former officers, regular and reserve, retain recall liability for life. The MoD maintains contact with veterans in the first six years after they leave full-time service through an annual reporting letter. However, records have not been similarly maintained for those who left more than six years ago, and the practice fell by the wayside after the Cold War.
The SDR, chaired by Robertson, General Richard Barrons and Fiona Hill, recommended last June that the government urgently rejuvenate the strategic reserve. Plans included mapping reservists' locations and skillsets and improving communication. The government announced in January it would raise the maximum recall age from 55 to 65 and broaden the threshold to include 'warlike operations' beyond an 'actual attack'.
Robertson expressed frustration that the government is still hesitating on fresh defence funding and preparing the country for war. He accused leaders of 'corrosive complacency', saying Britain is 'underprepared, underinsured, under attack' and 'not safe'. The Royal United Services Institute also criticised the pace of changes, arguing the government has not explained how recalled personnel would be funded, armed or integrated.
An MoD spokesperson said: 'We recognise the importance of the strategic reserve... we are delivering on the SDR through our armed forces bill. The bill will expand our pool of reserves... and give the defence secretary power to authorise recall for warlike operations. We are also constantly improving our data and communicating with our strategic reserve community.'
