Britons as old as 65 could be called up to fight for their country in the event of a Third World War, under government plans to raise the age threshold of the Strategic Reserve. The move comes as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stated Britain must be prepared for war in 1,000 days.
Strategic Reserve age limit to rise
The Strategic Reserve consists of two components: the Regular Reserve, which includes former service personnel with a continuing obligation to train and be mobilised if needed, and the Recall Reserve, made up of veterans with a legal duty to be recalled in the most extreme circumstances.
In January, the Government unveiled proposals to raise the age limit of the Strategic Reserve from 55 to 65, meaning veterans just one year away from the state pension age (66) could be summoned. Increasing the maximum recall age is intended to make it simpler to deploy former personnel in a crisis.
Armed Forces Bill changes
The changes, scheduled to come into force in the spring of next year, are part of the Armed Forces Bill. Those who have previously left the military will not be impacted unless they opt in. The legislation also permits the threshold for mobilisation to be reduced to "war-like preparations" from a "national danger, great emergency or attack on the UK," reports the Express.
Revealing the proposals in January, Commander Standing Joint Command, Lieutenant General Paul Griffiths, stated: "Our Strategic Reserve represents a wealth of expertise built over years of military and civilian experience - from cyber and intelligence to medicine and communications."
Veterans' response
Approximately 95,000 individuals are thought to be subject to recall as part of the Strategic Reserve, though the Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not publish figures on the Recall Reserve. Former soldiers are expected to be summoned next year for a major drill examining Britain's preparedness for conflict.
Defence expert Nicholas Drummond, who formerly served in the Army, told the Daily Express he is amongst those eligible to be mobilised under the scheme, adding he was convinced ex-troops in their 60s would be willing to do so. Drummond said: "We're up for it. We served our country during the Cold War - if a call comes again, we're there. You can quote me on that."
While it is technically not conscription, the proposals do share certain characteristics. Demands for the return of conscription have intensified in recent years, driven by ongoing worries about the strength of the UK's Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defence has maintained that it has no intention of bringing back compulsory military service, stressing that its priority remains strengthening the professional armed forces.
