Reserve Forces

Gold standard employers honoured for supporting Armed Forces

Fourteen organisations from across the wider West Midlands area attended an awards ceremony in Shropshire to receive their Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Awards, recognising their exceptional level of support to the Armed Forces community. Held at Lilleshall House and Gardens in Shropshire – also home to one of the UK’s National Sports Centres and the Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Centre…

WM RFCA supports Exercise Dragon Barbarian Nepal

Our Association actively promotes and supports the Reserve Forces and Cadets in our region, including the maintenance and upkeep of the Reserve and Cadet estate, advocacy and support through employer engagement and wider engagement, and the provision of the full-time staff at our regional Army Cadet Force Headquarters.  A small part of our role is also to provide grants and funding towards training…

Yukon hosts Exercise DRAGON FIREWEED

In August, 14 personnel from 37 Signal Regiment and two from 2 Signal Regiment embarked on a two-week adventure training exercise in the Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory. Read Sergeant Shaw’s account of their summer expedition – Exercise DRAGON FIREWEED – below: “The Yukon is in the North-Western corner of Canada and is bordered by Alaska and the Northwest Territories. The…

Military police support local policing in partnership programme

Serving members of the Royal Military Police (RMP) have joined forces with the South Staffordshire local policing team in a new partnership initiative. Starting on the 19th September, Corporals Katie Butlin and Michael Knapper have embedded with neighbourhood officers in the south of the county. They have been vetted and trained to the same standards as their existing officers and will be part…

Midlands based employers receive coveted Ministry of Defence Award

Twenty six employers from the West Midlands region have been presented with their Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Awards. The West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association’s awards took place on Tuesday 26th September, at the National Memorial Arboretum. The ERS awards were launched in 2014 to recognise employer support for the wider principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. The…

Parade and pageantry to celebrate 85th anniversary of RAF Cosford

A parade took place at RAF Cosford in July to celebrate the 85th anniversary of RAF Cosford – which also saw No.605 (County of Warwick) Squadron receive a new Standard, while No.2 School of Technical Training was reformed. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, was the parade’s reviewing Officer, and musical accompaniment was provided by The College…

Army Reservists benefit from trip to Ypres

In June, 28 members of 103rd Regiment Royal Artillery travelled to Ypres, Belgium for Exercise NORTHERN ASTERIX. Over the course of two full days, Reserve soldiers from the North-West and Midlands, travelled around the Ypres Salient studying the events during, and leading up to, the Third Battle of Ypres. The Battlefield Study aimed to cover five key topics. These included understanding the role…

Reservist succeeds in sport with the Army

To celebrate Reserves Day we spoke to Sergeant Karim from 116 Provost Company, 1st Regiment Royal Military Police about her journey as an Army Reservist and her involvement in sport within the Army. Sergeant Karim is currently a Regimental Mentoring Support Officer (REMSO) responsible for the running of recruitment events, the recruitment application process for civilians who want to join the unit, and…

RAF Reservists mobilise with Typhoons

What a way, to start your RAF Reserves journey with 605 Royal Auxiliary Squadron… Upon successful completion of her Phase 1 Recruit Training, Air Recruit (AR) Jackson was given the opportunity to mobilise in support of Exercise RED FLAG. A large RAF detachment of over 300 personnel arrived in the United States to take part in Exercise RED FLAG, a major exercise that…