It's Reserves Day!

Reservists across the country will today be wearing their military uniforms in their day jobs to highlight their commitment to our Reserve Forces.

Reserves Day, previously known as Uniform to Work Day, is now not only a chance for the UK’s thousands of Reservists to show their commitment, it is also an opportunity for the hundreds of employers across the country to recognise their Reservist employees.

Employers such as British Airways, Bentley, BT, Google, National Express, Rolls-Royce, Tesco, The AA and Vodafone, and a number of industry partners including BAE Systems, Carillion and Serco, have shown their support today by holding events and seminars to promote the work of their employees who are Reservists; and have also invited their employees to wear their military uniform at work.

Reservists give up their spare time to serve, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country need them, they are ready to play their part in the military.

The Reserve Forces are represented across all three Services, including the Royal Marines, and make up approximately one sixth of the UK’s Armed Forces personnel. They are integral to protecting the nation’s security at home and overseas, and are currently supporting operations worldwide including in Afghanistan, Northern Iraq, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as part of the UK’s effort to counter Ebola in Sierra Leone.

The contribution they make to our Armed Forces often goes unrecognised so Reserves Day provides an opportunity not only for Reservists to show pride in their service, but for the whole of the UK to recognise and celebrate their contribution to our Armed Forces.