Army Cutbacks 3 Years Ahead Of Schedule

The number of people seeking ex military jobs in the UK looks set to increase, with new Ministry of Defence figures revealing that army personnel has been reduced by over 20,000, some three years ahead of the 2018 target.

Cuts began to be made after a strategic defence and security review from the government demanded a restructure to help reduce the budget deficit, the BBC reports.

Now, there are 81,700 full-time servicemen and women in the army, a drop from the 102,260 seen in 2010. Plans have been in place to increase the number of reservists to 30,000 by 2019 and as of April this year, that number stands at 21,030 – a rise of more than 1,000 since April last year.

Speaking to the news source, Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander, described the plan as incoherent, adding: “To have already made the cuts by 2015, it shows confusion and targets that don’t match up… it doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. The whole plan was to cover the gaps with reservists but if you’ve not achieved that then it must mean that we have got deficiencies.”

If you are looking for work, we here at Force Select can help. Our consultants are made up of a team of highly experienced industry recruitment experts, as well as former forces personnel, primed and ready to help service leavers through the process of finding a new job.

Our service is free and we also offer a mentoring programme for all those we help find further employment to help you make the transition from military to civilian life.