How much time could you as a reservist put in

[trellheim]

If the call came ( hypothetical , not getting into whys and wherefores ) and volunteers were asked for for serious, operational Service ( away from home, but not necessarily overseas, key here is you DONT get back to home every night ).

Assume that it is NOT an emergency/1939/Civil War and it's a call for Volunteers ONLY

How much time could you put in on an annual basis in a single block ONLY - remember you are VOLUNTEERING . It is paid same as a PDF man of the same rank with MSA but no long service increments

Edit : 1. to clarify : This is fulltime service as a reservist NOT as PDF , under the current T's and C's, with NO employment protection. i.e. to repeat, under the current terms and conditions.

[Buck]

Assuming the employer had no issue with it, it's pretty much indefinite really. If the employer had an issue with it then I reckon around 14 days.

[na grohmiti]

Any thing more than a month and I'd be calling myself full time.

[Mr. Tezza]

I said 60 days or less, which I'd be happy enough to do as long as I was getting paid a decent amount, but I somehow doubt that my employer would be happy to let me go for that long, anything over 2 weeks and I'd prob be looking for a job after!

[SwiftandSure]

I wouldn't risk more than 2 weeks.

[kaiser]

I heared today That a reservist who had been on a course full time training, I'm not sure how many days, enquired about the pension and benefits as he had been over a certain amount of days. Any way top brass shit their pants and now the days will be capped.

[DeV]

Isn't that why the 42 day cap exists

[kaiser]

I'm not sure, but I heared the number of days is to be cut

[The real Jack]

I think the pension issue has always been known in the backround, in reality I don't understand the problems - it'll hardly qualify the bod for 1% or whatever of the PDF pension!

[trellheim]

Pension is an old hat one and clouds the fact that RDF service while paid is not insurable for Contributory Pension in the normal run of things. The "as-was" rate K which was only brought in is only the health levy as I recall. RDF service is not classed as employment , even though it is paid, in the SW acts for all sorts of reasons ... see RDFRA slavering in the background.

All of the brigades that pay RDF - DFTC, 1,2, NS all have a chap whose job it is to see if you go over the 42 that DOD must specially authorize. There are a few who do and each case is ( theoretically, but not always ) looked at on merit .

As for mandays, there was/is/are shitloads on offer - that was the trade for pulling the grat. If they pull the days I want the grat back because fk sake it really isn't worth the money at the moment, its by a long long way the worst financially its ever been to serve, its costing nearly more to be in than not.

[SwiftandSure]

I have no interest in accruing a pension, but I do want my gratuity back.

I'd consider giving up 2 weeks annual leave for operational requirements, but given that I get very little back from the RDF, I'd be picky about what I'm giving up my time for. I'm NOT giving up 2 weeks family time or paid employment to just stag on, end of. Shit jobs like that are the preserve of the PDF and are offset by a pensionable profession with adventurous training jollies and overseas tour opportunities. I value my time more and more recently and I'd expect better validation for the time, effort and commitment I've had to put into my training.

I'd rather spend those 2 weeks shivering my way through a beasting tactical Ex in the Glen in the depths of winter, than spend 2 weeks in summer manning a barrier under the guise of "operational purpose".

[hptmurphy]

In the past I would have done four , but it was from my annual leave entitlement with former employer and I was paid grat and the pay was a full pre 2009 rates.

It was feasible, now..why would I take a cut in pay to do a job which basically has no bearing on any future career and I have no protections while undertaking that role.

I would suggest that if the DF want people in excess of the current 42 days they should be issued with contracts of definite duration . with all those protections offered in law.

I gave the state enough of my free time in the past both with and without pay, not sure if I'd do it again outside of my regular employment.

[Truck Driver]

As I do shift work, pretty much every time I roll up for weekend commitments, I'm taking time off from my holiday entitlement. So like Swifty, without protections, at one go, 14 days would be the max for me. Furthermore, my job restricts more than 2 consecutive weeks off, without someone else covering my spot. The latter can be problematic at the best of times

[Bravo20]

I know it is a small sample size but it interesting the percentage of people who can commit more than 14 days.

[trellheim]

I know it is a small sample size but it interesting the percentage of people who can commit more than 14 days.

That is why I was interested in asking the question, its not something the skills survey asked and I thought a random sample might be worth gathering ( although IMO is biased because you have found your way here, and so are more committed than the norm ). I'd note that I mean the question as "once-off" as well , not recurring