Reserve Forces Act 1996

24 Commitments to a period of full-time service

(1) A member of a reserve force may enter into a commitment in writing under this section (a full-time service commitment) to undertake a period of full-time service of such duration as may be specified in the commitment.

(2) A person who has entered into such a commitment—

(a) shall be in full-time service from the time specified in the commitment as the beginning of the period of full-time service to be undertaken by him until the time at which he is released from that service;

(b) shall be subject to service law while in full-time service;

(c) shall perform such duties while he is in full-time service as he may, in accordance with the terms of the commitment and any orders or regulations under section 4, be required to perform.

(3) A full-time service commitment—

(a) shall specify the duties to be performed by the person concerned (in general or specific terms) and the period for which he has undertaken to be in full-time service;

(b) may, to the extent permitted by orders or regulations under section 4, limit the area within which he may be required to perform duties; and

(c) may contain such other terms relating to the duties to be performed by that person as are included in accordance with orders or regulations under section 4.

(4) A person who is in full-time service may be required—

(a) to serve with any of the regular services for the purposes of performing duties in accordance with the commitment concerned; and

(b) subject to any limitation in the commitment, to perform such duties anywhere in the world.

(5) A full-time service commitment—

(a) may, with the consent of the member concerned, be varied in accordance with orders or regulations under section 4;

(b) may be revoked before the beginning of the specified period of full-time service by an authorised officer (whether at the request of the member concerned or otherwise) giving written notice to that effect to the member concerned; and

(c) shall terminate on the release of the member concerned from full-time service under the commitment.

(6) A person in full-time service shall, if not released from service sooner, be entitled to be released from service with all convenient speed in the prescribed manner at the end of the period of service specified in the commitment.

(7) Where a person in full-time service is accepted into permanent service under Part IV, V or VI—

(a) his full-time service shall cease while he is in permanent service; but

(b) if, on his release from permanent service, the period of full-time service undertaken by him has not expired, he shall resume his full-time service for the remainder of that period.

(8) A person in full-time service shall not be liable to be required to undergo training under section 22.

(9) The duties which a person in full-time service may be required to perform may include undertaking training.

(10) In this section—

• “authorised officer” means an officer authorised by or in accordance with directions of the Defence Council for the purposes of this section;

• “full-time service” means service under a full-time service commitment.