South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has called on the Ministry of Defence to make sure Territorial Army soldiers are properly prepared before sending them to serve in Iraq, as a new report finds commanders in Iraq have sent Reservists home because they were not as fit as they needed to be.

Mr Bacon said today: “There is a question mark over Reservists’ readiness for Iraq.  Reservists do not routinely train with Regular units and do not always receive training with the equipment they will use on operations.  Such training is a common sense measure that can save lives in battle situations”.

“It is also disturbing that Reservists deployed to Iraq have been sent home because they were not physically up to the job.  What’s more, the MoD has no idea how often this is happening”. 

“The MoD has a duty of care and must make sure its Reservists are properly prepared before sending them to serve in Iraq or elsewhere.  Any other course of action would not just put Reservists at risk but also Regular soldiers, who are increasingly reliant on the contribution of the reserve forces”.

Mr Bacon, a former soldier in the Territorial Army, was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report into reserve forces.  Over 12,000 Reservists have served in Iraq since operations commenced in early 2003.  However, the report finds that commanders in Iraq have told the Ministry of Defence that some Reservists are not as fit as they should be, and have had to send home those Reservists who are not up to operational levels of fitness.

The report also finds that many Reservists do not always have the opportunity to train alongside their Regular counterparts, or with the equipment they will use on operations before being deployed.

12 July 2007

See also:
PAC REPORT: Reserve Forces
PARLIAMENT: MP pays tribute to Reserve Forces
NAO REPORT: Reserve Forces