UK Announces New Round of Army, RAF Cuts

Army and RAF personnel will today be notified if they have been selected for redundancy in the first tranche of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme. All notifications will be made either face-to-face, or by telephone. For some, this will be as a result of their own choice to apply for consideration to be made redundant, but for many others will be unwelcome news. All those who are made redundant face significant changes to not only their own lives but also to those of their families. Those personnel who will be returning to civilian life through redundancy will receive full support from their chain of command and the comprehensive resettlement package to make this transition. Applicants will serve up to six months' notice before leaving the Armed Forces, while non-applicants will serve up to 12 months' notice; anyone wanting to leave earlier can ask their Service. Those selected for redundancy, and who meet the selection criteria, will have the opportunity to apply to shortage area categories. Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, has issued the following statement to all Service personnel: "The changes to the structure of the Armed Forces require adjustments throughout the Services and each Service will be adapting accordingly, including in the balance between Regular and Reserve Forces.