The South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association

The South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (SE RFCA) offers support to the Reserve Forces and Cadets from all three Services in the Counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, East and West Sussex. This support includes recruit marketing, the maintenance of the Territorial Army and Cadet estate and providing a vital link between the Reservists, their employers and the local community. Although a small permanent executive staff is based in Seely House, Aldershot (next to Malta Barracks), the majority of the Association comprises volunteers, presided over by the Lord Lieutenant of each County and ranging from high-ranking serving and retired Service Officers, through local Councillors to enthusiastic locals, with no military experience, but with a will to support the Armed Forces and Cadets. So it can be seen that the Association has close links with the Community because it is part of that Community and, thus, has a very real part to play in the Community Engagement strand of the Armed Forces’ Firm Base policy.

This community spirit echoes throughout the RFCAs’ history. All 13 RFCAs, spread throughout the United Kingdom, can trace their history back to the Haldane Reforms of 1908. After 3 major reforms of the Army resulting from the near military disasters of the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny, another near military disaster in the shape of the South African War prompted Richard Haldane, the then Secretary of State for War, to form the Expeditionary Force (later to achieve everlasting fame as the ‘Old Contemptibles’ at the outset of WW1) and a new home-defence Territorial Force based on County Associations, the existence and modus operandi of which was embodied in the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907. The County Associations were formed from the great and good (and rich) from each County and were responsible for the recruitment and nurturing of their local Reserve Force. These County Associations evolved into the regionally based Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve Associations (TAVRA) which, in 2000 became RFCAs; SE RFCA forming from the merger of the South East and East Wessex TAVRAs . The role of RFCAs has also evolved; always regarded as an avuncular ‘friend in court’ and champion of the volunteer ethos, RFCAs now constitute a valuable partner to the local Regional Commander in his core activity of Community Engagement, providing a local Defence footprint (particularly in areas lacking a Regular Armed Forces presence), a point of contact for employers of reservists and promoting the interests of the Armed Forces and Cadets.

Currently, the SE RFCA area is home to some 50 Navy, Army and Air Force reservist units with over 3,300 personnel, all with local links, and all making an important contribution to Defence. There are also over 450 Cadet Detachments throughout the region, giving young people opportunities for training in life skills and adventurous training.

SE RFCA, Seely House, Shoe Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2HJ

01252 357616

http://www.serfca.org

Defence Sea/Land/Air/Intelligence/Security