Reserves Day 2022

Today is Reserves Day, a day to highlight and recognise the valuable contribution Reservists make to our Armed Forces.


Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country require them, they would be ready to serve as part of the military.

The Reserve Forces make up approximately one-sixth of our Armed Forces personnel and are integral to protecting the nation’s security at home and overseas, particularly providing capability in specialist areas such as medical and cyber.


To mark Reserves Day, we met with one of our own Reservists,
Paul Adam, Principal Consultant at Roke. Paul reflects on his experiences in both the Territorial Army and the Royal Navy Reserves. 


Paul says, “My involvement and interest in the military all started
in 1988 at my university Fresher’s Fayre. I passed the East Midlands Training Corp stand for the Territorial Army, which immediately captured my interest. I asked how much it would cost, and they said, “No, son,
we pay you!” I was sold! I served from 1988 - 1996 and left after I went for Officer but unfortunately didn’t get it. 


“Then, ten years later, I applied to the Royal Navy Reserves, passed the Admiralty Interview Board, and joined the Royal Navy Reserves Intelligence Branch. As a Reservist, you’re committed to 24 days a year, which can be made up of evenings and weekends. You also give a block of around two weeks for operational development and support training.” 


The Royal Naval Reserve, together with the Royal Marines Reserve, form the Maritime Reserves. The Royal Naval Reserve’s involvement in protecting the UK’s interests ranges from conflict operations to
counter-terrorism and anti-piracy work. There are around 3,000 Reservists currently stationed all over the world.


“The Reservists bring a different set of experience and knowledge that adds real value to the work of the Royal Navy.
Roke is extremely supportive of my commitments as a Reservist. As a Principal Consultant, I provide technical assurance to our customers and coordinate projects, ensuring they are fit for purpose. It’s a very varied role, managing many stakeholders, and I can apply those skills to my role as a Reservist. 


“In a Reserves unit
, the work is very operationally focused – it’s operational, not decorational. It’s real work needed by the fleet or wider defence. There is such a wide range of knowledge within the Reserves, from engineers and medical experts to safety consultants. I love that it adds something else to my life. It’s totally different from the everyday.


‘My most memorable moment as a Reservist was being deployed for three weeks to HMS Queen Elizabeth. I was part of an Intelligence exercise bringing all different agencies on board – Royal Navy, Defence,
Intelligence and others. The exercise tested whether we could compartmentalise tasks, maintain security and work together. 

“The ship was simply awesome! First, I was flown out to Norfolk, Virginia, in the USA, to board the ship. It was such an experience being driven out to Pier 14 and seeing HMS Queen Elizabeth docked between the US super carriers, Eisenhower and Stennisand not looking out of place. Then, we sailed back across the Atlantic to disembark at Portsmouth. It was a truly unforgettable experience.


“I’ll also never forget the feeling of walking down the main corridor at Dartmouth for my Reserve Commissioning course. I was very nervous and remember taking in the sight of all the paintings and medals on the walls of the corridor, particularly the Victoria Cross awarded to Commander Dunbar. I thought about all the people that have been through these doors before me
, and it inspired me to give it my best.”