Rolling20
My experience of the TA in the mid- late 80's was:
- that some people saw it as a social club and went with their mates. If one left they all left................................. (usually just as they were becoming useful to the unit)
- that some people saw it as a proving ground and left after a year or so to join the regulars.............
- that some saw it as an area where they used their civilian skills in a military context.............. to the benefit of both parties
- that some people stayed for many years until retirement age while the average time was between 18 months and 6 years - usually they joined at 18/19 and then left when they got married............................
- that some people were fantasists (Walts).............................
As a rule they were reasonably well educated (CSE or GCE 'O' Levels) and saw the TA as a challenge/change, they made good basic Rifleman in the platoons. There were however a fair sprinkling of low literacy or illiterates in the mix, often they would ask me to help with filling forms and so on................ when they found I could write. They were good at humping the GPMG around though
Maybe that was a factor of the geographical area I was in though (SE UK). Not sure what it was like in other areas..........
Very much the 'Citizen Soldiers' of Kitcheners Army I think....................
Oh - and there were no formal educational qualifications required to join at that time.
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