PN - Your 'friend' is a bit of a chump for joining the TA in the current climate anyway. If a soldier has family committments, then any benefits accruing to his family if he comes to grief come from the AFPS. TA service not being pensionable, the family gets next to sod all.
Many TA soldiers were quite happy to train to 'do their bit' defending the homeland, but a lot less are prepared to spend 6 months away sandyside on non-pensionable service being passed over in their civvy jobs to bale out the overstretched regular forces. Especially when, if the worst happens your family is up the creek or, if you are wounded, you are told to go and see your GP at home.
Using the TA as a cheap stop gap for the regular army is killing the TA. I wouldn't like to be a jobhunter with 'currently a member of the TA' on my CV. Who is going to employ you and risk losing you for 6 months at a time?