Rejoining after discharge

If you left the army then you can still rejoin if:

• the army has a job for you
• the reason you left does not prevent you from re-enlisting
• you still meet the entry requirements (e.g. age, fitness etc.)

The contract you would sign would depend on whether you were still on Reserve Service when you re-enlisted.  Reserve Service means that the army can still call you out to train or deploy after you have left.  It normally lasts six years after you have left the regular army BUT if you left the army in the first few months after joining using your Discharge as of Right then you are NOT put on Reserve Service at all.  Which one applies to you?

I'm still on Reserve Service

I'm not on Reserve Service

If you are no longer on Reserve Service and rejoined the regular army then you would normally be treated as a new recruit, which means that you would sign onto the so-called Versatile Engagement, a 12-year contract.  If you rejoined the army in this way you would NOT have the option of Discharge as of Right.  This means that  you would NOT have the legal right to leave in the first few months.  The earliest you could leave would be four years after you re-enlisted and you would need to have given 12 months' notice beforehand.  You would then be liable for six years (normally) in the Reserve.

If you rejoined the army in this way and served for your first 12 years then you could apply to have your contract extended for a further 12 years (up the age of 55).  The army can accept this application or turn it down, depending on its needs at the time.  If you were turned down for this extension, you may be able to apply for a shorter, 2-year extension, which would also depend on the army's needs at the time.  Since the Versatile Engagement is quite new we don't yet know how many people are accepted or turned down for these extensions.

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