Reservists will be wearing their military uniforms to their civilian jobs for Uniform to Work Day held this year on 27 June 2012, organised as part of the build up to the fourth annual Armed Forces Day.
Last year, thousands of Reservists took part demonstrating their pride in giving their time for their country and at the same time showing their employers how much they value the support they receive.
If you do have any employees who are Reservists in the Armed Forces, you may be approached by them because they would like to support this event and wear their military uniform to work.
The wearing of military uniform in public is regulated by MOD guidelines which state that the individual must want to wear their uniform, permission must be granted by the Chain of Command and the employer must be content for an employee to wear military uniform whilst at work.
Employers can help support any Reservist employees they may have on their staff by encouraging them to wear their uniform to work on the day. This is an excellent opportunity for employers to show how much they value their Reservist employees and acknowledge the contribution they make to society.
The day also provides an opportunity for employers to show how they support their staff by covering the day through their in-house communications channels.
Uniform to Work Day is one of a series of events intended to raise awareness of Armed Forces Day which takes place this year on Saturday, 30 June 2012, and celebrates all of those who make up the Armed Forces Family. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the role of the Reserves and to show the public the Armed Forces are made up of people from all sections of the community.
Reservists make an essential contribution to national security and to homeland resilience, and the invaluable experience and skills they gain through their service directly benefit employers. More than 1,200 Reservists support enduring operations in Afghanistan every year.
Since 2003, there have been over 27,000 mobilisations from the Navy, Army and Air Force where Reservists have been mobilised to serve alongside their regular counterparts on operations, both overseas and in the United Kingdom. This year, 2,100 Reservists will support Defence’s contribution to Olympic Games security (approx 15% of the total Armed Forces involvement). The support of employers plays a vital role in enabling these Reservists to contribute in the crucial way they do.
We would like to thank you for any support you can show to any Reservist employees you may have in your organisation by encouraging their involvement in Uniform to Work day this year.
Further information can be found on Armed Forces Day at www.armedforcesday.org.uk.