The Government's plans to enlist veterans over the age of 60 into the pool of reserve soldiers has been condemned as "political gesturing." The government intends to raise the age at which the army's strategic reserve – the nation's pool of retired soldiers – can be called upon from 55 to 65.

The new measures are being introduced aspart of a new Armed Forces billwhich will make it easier to mobilize tens of thousands of former military personnel if World War 3 breaks out.

However, Will Ashford-Brown, director of Strategic Insights at the Heligan Group, said whilst the planswill strengthen the Armed Forceson paper, "it does little to deter our adversaries". In a report, he wrote: "It is, in effect, political signalling that fails to confront the deep‐rooted issues undermining our ability to recruit and retain a credible fighting force."

The Army has contracted to its smallest size in more than 200 years, with just over 70,000 full-time, fully-trained troops ready to deploy to the frontline, raising alarm among experts amid escalating tensions as war rages in Europe and the Middle East.

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The strategic reserve also includes a broader "recall reserve" that can be mobilized in dire emergencies and increasing the maximum recall age is designed to make it easier to mobilize former personnel in a crisis.

However, Mr Ashford-Brown stated: "If, in the event of war, the Strategic Reserve could be effectively mobilised, mustered with a force genuinely motivated to defend the homeland, and was properly equipped to do so - would it truly constitute a credible fighting force? Unfortunately, the short answer is no."

Currently, there are nearly 32,000 active reservists serving across the three branches of the Armed Forces. According to current regulations, the pool of former soldiers can be activated in situations of "national danger, great emergency or attack in the UK".

The proposed amendments would reduce this threshold to "warlike preparations", bringing it in line with the existing standard for reservists who have departed the Armed Forces recently.

Mr Ashford-Brown continued: "I contend that the UK Armed Forces Bill mainly serves as political gesturing – to appease a UK populace that has grown tired of the incumbent government – rather than providing tangible military deterrence.

Source: Drudge Report