Administrative Regiments and Corps.

These are listed below (in the template to the right), rang ing from the Household Cavalry to the Army Physical Training Corps and the Royal Logistic Corps. Uniquely and somewhat confusingly, the Infantry, which is not a corps but a collection of separate regiments, is administered by 'Divisions' of infantry Guards Division, Queen's Division, Scottish Division and so on.[134] Operational The major operational command is based at Andover and is known as "Army Headquar ters".[135][136] It is split into divisions and subordinate units ranging from r egiments to squadrons. Divisions (1 Div. based in Herford in Germany and 3 Div. based in Bulford)[137] Brigades, both fighting and in a non fighting regional capacity within HQ LF (fo r example, 43 (Wessex) Brigade based in Bulford). Structure of units[edit] The standard operational units are structured as follows, although various units have their own structure, conventions, names and sizes:[138] Type of Unit Division Brigade Battalion / Regiment Company / Squadr on Platoon / Troop Section Fire Team Contains 2 3 Brigades 3 5 Battalions 5 7 Companies 3 Platoons 3 Sections 2 Fire Teams 4 Individuals Personnel 10,000 5,000 550 750 100 30 8 10 4 Commanded by Maj-Gen Brig Lt Col Maj Capt, Lt or 2nd Lt Cpl LCpl Corps are made up of two or more divisions, but now are rarely deployed as a pur ely national formation due to the size of the British Army.[138] In place of a Battalion, a task-specific Battlegroup may be formed. A battlegrou p is grown around the core of either an armoured regiment or infantry battalion, and has other units added or removed from it as necessary for its purpose. It r esults in a mixed formation of armour, infantry, artillery, engineers and suppor t units, typically consisting of between 600 and 700 soldiers under the command of a Lieutenant Colonel.[138] A number of elements of the British Army use alternative terms for battalion, co mpany and platoon. These include the Royal Armoured Corps, Corps of Royal Engine ers, Royal Logistic Corps, and the Royal Corps of Signals who use regiment (batt alion), squadron (company) and troop (platoon). The Royal Artillery are unique i n using the term regiment in place of both corps and battalion, they also replac e company with battery and platoon with troop.[138] Divisions[edit] The British Army currently has two operational divisions.[139] Name Headquarters Subunits 1ukdiv.svg 1st Armoured Division Herford, Germany Two armoured bri gades. British 3rd Infantry Division2.svg 3rd Division Bulford, Salisbury Three me chanized brigades and one light brigade. There are also a some ten brigades which are not part of any division report dir ectly into Support Command.[140] Aviation components[edit] The British Army operates alongside the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm as part of Joint Helicopter Command, but the army also has its own Army Air Corps. Military helicopters of all three services are commanded by Joint Helicopter Co mmand, a joint 2 star headquarters operating under HQ Land Forces.[141] Special forces[edit] SAS winged dagger/flaming sword cap badge with "Who Dares Wins" motto The SAS Cap Badge. Main article: United Kingdom Special Forces The British Army contributes two of the three special forces formations within t he United Kingdom Special Forces Command; the Special Air Service Regiment and t he Special Reconnaissance Regiment.[142] The most famous formation is the Specia l Air Service Regiment. The SAS comprises one regular Regiment and two Army Rese

rve Regiments.[143] The regular Regiment, 22 SAS, has its headquarters and depot located in Hereford and consists of five squadrons: A, B, D, G and Reserve with a training wing.[14 4] The two reserve SAS Regiments; 21 SAS and 23 SAS have a more limited role, to provide depth to the UKSF group through the provision of Individual and collect ive augmentation to the regular component of UKSF and standalone elements up to task group (Regimental) level focused on support and influence (S&I) operations to assist conflict stabilisation.[145] The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), formed in 2005 from existing assets, undertakes close reconnaissance and special surveillance tasks.[142] Special For ces Support Group were formed around 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment, with attached Royal Marines and RAF Regiment assets, the unit is also open to any mem ber of the HM Armed Forces. The Special Forces Support Group are under the Opera tional Control of Director Special Forces to provide operational manoeuvre suppo rt to the elements of United Kingdom Special Forces.[146] British Overseas Territories military units[edit] Numerous military units were raised historically in British territories, includi ng self-governing and Crown colonies, and protectorates. Whereas the Dominions, such as Canada and Australia, had their own armies before achieving complete ind ependence, units raised in those territories which remained part of the realm of the UK were, and are, ultimately under the control of the UK government, and do not constitute separate armies. The UK retains responsibility for the defence o f all of the fourteen remaining British Overseas Territories. Although the Cayma n Islands premier has stated the desire to raise a Cayman Islands Defence Force [147] when it can be afforded (it currently has only a cadet corps),[148] becomi ng the fifth, only four of the remaining British Overseas Territories retain loc ally-raised regiments: Bermuda Regiment [149] Royal Gibraltar Regiment [150] Falkland Islands Defence Force [151] Royal Montserrat Defence Force [152] Falkland Islands Defence Force on parade in June 2013.

Bermuda Regiment PNCO Cadre Promotion Parade in No. 3 (Summer) Dress.

Changing of the Guard - Royal Gibraltar Regiment in 2012. Royal Navy and RAF ground units[edit] The other armed services have their own infantry units which are not part of the British Army. The Royal Marines are amphibious light infantry forming part of t he Naval Service, and the Royal Air Force has the RAF Regiment used for airfield defence, force protection duties and Forward Air Control.[153] Recruitment[edit] Main article: Recruitment in the British Army The Army mainly recruits within the United Kingdom; it normally has a recruitmen t target of around 12,000 soldiers per year.[154] Low unemployment in Britain ha s resulted in the Army having difficulty in meeting its target. In the early yea rs of the 21st century there has been a marked increase in the number of recruit s from other (mostly Commonwealth) countries. In 2006 overseas recruitment, most ly in Commonwealth countries, generated more than 6,000 soldiers from 54 nations ; together with the 3,000 Gurkhas, 10% of the British Army is a foreign national .[155] The Ministry of Defence now caps the number of recruits from Commonwealth countr ies, although this will not affect the Gurkhas. If the trend continues 10% of th

e army will be from Commonwealth countries before 2012. The cap is in place as s ome fear the army's British character is being diluted, and employing too many c ould make the army seen as employing mercenaries.[156] The minimum recruitment a ge is 16 years (after the end of GCSEs), although soldiers may not serve on oper ations below 18 years; the maximum recruitment age was raised in January 2007 fr om 26 to 33 years. The normal term of engagement is 22 years, and, once enlisted , soldiers are not normally permitted to leave until they have served at least 4 years.[157] There has been a strong and continuing tradition of recruiting from Ireland incl uding what is now the Republic of Ireland.[158][159][160][161] Over 200,000 Iris h soldiers fought in the First World War.[162][163] More than 60,000 Irishmen fr om what was then the Irish Free State[164] (now the Republic of Ireland) and 38, 000 from Northern Ireland served in the Second World War,[165] all volunteered. Oath of allegiance[edit] Troops of the Grenadier Guards on guard at Buckingham Palace. Various army regim ents supply troops to guard the Royal residences. All soldiers must take an oath of allegiance upon joining the Army, a process kn own as attestation. Those who wish to swear by God use the following words: I, [soldier's name], swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors and that I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs a nd successors in person, crown and dignity against all enemies and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors and of the generals and officers set over me.[166] Others replace the words "swear by Almighty God" with "solemnly, sincerely and t ruly declare and affirm".[167] Under the reign of another monarch, the name of t he monarch and all pronouns with gender are replaced appropriately. Training establishments[edit]