News story

Uniform to Work Day

Reservists will ditch their civilian clothes on Uniform to Work Day next week.

• From: Ministry of Defence
• Published: 18 June 2014

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Reservists from all 3 services get on a bus in their military uniforms

There’s just 1 week to go until Uniform to Work Day, when reservists from across the UK are encouraged to swap their civilian work clothes for their military uniforms, on Wednesday 25 June.

The day is a chance for the country to celebrate the huge contribution the reserves make to the armed forces, and is part of a week-long series of events building up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 28 June.

A Royal Navy reservist in military uniform with 2 of his NHS colleagues (library image) [Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown copyright]

Reservist and chartered engineer Major General John Crackett, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets), said:

I encourage all my fellow reservists to wear their uniforms with pride on Uniform to Work Day. A lot of people don’t know much about the reserves and perhaps you can help dispel some of the myths.

Time and again I have found that skills I have learned in the reserves have helped me succeed at work. My employer came to realise that my reserve service was good for me and good for the company too.

Around 30,000 people across the UK give up their time to be part of the armed forces reserves. Since 2003 reservists have been deployed on operations around the globe, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as helping out at the 2012 London Olympics and with the UK flood relief efforts earlier this year.

Two dental nurses wearing their military uniforms to work (library image) [Picture: Sergeant Stuart Coles, Crown copyright]

Reservists come from all walks of life and from communities up and down the country. You can read about some of the people who have joined the reserves and the roles they play in the UK armed forces here.

As well as encouraging reservists to wear their uniforms to work, employers and businesses can show their support by signing the corporate covenant, a voluntary pledge which demonstrates their concrete support for the armed forces community.

More information is available on the Armed Forces Day website along with a downloadable poster.

The UK reserve forces play a vital part in our nation’s defence. Find out how you can get involved and what is on offer for reserves.

Published 18 June 2014