Official Statistics

Annex A to RESCAS 2024 main report: tri-service questionnaire items

Published 18 July 2024

Life in the Reserves

1. How satisfied are you with:

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied)

• Life in the [Service] Reserve in general [R001]

2. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree)

• I am proud to be in the [Service] Reserve [R002]
• I feel motivated to the best job I can for the [Service] Reserve [R003]
• I would recommend joining the [Service] Reserve to others [R004]
• I feel a strong personal attachment to the [Service] Reserve [R166]
• The [Service] Reserve inspires me to do the best in my role [R167]
• The [Service] Reserve motivates me to help it achieve its objectives [R168]
• I think that the [Service] Reserve respects individual differences (e.g. cultures, working styles, backgrounds, ideas, etc.) [R153]

3. How does life in the [Service] Reserve compare with what you expected it to be when you first joined? [R075]

(Much better/ Better/ About the same/ Worse/ Much worse)

4. How long do you intend to stay in the [Service] Reserve? [R009]

(Less than 1 year/ 1-2 years/ 3-4 years/ 5-6 years/ 7 years plus/ Not sure)

Reasons for joining, staying and leaving the Reserves

5. What were your main reasons for joining the [Service] Reserves? (tick all that apply)

• To serve my country [R055]
• Interested in joining the Regulars in the future [R056]
• To do something different [R057]
• Reserve pay or bounty [R058]
• The courses/skills training on offer [R059]
• To develop my civilian career [R060]
• For excitement and adventure [R061]
• For the challenge [R062]
• Personal development [R063]
• The type of work [R064]
• To travel and experience new places [R065]
• To make a difference/do something worthwhile [R066]
• To go on exercise or be deployed [R067]
• For fitness and to do something active [R068]
• Career opportunities in the [Service] Reserve [R069]
• The experience of Service life [R070]
• To meet like-minded people/make new friends [R071]
• Former Regular and wanted to carry on serving in some capacity [R072]
• Recommended by friends, family or colleagues [R169]
• Other (please specify) [R073, R074 – text response only]

6. What are your main reasons for staying in the [Service] Reserves? (tick all that apply)

• To serve my country [R076]
• Interested in joining the Regulars in the future [R077]
• To do something different [R078]
• Reserve pay or bounty [R079]
• The courses/skills training on offer [R080]
• To develop my civilian career [R081]
• For excitement and adventure [R082]
• For the challenge [R083]
• Personal development [R084]
• The type of work [R085]
• To travel and experience new places [R086]
• To make a difference/do something worthwhile [R087]
• To go on exercise or be deployed [R088]
• For fitness and to do something active [R089]
• Career opportunities in the [Service] Reserve [R090]
• The experience of Service life [R091]
• The people, friends and camaraderie [R092]
• The prospect of improved Reserve Terms and Conditions in the future [R093]
• Other (please specify) [R094, R095 – text response only]

7. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ONLY IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

Thinking about your reasons for leaving, what has played a part in your decision? (tick all that apply)

• The money I receive from my Reserve service is insufficient [R096]
• I don’t want to be mobilised on operational tours [R097]
• Lack of opportunity to be mobilised on operational tours [R098]
• I was not happy with my role during my last operational tour [R099]
• Poor management and leadership [R100]
• I have received inadequate training [R101]
• I am not happy with the administrative support I receive [R102]
• Lack of opportunity for promotion [R103]
• Lack of opportunity to lead and command [R104]
• Lack of opportunity to develop technical skills [R105]
• Lack of challenge [R106]
• Too much time spent doing administration/JPA [R107]
• I want to join one of the Regular Services [R108]
• Personal or family pressures [R109]
• Work or employer pressures [R110]
• Bored with the [Service] Reserve [R111]
• Don’t like the way the Regulars treat me [R112]
• I’ll have reached the Reserves retirement age [R149]
• I don’t feel valued by the Service [R114]
• Health issues or pregnancy [R115]
• My civilian employer doesn’t support my Reserve service [R170]
• Other (please specify) [R116, R117 – text response only]

Pay, Allowances and Admin Support

8. How satisfied are you with the following?

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

• Your Reserve Service pay [R010]
• Your Annual Bounty [R011]
• Your Reserve Service expenses allowance (for travel etc.) [R012]
• The admin support within your unit [R013]   ## Kit and Equipment

9. How satisfied are you with the following?

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

• The availability of personal* equipment/kit you have to do your role [R015]
• The standard of personal* equipment/kit you have to do your role [R016] *E.g. clothes, boots, personal weapon

Mobilisation

10. Have you been mobilised as a Reservist? [R121]

• Yes
• No (router)

11. Have you been mobilised as a Reservist in the last 3 years? [R172]

• Yes
• No

12. How satisfied are you with the following?

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

• The support you received from the [Service] when you were last mobilised [R020]
• The support your family received from the [Service] when you were last mobilised [R021]

Training

13. How satisfied are you with the following?

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied /Don’t know/NA)

• The amount of training you have received for your current role [R022]
• The quality of training you have received for your current role [R023]
• The amount of leadership training you have received [R025]
• Your opportunity to take part in Adventurous Training [R026]

Career Progression

14. How satisfied are you with the following?

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied / Don’t know/NA)

• Your career management within your unit [R027]
• Your opportunities for personal development [R029]
• Your opportunities for promotion [R030]

Perception of Reserves

15. As an [Service] Reservist, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)

• I feel valued by Regulars [R031]
• I feel valued by society [R032]

Family Support

16. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know / NA)

• My family supports my Reserve service [R125]
• My family values my Reserve service [R126]
• My family would prefer that I was not a Reservist [R127]

Your civilian employment

17. What is your current civilian employment status (Where more than one option applies please choose the option that is most predominant to you) [R054]

• Not applicable - I am currently FTRS (router)
• In full-time employment
• In part-time employment
• Self-employed
• Not in civilian employment – seeking civilian employment (router)
• Not in civilian employment – not seeking civilian employment (router)
• In full time education/personal development (router)
• In part-time education(router)
• Other (Please specify) [R042 – text response only]

18. What type of organisation do you work for in your main civilian job (please tick one box only) [R043]

• Private sector organisation/company
• Public Sector Organisation
• Third Sector (Charity)
• Self-employed
• N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job
• Other (Please specify) [R044 – text response only]

19. How many employees work for your main civilian employer or for you if you are self-employed (please tick one box only) [R045]

• None
• Fewer than 10 employees
• 10-50 employees
• 51-250 employees
• More than 250 employees
• N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job

20. Is your main civilian employer aware that you are an [Service] Reservist? (Please tick one box only) [R046]

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know
• Self-employed
• N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job  

21. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree/ Don’t know/ N/A)

• My main civilian employer supports my Reserve service [R047]
• My main civilian employer values my Reserve service [R048]
• My main civilian employer would prefer that I was not a Reservist [R049]
• My civilian colleagues support my Reserve service [R050]
• Being a Reservist is good for my civilian career [R051]
• I use my civilian skills in the [Service] Reserve [R052]
• I use skills gained through my military experience in my civilian employment [R053]

22. Do you believe that you have been unreasonably disadvantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service in the last 12 months (e.g., missed bonus, missed pay increase, given lesser role, made redundant etc.)? [R123]

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know
• N/A

23. If you believe that you have been unreasonably disadvantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service please tell us how.

(open comments box) [R124]

24. Do you believe that you have been advantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service in the last 12 months (e.g., new/improved role or promotion due to skills learned in the [Service], status for being in the [Service] etc.)? [R140]

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know
• N/A

25. If you believe that you have been advantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service please tell us how.

(open comments box) [R141]

Fairness as Work

26. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding fairness and equality in the [Service] Reserve

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)

• I am treated fairly by the [Service] compared to Regulars [R174]
• I am treated fairly in the [Service] Reserve [R175]

27. Do you feel that the [Service] Reserve discipline system is …? [R176]

(Very fair/ Fair/ Neither fair nor unfair/ Unfair/ Very unfair)

28. Do you believe you have been subject to any of the following in a Service environment in the last 12 months? (Tick all that apply)

• Bullying [R177]
• Discrimination [R178]
• Harassment [R179]
• None of the above [R180]

29. Did you make a formal written complaint within the last 12 months about this discrimination, harassment and/or bullying? [R181]

(Yes/ No)

30. If you did make a formal written complaint, how satisfied were you/are you with the outcome? [R182]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied)

31. If you believe you have been subject to bullying, harassment, or discrimination in a Service environment in the last 12 months, in your opinion, has the issue been resolved? [R184]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know/ Prefer not to say/ Not applicable)

32. Which of these best sums up your awareness of the Service Complaints Process? [R190]

(I’ve heard of it and know a lot about it, I’ve heard of it and know a little about it, I’ve heard of it but know nothing about it, I’ve never heard of it)

33. Which of these best sums up your awareness of the Service Complaints Ombudsman? [R191]

(I’ve heard of it and know a lot about it, I’ve heard of it and know a little about it, I’ve heard of it but know nothing about it, I’ve never heard of it)

About you

34. Are you: [R129]

(Army ask this question using 12 options in ‘What is your rank?’; the options below are therefore derived for Army)

• A trained Reservist (completed phase 2 training)
• An untrained Reservist (not completed phase 2 training)

35. When did you join the Volunteer Reserves? [R128]

• In the last 3 months
• 4-11 months ago
• 1-2 years ago
• 3-4 years ago
• 5-6 years ago
• 7-10 years ago
• More than 10 years ago

36. Are you: [R150]

• Male
• Female
• Prefer not to say

37. How old are you? [R156]

• 18 - 24
• 25 - 34
• 35 - 44
• 45 - 54
• 55 - 64
• 65 +

38. How many children do you support financially? [R152]

• 0 children
• 1 child
• 2 children
• 3 children
• 4 or more children

39. What is your current personal status? (Please tick one box only) [R148]

• Single (never married or formed a civil partnership)
• In a long term/established relationship (but not married or in a civil partnership)
• Married/in a civil partnership
• Separated, but still legally married or in a civil partnership
• Divorced/formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
• Widowed/the surviving partner from a civil partnership
• Prefer not to say

40. What is your highest qualification? (Please tick one box only) [R147]

• GCSEs/O-Levels
• Vocational Qualifications (NVQ1 & 2)
• A-Levels or equivalent (NVQ3)
• University degree or diploma or equivalent (NVQ4)
• Higher university degree/Doctorate/MBA or equivalent
• Other
• No formal qualifications

41. What is your ethnic group? [R192]

• English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British
• Irish
• Gypsy or Irish Traveller
• Any other White Background
• White and Black Caribbean
• White and Black African
• White and Asian
• Any other Mixed / Multiple ethnic background
• Indian
• Pakistani
• Bangladeshi
• Chinese
• Any other Asian background
• African
• Caribbean
• Any other Black / African / Caribbean background
• Arab
• Any other ethnic group

42. Have you ever been a member of a Service Cadet Force? [R159]

• Yes
• No (router)

43. If yes, were you a member of the (tick all that apply):

• SCC [R160]
• CCF(RN) [R161]
• CCF(Army) [R162]
• CCF(RAF) [R163]
• ACF [R164]
• ATC [R165]

Well-being

44. As part of measuring national well-being, we are interested to understand how satisfied you are in general with life. The questions below are not linked particularly to the Service but to your life in general:

(0 to 10, 0=Not at all, 10=Completely)

• Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? [R193]
• Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? [R194]
• Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? [R195]
• Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile? [R196]

Managing Change

45. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)

• Change is managed well in my immediate working team [R197]
• Change is managed well in my Unit/Establishment [R198]
• Change is managed well in the (Service) Reserve [R199]