XN000022-1982-04-11 — Page 2

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, **

HONG KONG'S PART TIME SOLDIERS

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UNEQUALLED VALUE FOR MONEY

THERE ARE NOT MANY ARMIES IN THE WORLD, SAYS THE COMMAND OFFICER OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT, IN WHICH YOU CAN FIND SO MANY SOLDIERS WHO ARE PHYSICIANS, LAWYERS, ENGINEERS, ACCOUNTANTS, OFFICE MANAGERS, CIVIL SERVANTS, SHOP AND PROPERT: OWNERS, OR CLERKS AND SKILLED BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS.

AND HONG KONG'S OWN LITTLE VOLUNTEER ARMY OF ABOUT 700 WORK I PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER PEOPLE REPRESENT +UNEQUALLED VALUE FOR MONEY IN THE 400 HOURS OR SO OF DUTIES THAT THEY PUT IN ON AVERAGE DURING THE YEAR, EXPLAINED LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIKE BARNER THE COMMANDING OFFICER.

MORE RECENTLY, FOR INSTANCE, IT AMPLY DEMONSTRATED ITS WORTH WHEN CALLED OUT IN 1979 AND IN 1980 TO HELP STEM THE MASSIVE

INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA.

+THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT, ON THOSE OCCASIONS, CAPTURED ON AVERAGE MORE THAN ONE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FOR EACH VOLUNTEER IN ONE WEEK OF SERVICE, EXPLAINED THE COMMANDING OFFICER.

IT IS ALSO USEFULLY DEPLOYED IN COUNTLESS OTHER SITUATIONS, HE ADDED. *THE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE, ABILITY AND MOTIVATION OF THE VOLUNTEERS IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE DRAFTEE BECAUSE THEY JOIN OF THEIR OWN VOLITION, AND WE HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE IN A POSITION TO BE EXTREMELY SELECTIVE, SAID COLONEL BARNEBY.

FOR THE 1981-82 YEAR, THE REGIMENT HAS HAD TO OPERATE ON A BUDGET OF $11.3 MILLION, COVERING ALL EXPENSES, INCLUDING A PERMANENT STAFF OF NINE OFFICERS AND WARRANT OFFICERS FROM THE BRITISH ARMY AND A LOCAL FULL-TIME STAFF OF 52, PLUS ABOUT 650 PART-TIME SOLDIERS.

FOR HIS SERVICE, EACH MEMBER OF THE REGIMENT RECEIVES FROM $4 000 TO $6 000 A YEAR, AND THE OVERALL COST-EFFECTIVENESS ARISES MAINLY FROM THE FACT THAT HE IS NOT PROVIDED WITH QUARTERS.

THE VOLUNTEER SPREADS HIS 400 HOURS OF TRAINING A YEAR OVER ONE WEEKEND AND TWO EVENINGS A MONTH, PLUS TWO WEEK-LONG CAMPS. NEW RECRUITS ARE REQUIRED ADDITIONALLY TO ATTEND A NINE-DAY BASIC TRAINING CAMP AND ANOTHER NINE-DAY CAMP BEFORE PASSING-OUT SIX MONTHS AFTER JOINING.

APART FROM THE CHANCE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, THE VOLUNTEER ACHIEVES SELF-IMPROVEMENT FROM THE MANY BASIC MILITARY SKILLS THAT HE LEARNS, SUCH AS WEAPONS HANDLING, MAP-READING, FIRST AID, COMMUNICATIONS, DRIVING ARMY VEHICLES AND ASSAULT BOATS.

+HE ALSO GETS TO ENJOY THE HEALTHY OUTDOOR LIFE AND THE COMRADESHIP THAT COMES WITH SUCH ACTIVITIES,+ COLONEL BARNE BY SAID.

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