TNAG-0537-FCO40-632-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 97

CONFIDENTIAL

2ND DRAFT

PROLONGATION AND WASTAGE

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines

16. While retention in early years remains a problem, the prolonga-

tion rates in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have remained

encouraging. At the nine year point, some 59% of Royal Navy and

[47% of Royal Marines personnel prolonged their engagements in

the first six months of 1974-75.

Army

17.

Prolongation rates except at the three year point have not changed

appreciably. The decline in the three year rate results mainly from

wastage among the first wave of young entrants to reach age 18, some

of whom have exercised the new option of shortening their engagement.

A steady rise in the proportion of recruits choosing the minimum

commitment of three years service gives cause for concern, as do

higher rates of recruit and trained soldier wastage.

Royal Air Force

18. The planned reduction in trained manpower mentioned in Chapter V

of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1973 (Cmnd 5231) was

achieved by normal wastage and a small voluntary redundancy scheme.

The rate of prolongation to non-pensionable engagements has shown

little change and has been satisfactory in most ground trades.

However, the objective is to limit the recruiting and training task

by prolonging the average length of service; the re-introduction of

the 15-year engagement has proved a useful addition to the range of

non-pensionable engagements open to ground tradesmen. To maintain

an acceptable age and rank pattern in the ground trades, pensionable

engagements continue to be controlled.

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CONFIDENTIAL