ARMY RESERVE
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Your life, plus Army Reserve
01:04
Your life, plus Army Reserve
SNAPSHOT
In the Army Reserve, you’ll enjoy challenges and experiences outside the everyday, without compromising your lifestyle. Plus, Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work commitments.
Flexibility for your lifestyle
You can get involved in a way that suits you.
Close to home
With military units all over the country, you can serve close to home.
Choose number of days
Work a minimum of 20 days or up to 100 days a year. The number of days you choose to work is flexible – it depends on your training and if you choose to undertake deployment.
Stay as long as you want
There’s no contract duration so you have the freedom to stay as long as you want. Plus, if you leave, you can always come back.
Real Stories
Your Benefits
Financial
In addition to giving back, you’ll benefit from a range of financial incentives.
Tax-free pay
Enjoy tax-free pay that goes straight into your pocket. As you advance in rank and experience so will your pay.
Free food and accommodation when serving
Your accommodation and food are covered when you travel interstate or overseas while on training, exercises or deployments.
Skills
See how the Reserve can enhance your existing skills and profession with specialised training and ongoing career development.
Advance your career
Specialised training will improve your skill set and provide you with unique capabilities that will advance your career now and in the future.
Improve your leadership skills
You'll be equipped with the leadership skills you need to perform effectively in a tight-knit team.
Boost your confidence
Grow into a more confident person and professional as you face unique Reservist experiences.
Training Breakdown
Soldier Training
Your part-time Army career will start at Kapooka, near Wagga Wagga in NSW. This training will equip you with new skills, experience and knowledge beyond your day job. In approximately 3 weeks, you'll be challenged to step outside your comfort zone, as you learn:
- weapons handling and shooting
- combat skills
- first aid
- teamwork
- time management and resilience
- Army drill
- fieldcraft and navigation.
Though the intense physical training can be demanding, many recruits find the sense of achievement on completing this course extremely rewarding.
Your training at Kapooka is followed by employment training relevant to your chosen role, which can be completed in one or more blocks as required.
General Service Officer Training
As an officer in the Army Reserve, you’ll first complete Army Initial Foundation Training at Kapooka, near Wagga Wagga, in NSW. You are required to complete the course within 6 months of joining.
Following completion of the Soldier Training Course, you’ll complete the Part-Time Officer Commissioning Course (PTOCP). This course focuses on instilling ADF values and teaching you world-class management and leadership skills.
The course is made up of 6 additional training blocks and regular training conducted through self-paced workbooks and exercises at your local unit. The 6 additional training blocks are to be completed over a 3-year period. Most candidates will complete the course within 18 months - 2 years. You can also finish sooner with recognition of prior learning.
Specialist Service Officer Training
If you’re already qualified in a profession such as healthcare, finance, law, chaplaincy, management, public affairs, aviation, engineering or education, you can become a Specialist Service Officer.
This requires training across three modules, taking up a total of between 9 and 41 days, depending on your specialisation. In these modules you’ll learn the military skills required to serve as an officer in the Army Reserve.
Helpful Faqs
Choose how you serve in the Reserve
Find nearby roles
Experience growth that benefits your family, personal and professional life
It’s the satisfaction that you get out of the role that gives you a different layer to your life.
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Part-time Infantry Soldier
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Part-time Infantry Soldier
The training I’ve received in the Army Reserve has fundamentally impacted my life. Everything from critical thinking and planning to leadership skills and team management.
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Explore Steven’s Story
02:09
Explore Steven’s Story
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Army Reserve Operation Bushfire Assist
00:41
Army Reserve Operation Bushfire Assist
Discover what being a reservist is all about
