The TA, like most of the armed forces, uses abbreviations and acronyms so that they can work
faster and so they can also get information transmitted at higher speeds.
Here are some TA Terms that could come in useful:
Battalian - this is a group of 650-700 infantry or soldiers that make up a small proportion of a brigade.
Battery - this
is a unit contained within the Royal Artillery, which comprises of 100 soldiers with 6 guns.
Bounty - this
is a tax free lump sum bonus which you can recieve for meeting the annual TA training commitment
and this can vary between 19-27 days that can depend on what unit you join
Brigade - this
is different regiments and supporting units which join together to take part in a specific role.
Commitment - this
is the length of service you have enroled in. This also depends on what part of the
TA you have joined. You can decide to leave the TA at any timyou see fit, but they ask you seriously consider how dedicated
you can be to the TA.
Company - a
company is usually around 100 soldiers and it is a subdivision of a Battlion.
Corps - TA
soldiers can either decide to join a regiment or a corps. Not only do corps train their members in war situations, but it also has its own specific duties to carry out.
Gunner - this
is a rank within the Royal Artillery which is the equivalent to a private.
Independent Unit - this is the most common kind of TA structure in Great Britain. New recruits will usually join their nearest independent unit
Infantry - this
comrises of TA soldiers that have been trained to fight and win on the front lines of battle situations
NCO - this
stands for Non-Commissioned Officers and they make up the lower ranks within the TA. They command small groups of soldiers and are responsible for most of the day-to-day orders.
Officers - these
are the people that are in charge of the TA. You can obtain the rank of officer by going through an intensive training course.
Pay - TA
members can somtimes forget that the TA is still a paying job and so for every day that you spend training, you get paid. Travel expenses can also be claimed depending on your postcode.
Platoon - this is another subdivision
of the TA and it consists of 24 personnel. There are typically 3 platoons within a company
Private - this
is the entry level rank and you will be known as a gunner
Regiment - This
is what you join when you enrol. You always wear your regiment badge on your beret.
Reserves - because
the TA is only a part of the Army, when you enrol, you are part of a reserve and so
you are liable for call-out to suppport the full time or regular armed forces
Section - this
is the smallest group of soldiers within the TA and these sections are made up of around
8 people
Soldier - when
you first join the TA, you join as a soldier before you can move on and learn a specific
trade. This also means that you can be deployed in the front line if you are needed.
Special Unit - these
are units that are formed nationally and they provided high specialised services. People
who use their civilian skills usually join here
