Armed Forces: Discharges

(asked on 4th November 2014) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the policy is of the Army Foundation College, Harrogate on providing a discharge form to any trainee soldier aged under 18 who asks to leave the army; and if he will place in the Library a copy of that policy.


Answered by
Philip Dunne Portrait
Philip Dunne
This question was answered on 11th November 2014

A trainee soldier under the age of 18 wishing to exercise their statutory right to discharge from Army Foundation College Harrogate does so in accordance with standard procedures.

Once a recruit has expressed such an intent to their Platoon Commander, they complete, with appropriate guidance, an Application for Premature Voluntary Release Form, supported by a letter. They are interviewed by their Platoon and Company Commanders, with confirmation that their parent or guardian has been informed of the pending discharge and is content to take over responsibility for the individual. The recruit is given a one-day Career Guidance Workshop, where a team of qualified guidance counsellors help early leavers decide on their next steps.

The recruit receives an Early Service Leaver Resettlement Brief and has a final interview with the Commanding Officer before the administrative process is finalised and completed.

I am attaching a copy of the Flow Diagram which shows the steps taken during this process, together with Army Form B 132A, Application For Premature Voluntary Release.

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