{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/reserve-forces-act-1996/section-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/reserve-forces-act-1996/section-2.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/14",
  "legislation_title": "Reserve Forces Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/reserve-forces-act-1996",
  "path": "section/2",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Membership of the reserve forces.",
  "text": "(1) The reserve forces shall each consist of officers and men.\n(2) The men of the Royal Fleet Reserve, the Regular Reserve and the Air Force Reserve (referred to in this Act as “the ex-regular reserve forces”) may only be—\n(a) men transferred to that force under regulations made under section 331 of the Armed Forces Act 2006;\n(b) men enlisted or re-engaged in that force.\n(3) The men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (referred to in this Act as “the volunteer reserve forces”) may only be men enlisted or re-engaged in that force.\n(4) In this Act, any reference (however expressed) to a man of any of the reserve forces is a reference to a person of either sex who is a member of that force and is of or below the rate or rank of warrant officer.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Act substituted (1.10.2014) by Defence Reform Act 2014 (c. 20), s. 44(3)(a)(4), 50(1) (with s. 49(4), Sch. 7 para. 12(3)); S.I. 2014/2370, art. 4(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 2(2)(a) substituted (28.3.2009 for specified purposes, 31.10.2009 in so far as not already in force) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), s. 383(2), Sch. 14 para. 25; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3(a)(b) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Act substituted (1.10.2014) by Defence Reform Act 2014 (c. 20), s. 44(3)(b)(4), 50(1) (with s. 49(4), Sch. 7 para. 12(3)); S.I. 2014/2370, art. 4(a)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/14/section/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:32:19.577483+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}