YROW is a week-long programme run by the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers’ (CIOR) and takes place at the Summer Congress. It represents a rare, thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable opportunity to travel abroad, meet likeminded fellow Young Officers from other NATO countries, CIOR Associate and Partnership for Peace nations, and exchange views on wide-ranging and important defence-related issues. There were more than 40 Young Reserve Officers from nearly 20 countries in Sofia for YROW, including nine from the UK.
The UKRFA sends up to a dozen students to YROW each summer following a selection weekend in the spring and a study day based around the theme of the workshop, which varies each year but in 2009 focused on recruitment and retention of Reservists. The YROW programme is demanding but academically stimulating and consists of debates, visits and attendance at the CIOR Summer Symposium.
YROW is an excellent opportunity for Junior Officer development and good preparation for multi-national deployments as participants engage with Officers from other countries in a safe environment to share experiences and ideas, and to gain an understanding of how allied forces operate and the issues they face. The workshop also helps Young Officers develop and improve their written and oral communications skills as participants work in groups to produce briefing papers and then present their ideas to the CIOR President at the end of the week. YROW enables Senior Officers to see what issues matter to Young Reserve Officers and the policies and solutions that they can propose.
Capt Matt Trump said “YROW is the ideal opportunity to work with fellow reserve officers from NATO and beyond. It is interesting to work in a multinational environment and getting to know the different nationalities at a workshop means it is easier to work together on operations. It was sometimes hard to come to a consensus, but at the same time it was satisfying to produce a briefing paper that everyone was happy with. The social side of YROW was also important with many lasting friendships being formed.”
Any Reserve Officers or Officer Cadets aged 30 or under and of Lieutenant (RNR), Captain (RMR/TA) or Flight Lieutenant (RAuxAF) or below who would like to attend YROW in Stavanger, Norway, in August 2010, should contact the UKRFA Secretariat on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information.
