Five Royal Naval Reserve and five TA officers attended the Young Reserve Officers’ Workshop (YROW) at the Inter-allied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) Summer Congress in Riga at the beginning of August. The Congress hosted the fourth CIOR symposium, entitled ‘Reintegrating the Reservist on Return from Operations’, which was also the theme for the YROW.

Approximately sixty young officers from across the NATO Alliance meet annually to work in an international setting, discussing current defence issues that pertain to NATO and the Reserves. The workshop is designed to be a young officer’s first international exposure, and is a unique professional development opportunity.

Sub Lt Laura Harrison, HMS WILDFIRE explained “YROW provides an opportunity to explore the relevancy of the Reserves, terms of service and employment in operations, as well as the various roles, missions, doctrines and structures of Reserve Forces throughout the Alliance. We had some fascinating guest speakers who highlighted huge differences in how reservists are used.”

The young officers worked with colleagues from across the Alliance to prepare and present briefing documents for the President of the CIOR on issues surrounding reintegrating reservists following mobilisation. The President, Captain Carman McNary, Canadian Navy, will use these briefing notes, along with the briefing notes created by the working groups of the main CIOR symposium, to make recommendations to NATO’s Military Committee.

It was not all work though, as there were business lunches with the authorities of the CIOR where the young reservists could build professional relationships with delegates from the main symposium, and official functions most evenings, including an opening ceremony and reception hosted by the Latvian MOD, a Latvian night, a YROW bobsleigh evening. There was also a UK delegation evening where the young officers met senior officers within the UK Reserve Forces Association, but the highlight of the week was the closing ceremony Gala Dinner at the grand Reval Hotel.

Sub Lt Harrison said “YROW has been a unique, enriching experience. We had the opportunity to exchange ideas with reservists from 15 other countries, which helped expand my knowledge of NATO and the CIOR. I have met some very interesting people and made some great friends. This week will prepare me for positions of higher responsibility within the RNR. We all feel very privileged to have been chosen to represent the UK by the UKRFA, and hope to go to next year’s Congress in Istanbul as part of the main delegation.”