The following may be of interest to any ex-Juniors who are still serving.
House of Lords Hansard: 19 April 2006, Cols.WA225-226
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 March (House of Lords Hansard: WA 151–52), why young recruits have their period of reckonable service taken from their 18th birthday and not from the date on which they joined the Armed Forces.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson) replied
This provision is related to the Armed Forces pension scheme 1975 (AFPS). When this scheme was designed, other ranks' engagements commencement date was linked to the age from which time towards reckonable service for pension began—ie, the date of the 18th birthday.
However, under the new Armed Forces pension scheme (AFPS 05) reckonable service for pension purposes counts from the date of entry, irrespective of age. All new recruits since 6 April 2005 are eligible to be members of the Armed Forces pension scheme 2005. Those who joined before 6 April 2005 who are members of AFPS 75, and who will still be in service on 6 April 2006, have been given the option to transfer to AFPS 05. By doing so, they will be allowed to count any pre-18 service as reckonable for pension purposes.