Joining is open to men and women equally as long as you are:

1) a British, Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland citizen.

2) aged 17 and a half to 32 years old
(30 if seeking to become an officer)

3) able bodied and willing to attain higher physical fitness.

Here is a further explanation of the critical requirements:

1) Nationality

The rules on nationallity are the same as for joining the regular Army. Usually, you should have been a citizen of the UK, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland at all times since birth. If you are unsure about whether or not you are eligible then you can contact the Westminster Dragoons for advice.

2) Age Limits

You need to be at least 17 and a half years old in order to join the Westminster Dragoons. If you are younger than that, think about joining the Army Cadet Force until you are old enough to be in the armed forces. The experience you gain from the ACF will help you in your training with us. We are linked to two ACF units in London. For more information on the ACF, click here. The upper age limit depends on what you have to offer but it is normally 30 for those joining as an officer and 32 as a soldier.

There are exceptions to the upper age limit for those with certain specialist skills or previous military experience. If you are over the upper age limit it is worth talking to the WDs' recruiting team to find out if you are eligible for an exemption.

3) Fitness

You do not have to be super fit to join the TA. Prior to starting training you will have to have a medical to make sure that you are medically fit for training and military service, the same as anyone joining the regular Army.

During your recruit training you will be given help and advice to develop your fitness but you will also have to train in your own time to achieve and maintain the standard of fitness that the army requires.

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In particular, we are looking for people who also have the following qualities:

4) are highly-motivated.

5) can work in a team.

6) show potential for leadership.

7) have a sense of humour.

Equal opportunities policy

The Army has a strict policy on equal opportunities. Rest assured: gender, religion, sexual orientation or race are not part of Westminster Dragoons' selection criteria, and your application will not affected on these grounds.

You will be subject to military discipline, in part to instil the military "sense of urgency" to get things done quickly and safely and to prepare you for having to operate in very stressful circumstances on operations. However, bullying of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and is not something we tolerate.

Academic Qualifications

There is no minimum academic requirement to join the TA as a soldier. If you hope to be an officer you need three GCSE's at A-C grade and to be able to demonstrate the potential to pursue tertiary or higher education (or to have done so already). These are minimum educational requirements: in reality, almost all TA officers have at least an undergraduate degree. Whether you want to be a soldier or an officer, you will have to pass a rigorous selection procedure to assess your mental and physical ability and potential.