Regardless of the fact that in this standoff between the two countries there have not been any shots fired, the Ukrainian reserves were eager and ready to serve their country with pride. The fact that Russia is a nuclear power and possesses far more superior firepower did not serve as a deterrence to the mobilisation of many men and women who remain in the countryside as reserves.
Bringing the question closer home; is the BDF ready to activate its reserves in times of need? The BDF Act provides for the creation of a reserve force but it is the implementation part that still lacks a great deal. The Act provides that any member of the Defence Force shall remain within the reserve force five years after their separation with the military institution. What the Act does is to provide the Defence Force with a pool of manpower to meet their needs in any eventuality. At the moment BDF is haemorrhaging from retirements and this comes as a natural consequence in that this military institution has matured from the time it was incepted in 1977. Government has continued to help BDF in recruiting new officers and soldiers to fill the rank and file that become vacant.
