Outline

• All British Army entrants under the age of 18 are permitted to Discharge As Of Right (DAOR) after 28 days having given 14 days’ notice, up until their 18th birthday.
• After completing the first six months of Service, the individual will leave directly after the 14 days’ notice period.
• From six months until their 18th birthday, a cooling off window of up to three months may be issued to ensure recruits genuinely wishing to leave the Army, but routinely they are discharged as quickly as practicable.
• Historically, only a small number of junior soldiers have DAOR after completing their Junior Entry Long Course (Phase 1 training) at Army Foundation College (Harrogate (AFC(H)) and before completing their Phase 2 training.

Reference

FOI 2021/14516 dated 16 December 2021.