Definition: Armed Forces

Category: Science and technology statistics

Members of the armed forces are those personnel who are currently serving in the armed forces, including auxiliary services, whether on a voluntary or compulsory basis, and who are not free to accept civilian employment. Included are regular members of the army, navy, air force and other military services, as well as conscripts enrolled for military training or other service for a specified period, depending on national requirements. Excluded are persons in civilian employment of government establishments concerned with defence issues; police (other than military police); customs inspectors and members of border or other armed civilian services; persons who have been temporarily withdrawn from civilian life for a short period of military training or retraining, according to national requirements, and members of military reserves not currently on active service. Reference to a skill level has not been used in defining the scope of this major group. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/statmanuals/files/Canberra_Manual_1992_EN.pdf