THE JOHN CHARD DECORATION AND MEDAL, 1952-2003

摘要

Military service on a part-time basis is as old as mankind itself. It is first mentioned in the Bible, when, in circa 2000BC, the patriarch Abraham led 318 trained men from his clan to rescue his nephew Lot from the hands of King Chedorlaomer (Moses, Genesis 14:14, c1500BC). The practice has continued ever since. The cost of maintaining armed forces is exorbitant. Therefore, most governments rely on a small full-time force, augmented by part-time reserve forces.