Returned To Unit or RTU refers to a military member being returned to their home base or home unit, either due to their being medically unfit, their requesting to be withdrawn from training, or their being unfit for training or otherwise disorderly. As military members can only be

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

ed at their home base or unit, being RTU'd for

misconduct Misconduct is wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one's acts. It is an act which is forbidden or a failure to do that which is required. Misc ...

can often be a precursor to further judicial punishment. RTU'ing is a concept used during a period of specialist training, whereby a service person has been extracted or detached from their home unit. For example, if a service person has been extracted to complete an instruction course run by a specialist unit within the armed forces such as a PTI or

Range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

Control course. In the event of the service person wishing to withdraw from the course (e.g. for personal or medical reasons); or if the course

supervisor A supervisor, or lead, (also known as foreman, boss, overseer, facilitator, monitor, area coordinator, line-manager or sometimes gaffer) is the job title of a lower-level management position and role that is primarily based on authority over la ...

s deem that the service person is unfit to complete the course, for either medical or disciplinary reasons, the service person may be returned to their home unit. If a candidate is RTU'd, the supervisor responsible for sending them home will supply a written report to the service person's OC detailing the reason why they have been RTU'd. If a service person is RTU'd on disciplinary grounds, their OC will decide if any further disciplinary action is needed, based on the RTU report from the course supervisor, and if necessary, by consultation with the course supervisors. The reason this is done is that, according to military law, disciplinary action such as a

can only by issued against a service person by their home unit. There are several reasons why a military member may be RTU'd. It can be for major or minor infractions of the rules, or disorderly behaviour. It may also be on compassionate grounds, such as RTU'ing an injured soldier (or other medical conditions). The term ''Returned To Unit'' (''RTU'') is used in the

Canadian Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

and the UK.

Sources and references

Military education and training

See also

Sources and references