The Modern Era
During the Gulf War and in the early 1990s, the HKMSC provided officers and soldiers, primarily drivers and ambulance crews, to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) on peacekeeping operations.
In 1996 the unit was disbanded prior to the trasnfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China in 1997. Just before the handover, the Hong Kong Ex-servicemen Association was formed by some of the local ex-servicemen; the association has branches in the UK and Canada.
In July 2006, Britain granted full British citizenship to all Gurkha soldiers and their dependants who had served in Hong Kong. However, the United Kingdom allowed only 500 HKMSC soldiers and their families to be granted British citizenship under the British Nationality Selection Scheme (BNSS), before the HKMSC was disbanded.
Some ex-HKMSC soldiers who had already resided in the United Kingdom, re-enlisted in the British Army on a Military Local Service Engagement (MLSE), Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS). Others joined the British Territorial Army (TA). Some other ex-HKMSC soldiers also continued their service in the regular UK Armed Forces after the disbandment of the Corps.
Read more about this topic: Hong Kong Military Service Corps, Overview
Famous quotes containing the words modern and/or era:
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