Community Covenants signed in Birmingham and Fife

The signing of Fife's Community Covenant [picture MOD copyright]

Birmingham and Fife are the latest regions to sign up to the Armed Forces Community Covenant, committed to supporting members of the Armed Forces

Representatives from the Fife Partnership and the Armed Forces met on 21 February, in Glenrothes to sign Fife's Armed Forces Community Covenant while at the same time Birmingham's civic leaders also joined with representatives of the Armed Forces in England's second city.

The important new agreements will build on existing good relations between the Armed Forces and public sector organisations in both Fife and Birmingham and follow several other such agreements signed in communities up and down the country.

The aim of the Community Covenant is to encourage organisations across the UK to support the Armed Forces community in accessing the assistance they might need.

In Fife, for example, this could include support from the charity and voluntary sector as well as organisations including Fife Council, NHS Fife, and Fife Constabulary.

Shropshire Union Canal in Birmingham [picture MOD copyright]

In Birmingham, the Covenant will benefit both serving and ex-Service personnel, covering vital areas including housing, employment, education and health. Under the Covenant, the council will establish a set of principles which will set out how it will support veterans in making the transition back into civilian life.

In addition, as part of the Covenant, members of the Armed Forces will be encouraged to do as much as they can to support the communities they live in and promote activities which help integrate the Service community into civilian life.

Armed Forces Tribute for the Diamond Jubilee

The custom of the Armed Forces paying tribute to a monarch during a jubilee year is an established tradition

 

The Armed Forces are to mount a spectacular tribute to the Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee year, 

In honour of Her Majesty The Queen's 60-year reign, Armed Forces personnel will parade through Windsor and muster at the castle on Saturday 19 May 2012.  Nearly 2,500 troops from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force will parade through Windsor in the presence of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh.

They will then muster in the castle grounds for a unique event before an audience of more than 3,000 Armed Forces personnel, their families, and veterans. An impressive, tri-Service flypast of current and historic aircraft will conclude the celebrations.

Latest Community Covenant signed

Earlier this week, Broxtowe Borough in Nottinghamshire showed its support for the local Armed Forces yesterday by signing up to the Community Covenant Scheme.

The Community Covenant was signed by representatives from the Broxtowe Borough Partnership, Voluntary Action Broxtowe and the borough's civilian community.

The first Community Covenant, a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community, was signed in Oxfordshire in June 2011.

It followed the publication of the Armed Forces Covenant in May 2011 which outlined the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces and aims to improve support to the Armed Forces Community (which includes serving personnel, their families and veterans).

New support package for the Welsh Armed Forces Community

A soldier of The Royal Welsh is welcomed home from operations in Afghanistan by his son (stock image)
[Picture: Sergeant Ian Forsyth, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

A package of support for the Armed Forces Community in Wales has been launched by the Welsh Government.

There are estimated to be at least a quarter of a million members of the Armed Forces Community in Wales including serving personnel, reservists, cadets and all their families as well as ex-Service personnel.

The package of support sets out commitments to the Armed Forces Community on devolved matters.  These include ongoing as well as new commitments and range from healthcare and housing to education and childcare.

Armed Forces Community Covenant signed in Catterick

Representatives for each service and local council members at the Catterick Garrison leisure centre
[Picture: Corporal Gary Kendall RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

An Armed Forces Community Covenant, a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces community, was signed at Catterick Garrison on Friday.

The Community Covenant initiative was one of the key measures in the Armed Forces Covenant published in May 2011, which outlined the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces, and aims to improve support to the Armed Forces Community (which includes serving personnel, their families and veterans).

Community Covenants have already been launched in Oxfordshire, the Vale of Glamorgan and Hampshire, and one is due to be launched in Portsmouth soon.

The aims of the Community Covenant include:

• to encourage local communities to support the Armed Forces Community in their areas, and vice versa;
• to promote understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community;
• to recognise and remember the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces Community; and
• to encourage activities which help to integrate the Armed Forces Community into local life.

Think Before You...

The MOD has just launched a new personal online security awareness campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage Service Personnel and MOD civilians to carefully consider possible repercussions before posting information on social networking sites.

There is also new MOD guidance - Think Before You . . . - for personnel using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which advises them not to put themselves or others at increased risk by releasing too much information about themselves or other operational details.

Risks to Service personnel - and potentially their families - include posting details and locations of troop movements, operational events, locations and travel details of ships or aircraft, as well as people's home addresses. If inadvertently released, information such as this could give the UK's enemies the upper hand. 

The guidance and products to download (web banners, posters, etc) would be useful for anyone in the Armed Forces Community.

Online videos have been released as part of the campaign and we'll be posting links to them shortly.

Changes to AFCS

Today, the revised Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)  was launched, incorporating all of the recommendations made by Admiral the Lord Boyce, former Chief of Defence Staff, in his Review of the Scheme in 2010.

This means Service personnel who become injured or ill as a result of their service will now be able to benefit from an even more comprehensive compensation package.

And from today, all Service personnel and ex-Service personnel who submit a claim for AFCS compensation will have their claims assessed under the new rules.

This means that they may benefit from several changes to the scheme, notably:

•  An increase, which averages in excess of 25 per cent, to all lump sum payments, except the top award which was recently doubled to £570,000; 
• An increase to the maximum award payable for mental illness from £48,875 to £140,000, in order to accurately reflect the impact of the most serious mental health conditions; and
•  An increase to all Guaranteed Income Payments (GIPs) which are paid to those who are seriously injured. A GIP is a monthly tax-free, inflation proof income stream which is payable from discharge, for life. The increase reflects the lasting effect of more serious injuries on future promotion prospects and on the ability to work to age 65.

Anyone who have previously received an award from the scheme (since its started in April 2005) will have their awards uplifted in line with the new increases. Over the next year, our Agency will be reviewing some 10,000 awards and informing previous recipients of the increase to their awards. Those affected do not need to take any action, we will be contacting you.

The contact card designed to fit in a wallet

There have been significant changes made to the scheme, with some 69 changes made, from a change to how we calculate claims where an individual has suffered multiple injuries in a single incident - compensation is now paid for each of the injuries to improved awareness and understanding of the scheme in the Armed Forces community.

  



The AFCS leaflet ready to download



So, to get more information, you can visit the AFCS webpages which has been updated with new pages of information and materials targeted towards Service personnel; families and dependants; and the wider military support network.

You'll be able to download an AFCS leaflet, contact card, poster, presentation or podcast. We’ve produced a series of three podcasts providing information on the changes which include an interview with the Army’s Pay Colonel, Colonel Fiona Gardner. You can download the podcasts direct from the the SPVA social media hub or via iTunes.

  

This poster is available to download and print

If you do want to speak to someone direct, you can phone our free helpline - 0800 169 2277 - for further advice and guidance.  The chain of command or voluntary organisations are also able to provide support.

 
I f you have a specific query or need advice relating to claims then call our helpline on 0800 169 2277 or visit the MOD and SPVA webpages.

Planning for Armed Forces Day?

Armed Forces Day parade at the 2010 National Armed Forces Day event in Cardiff

If you want to know more about what's being planned for Armed Forces Day 2011, then visit the official website.  Details for some of the events planned and due to take place on Saturday 25 June 2011 are now available on the site.

The aim of Armed Forces Day, which is now in its third year, is to boost public support and appreciation of all those who serve and have served in Her Majesty's Armed Forces.

It provides an opportunity for the UK public to recognise the contribution that the Armed Forces (serving personnel, veterans and cadets) make and have made to the nation, and for the Armed Forces and veterans to know that they are valued and enjoy the respect and support of both the Government and the nation.

The city of Edinburgh has been chosen to host the 2011 national event and, as with previous years, this will be complemented by a variety of community-led events in towns and cities across the UK.

To find out about details of events planned in Edinburgh and elsewhere, as well as how you can show your support, then visit the Armed Forces Day website.

Details of some activities planned to mark Armed Forces Day can now be found on a Defence online article released today.

Picture: POA(Phot) Mez Merrill, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010

Veterans Tree of Honour

Tree of Honour celebrations have been held to remember absent family and friends at Christmas

Veterans at the Erskine charity's home in Bishopton recently held Tree of Honour celebrations to remember absent family and friends at Christmas time. Many people have chosen to dedicate a star to loved ones serving on operations in Afghanistan, which will hang on the tree. The wintery evening commenced with a small Lantern Procession from the Old Garden Centre, with well wrapped up residents and children accompanied by a Pipe Band, to The Erskine Home.

Family and friends joined in Carol Singing with the children of Rashielea Primary School and the Happy Days Nursery. Erskine’s Reverend Janet MacMahon led the Dedication Service of the Tree followed by the switching on the Tree lights.

Each Erskine Home will be decorating a Tree of Honour with Purple Stars this Christmas and it’s not too late for you to write your own personal message on a Purple Star and return it with a donation to the charity. If you would like to receive a Star please call the Erskine Fundraising Department on 0141 814 4555.

To find out more about Erskine; visit their website and take a look at some of the resident's testimonials to get an idea of what the charity has meant to them.

New support groups for the Armed Forces Community

The committees' webpages are housed on the Veterans-UK website

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has launched a new regional network to help veterans, Serving personnel and their families access welfare support in their local area. The one year pilot scheme will see 13 new ‘Veterans Advisory & Pensions Committees (VAPCs)’ across the United Kingdom.

The VAPCs replace the previous ‘War Pension Committees’ but this is not simply a change of name. The new committees have been completely re-constituted and have a fresh focus and a much wider role. This includes:

• Acting as advocates for implementing improved cross-Government support, including the services outlined in the Service Personnel Command Paper and the Armed Forces ‘Welfare Pathway’.
•  Raising awareness within their regions of the support available to veterans and the Armed Forces community. This includes compensation and pension schemes for those injured, disabled or bereaved through Service, advice services and the work of the MOD’s Veterans Welfare Service.
• Assisting serving personnel, their families and veterans in accessing the above services and other local support. This will include providing specific assistance and guidance to individuals in their areas and ensuring they are put in touch with the relevant organisations who can help. The committees will also provide an independent element to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency’s complaints process.

Chairmen and members have now been appointed to all 13 committees. All are volunteers and come from a cross-section of the local community, including health, social care, legal professionals and veterans groups.

Administration support and guidance for the VAPCs is provided by SPVA. Jon Parkin, the Agency’s Head of Veterans Services said:

“We know from talking to veterans that problems they face can often result from issues affecting a specific area of the country. The new VAPCs will have a vital, on the ground, local knowledge of these issues and will help ensure that Service personnel and veterans needing assistance get the help that’s right for them, wherever they live.”

Lt Col Ray Holland, a Chairman of one of the new Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees said:

“The new committees will ensure that the needs of Veterans and their dependants are championed at every level from central government to the local community. We will assist in the implementation of the Military Covenant and work closely with local authorities, primary care trusts and Service charities in the delivery of services and benefits.

The committees comprise of members drawn from all walks of life providing a wide range of experience and knowledge, a number of whom have previously served in the Armed Forces.  Located on a regional basis, our local knowledge makes us well placed to serve the veteran community.”

Members of the Armed Forces or Veterans community wanting to contact their local committee should contact the Veterans Welfare Centre for their area  or the Veterans-UK Helpline 0800 169 2277. Alternatively more information can be found on the VAPC webpages.