NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2009 33
News and information for serving personnel
Try a Surprise package
EXERCISE Bavarian Surprise activity package, including climbing, to provide subsidised holiday
has provided adventurous and
klettersteiging (a form of multi- accommodation for Naval Service
challenging activities for over
pitch climbing and scrambling on personnel during leave periods; again
4,000 Naval Service personnel
wires and ladders), mountain biking, more information will be published
in the Bavarian Alps over the
kayaking, canyoning and white water
soon.
rafting.
past four years.
The NOCG operates out of Haus
There is also scope for groups
Schwaben, a civilian hotel run by
And the success of the German
to organise bespoke AT packages,
Chesty and Tina and famous for its
venture has proved the Naval Service
covering specific activities they would
requires an adventurous training
hospitality.
like to pursue.
(AT) centre.
Haus Schwaben is situated in the
This might take the form of
The Naval Outdoor Centre
small town of Hindelanghe in the
five days of mountain biking with
Germany (NOCG) is a level 2
Allgau Alps, 6km east of Sonthofen
the aim of tackling black-graded
adventurous training and challenging
and 150km south-west of Munich.
mountain descents or five days of
activity centre, whose aim is to
Remember the NOCG is your
mountaineering.
provide members of the Naval Service
centre! Pay it a visit to find out what
Participants just need to approach
the opportunity to experience AT
NOCG staff with their plan and
you’ve been missing – 4,000 people
in a spectacular location capable of
they will help the adventurers realise
can’t be wrong…
offering the full spectrum of activities
it – though bespoke packages may
There is no personal contribution,
all year round.
involve personal contributions.
but because the centre is supported
In the winter months – December
The Naval Outdoor Centre
by both the RN/RM Sports Lottery
to April – the centre offers skiing for Germany aims to support the Battle
and the Sports Amenities and
the novice, teaching basic techniques Back programme for the Royal Navy
Benevolence scheme, priority will be
in order to reach a Basic Ski Alpine and Royal Marines.
given to members.
standard, the first step on the ladder Battle Back is a new tri-Service
The centre is already heavily
of AT ski qualifications. initiative which aims to improve
booked for this year, but there is
Intermediate and advanced skiers and formalise the use of AT and
still the possibility of last-minute
will be introduced to ski touring sport in the aftercare of wounded
availability.
and they get the chance to explore Service personnel in order to aid
Further information on the
thousands of miles of off-piste their rehabilitation and return to an NOCG is available at www.
skiing, once again leading to an AT active life. englishguesthouse.co.uk and
qualification. Further information on this initiative follow the link to NOCG.
From May the programme switches will be published in due course. Sail Training in the modern marina
to a summer setting, offering a multi- The NOCG is also looking Navy– see next month ● Skiing and kayaking – just two of the activities available in the beautiful Bavarian Alps
When a marriage fails, who
has a claim on the pension?
DIVORCE is, sadly, becoming be entitled to less. have one of these CETV things?
be awarded 75 per cent of his
ever more prevalent, and it Naval Wife: How will I know? FPS: Yes you do; and it is in
pension!
frequently leaves wives feeling FPS: First, your husband must your interest too; for two reasons. You might like to point this out
isolated financially as well as write to the Service Personnel & First, you may discover that to your husband if he becomes a
emotionally. Veteran’s Agency in Glasgow and other assets within your marriage little difficult over obtaining the
When it comes to dividing up the ask them for a Cash Equivalent (eg capital in your house, assets CETV.
assets of a marriage, the pension Transfer Value (CETV) of his within the house, your own private Naval Wife: So I suppose it
can often be the single most pension. pension, car etc) arrive at the same would be sensible for him bite the
valuable item but the wife, although This will tell you and your value of your husband’s pension. bullet, pay the money and move
● Lights, cameras – er, action? BRNC is committed to fi lm
a potential beneficiary, is unable to husband the value that his And if you have agreed to share on, wouldn’t it?
Picture: Craig Keating, VT Flagship
gain a personal valuation. pension is deemed to be worth the assets of the marriage on a FPS: Yes it would. You might
New BRNC regime
Below is an extract from a for negotiating purposes as part of 50/50 basis, you might consider even consider offering to pay
typical telephone conversation reaching a full and final financial it sensible to keep everything half of the costs associated
regularly fielded by the help desk settlement following the collapse else in the marriage except your with obtaining the CETV and
in the Forces Pension Society of your marriage. husband’s pension. administering any Pension
caught on camera
(FPS) from one of its members: Naval Wife: How long will that That keeps all elements intact
Sharing Order that may be issued
Naval Wife: My husband has take? (no expensive legal fees needed
later, to encourage him to apply
left me and I am suing him for FPS: Usually three to four for selling the house etc), and is
sooner rather than later.
divorce on the basis of desertion; a months. The calculation is very less heartache to administer, and
If you are facing a similar
CAMERAS rolled at Dartmouth, was there to create a contemporary
friend told me I am entitled to half complicated, and given the impact the result is that you have your
situation or want help in
but there was no Harry Potter- account of how the Navy trains its
of his pension – is this true? it can have on a divorce settlement, 50/50 division of value of your
understanding the rules and
style magic to be recorded at the officers at Britannia Royal Naval
FPS: No, not necessarily. it is very important it is accurate. marital assets.
procedures about any aspect of
venerable old college. College.
However, the value of his pension Your husband will also have Secondly, I know of one case
an armed forces pension, you can
The film crew from London- BRNC introduces the three
must be considered as part of to pay a fee for the CETV’s where an RM sergeant decided he
contact the FPS on 020 7820
based production company CTN
term entry year with Officer your marital assets when it comes production; this is currently £150 would not bother to get a CETV.
9988 or visit its website at www.
Initial Training 09 this month, to dividing your marital worth plus VAT. The procedure of divorce
forpen.org
It’s your 2-6
so recruiters, potential candidates between you and your husband Naval Wife: What? He might became more bitter as it went
and the rest of the Naval Service at the point of a Decree Absolute not want to ask for one if that is on, to the point that he and his
need to be advised and informed being issued, just as any pension the case. Can I get one? wife could not agree to a financial
NEED to get your message
of the new regime. you own must be valued for the FPS: No you cannot. CETVs settlement because he was, as he
across to the rest of the RN?
Captain Naval Recruiting took same purpose. can only be issued to the individual said “Going to lose 50 per cent of
To feature in 2-6 contact
on the task, arranging for CTN Naval Wife: So I might be to whom the pension relates, or his pension anyway”.
Lt Cdr Gregor Birse (Fleet
and digital new media agency entitled to more? their legal representative. The judge decided that in
Media Ops), 93832 8809.
twentysix to cover all angles. FPS: Possibly. You might also Naval Wife: Do we have to settlement his wife should
News and information for serving personnel
032-033_NN_apr.indd 2 16/3/09 16:37:36
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