Y o u a n d t h e R A F
very best system available and that it is one element of military service of which we can and should be extremely proud.
Comp B – Patient’s illness gives cause for immediate concern, but there is no danger to life. Also awarded to enable a Serving person to return in time for a funeral.
Comp C – Cases that do not qualify for A or B, but nevertheless warrant a categorisation which may be used to obtain an indulgence flight for the Service person, should one be available.
The regulations allow for the return of a serving person for illness or domestic crisis effecting members of the immediate family only, whether or not they are listed on JPA (the computerised admin system). It should be noted that immediate family doesnot include grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews, nor does it include the Emergency Contact. Whilst most families have a close connection with grandparents, compassionate travel will only be authorised if the grandparent was the legal guardian or recognised as ‘in loco parentis’, ie had assumed parental rights and responsibilities for the Service person.
If in doubt. The bottom line with any compassionate issue is: if you cannot get an immediate answer locally, ring the JCCC who, if they cannot help, may be able to direct you to assistance.
Casualty
Administration Military life can be inherently dangerous. Accidents happen, people fall ill and, for a small but significant minority, operational injuries or fatalities remind us of the degree of sacrifice we demand of our personnel. For this reason, it is important that all Service personnel and their families have confidence in the casualty administration system. It’s fair to say that the Armed Forces have the
www.raf-ff.org.uk
To make best use of this service, serving personnel need to consider what they wish to happen in the event they are taken seriously ill, or die, in military service and take time to put in place the necessary documentation to ensure their wishes are understood and implemented. Decisions taken now can help the Armed Forces and JCCC arrange the timely notification of a loved one in the event of a casualty and may prevent additional grief and family arguments should the worst happen.
Actions such as updating JPA, Next of Kin and Emergency Contact records or making a Will can easily be overlooked amongst the many tasks to be completed, particularly if a deployment happens at short notice. So why not do that today – and then keep such records up-to-date, with a final check before you deploy? This can easily be done by the Service person logging on to JPA, or if computer access is unavailable, by calling the JPAC Enquiry Centre (Tel: 0800 085 3600 between 7am and 7pm).
The breaking of bad news
Where there is death, serious illness or injury, the JCCC will arrange for an officer from a nearby military establishment to visit the listed Emergency Contact (EC) to break the news personally. Less serious illnesses may be notified by a telephone from the individual’s unit or, if they are able and wish to, the call may come from the casualty themselves.
Confusion between the Emergency Contact and
Next of Kin
Beware! In the eyes of the MoD, there is a HUGE difference between an Emergency Contact and Next of Kin.
It is important to realise that nominating someone as your Emergency Contact confirms no legal rights or status. Whilst the Armed Forces will notify and offer support to the Emergency Contact following an event resulting in a death, illness or injury, most practical support and assistance
Winter 2009 29
following a death in service, is targeted at the Next of Kin (NoK).
Whilst individuals can choose their Emergency Contact, contrary to what some may think, your NoK is not a matter of personal choice. NoK is determined by the act of marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or by the blood line. For military purposes, NoK is determined in the following order:
Spouse (even if separated) children/grandchildren of the casualty parents
brothers and sisters nephews and nieces
step-brothers and sisters etc…
Please note that partners/girlfriend/ boyfriend are not included on this list. A partner, other than a civil partner, is not regarded as the NoK. MoD policy does not recognise partners, other than civil partners, for any element of support, unless the family member who is ill is the child of a Service person and partner.
Making a Will
Whilst a spouse, parents or child can automatically benefit as the NoK, if an individual dies intestate (without a Will), it is risky to assume a person will benefit from the estate just because they were living together, or in a relationship. If a Service person wishes a partner to benefit from their estate, they must make provision for them in their Will.
Service personnel can complete a simple Will form (MoD F106), available from their Unit, and store it free of charge at the MoD Document Handling Centre in Glasgow. Alternatively, individuals may wish to make a Will and store it at home, or with a Solicitor. Wherever the Will is stored, individuals should inform their close family they have made a Will and record its location on their JPA record at work.
Wills may not be valid for evermore Whilst a Will is revoked on marriage in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this is not the case in Scotland. Also a Will is not revoked on divorce or by separation.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56