Y o u a n d t h e R A F
However, making a new Will automatically revokes any earlier document, provided it is correctly signed and witnessed. As with the choice of Emergency Contact, Wills should be reviewed on a regular basis, particularly if there are any changes in marital status or relationships.
An out-of-date Will can cause as much distress as the absence of a Will. For instance, an out-of-date, or absence of a Will could mean that: a new partner will not benefit from the estate; a parent who walked out on the family shortly after the Service person was born, could claim half the value of an estate left to the parent who raised them; or an estranged spouse, who the individual was divorcing, could inherit everything.
Whilst Wills can be challenged, and claims may be made against an estate, this can be an expensive, time consuming and stressful process that may not achieve the desired result.
Funeral arrangements Whilst making a Will provides an opportunity
for an individual to specify their funeral arrangements, the JCCC recommends that the Service person with a particular preference specifies in writing ina separate document whether they wish to be buried or cremated and states who is to make their funeral arrangements.
Ideally, this instruction should be left with a close relative, or amongst their personal effects in a sealed envelope on which is written the instruction ‘To be opened in the event of my death’. In the absence of such an instruction, the MoD will normally liaise with the NoK over the funeral, or if agreement cannot be reached within the family and the deceased is known to have left a Will, the JCCC will seek advice from the Executor.
Ongoing Support Following all deaths and incidents which result in very serious illness, the RAF will appoint an experienced Service person to provide immediate support to the NoK and, where appropriate, others directly affected by a death.
This individual is known as the Visiting Officer (VO) and they will obtain specialist advice and
offer assistance in areas such as: arrangement of hospital visits, welfare support, housing concerns, funeral arrangements, pensions and benefit entitlements. Within reason, this support will be provided for as long as it is required, with long-term assistance following a death in service being available through the RAF and from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA).
The JCCC also has two specialist teams that will assist with the resolution of the estate (in so far as it relates to matters relating to military service) and the arrangements for the marking of a grave or site where the ashes were interred. Other enquiries such as those on pensions, compensation and allowances can be pursued via the VO or the SPVA Helpline (0800 169 22 77).
Suffering a family crisis or the illness or death of a close relative is a traumatic experience. Whilst staff at the JCCC do not have all the answers should you ever need to call on their services they are here to help you. To contact the JCCC on any urgent casualty or compassionate matter call us on: 01452 519951.
The News from MoD
by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Purdy from the Directorate of Service Personnel Policy
Beginning to Bite
I must be enjoying myself! People say that time flies when you are enjoying yourself and the deadline for writing my contribution to Envoy seems to come round more quickly every time. Here in MoD, Streamlining is beginning to bite and the reduction in the number of people in MoD is being felt. There seems to be more and more to do and less time in which to do it with fewer resources available. To make matters worse, my SO2, Major James Anderson, has packed his bags and deployed to Afghanistan. On the positive side, he will be replaced from the Naval Service, probably by a Royal Marine, but sadly the post will be gapped for three months before he arrives. Every silver lining has a cloud.
The Aching Subject of Dentists
I continue to be asked about whether families will be allowed to use Service dental facilities in the UK. This idea is not a new one but is very unlikely to happen. While the Treasury allows MoD the funds to provide families overseas with health and dental services, in the UK the funds for these services go to the NHS.
MoD has sufficient facilities to ensure that serving personnel are medically and dentally fit for operations, but there is generally insufficient capacity to cater for families. The exception is where, in order to obtain professional qualifications, the practitioner must treat
30 Winter 2009
a full spectrum of patients. Thus some medical centres are designated as GP training practices and look after families. But, this does not occur with dentists, who do not have such a requirement to treat families.
The lack of NHS dentists is a national problem rather than a MoD one. If the NHS had sufficient dentists for the population then it would be easy to find a new dentist on moving. We move more often than most people therefore we feel the effects of the shortage more keenly. So, following the Command Paper, we have engaged with NHS Primary Care Trusts in those areas where there are large Service populations and they have made particular efforts to increase the dental services available in their areas.
Since engaging with these PCTs the number of complaints about access to dentists has greatly reduced so either the situation is getting better or people have simply given up complaining. The problem often seems to be that someone arriving in a new area does not know how to find the available services. Now when someone raises the issue I get onto the NHS website, put in their postcode and nearly every time we find a dentist in their area that is taking on new patients. As a result, dentistry has moved down my priority list, but I am probably tempting fate in saying so and I will no doubt be deluged by those who still cannot find a dentist. The situation is not yet perfect but it is getting better and will continue to improve. Just don’t break a tooth on the sixpence in your Christmas pudding. The NNS website is at:
www.nhs.uk
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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