E d i t o r / C h a i r m a n
EDITOR’S words T
Good reading. Te Editor
From the Chairman W
ell life is certainly never boring at the RAF Families Federation and the last
few months have seen some exciting opportunities to represent the RAF families’ perspective on the challenges of military life.
Perhaps the most significant piece of work has been our contribution to the first Annual Report on the Service Personnel Command Paper. You can rest assured that we have been actively representing your concerns to the Ministers charged with delivering this significant piece of cross-Government work. We have summarised the Paper’s commitments in this issue and reported on progress so far so those of you who may not know what I’m talking about can bring yourselves up-to-date.
We have also been busy summarising the emerging top-level results of our interactive
workshops in order to provide evidence to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. A report based on the interim evidence provided to date is included in this issue, with further evidence to come once we have completed analysis of our workshop data. Let’s hope this helps keep Armed Forces pay at the top end of the public sector pay awards, where it deserves to be.
The Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP visited RAF Wittering and all three Families Federations had an opportunity to brief her on military family life. We wait to see if her interest prompts further political engagement and, more importantly, action to support military families.
Finally, we have continued to represent the needs of individual families to a number of agencies, including Defence Estates, the Manning Directorates and the local chain of command. Whilst we cannot resolve everyone’s problem (and that’s not what we
are here for), we have seen some notable successes when the family perspective has been re-examined and resulted in a more sympathetic or flexible interpretation of the rules.
Each case adds to our database of evidence and we urge all family members experiencing problems with the RAF lifestyle to get in touch and help us influence retention-positive, family-friendly policies that can only underpin and enhance the RAF’s operational effectiveness.
The Federation is there for You T
he RAF Families Federation is here to represent the concerns of RAF personnel and their families on the issues that affect the RAF family. We operate
entirely outside the RAF chain of command, so we can always promise an independent and confidential service.
By gathering the facts, we put your view and concerns in front of the people who matter, such as senior RAF and MoD staffs and Ministers. Influencing change, where it is needed, for the better.
2 Winter 2009
he Christmas season is once again upon us. A traditional time for family and friends, but for many within our Service community, there are those for whom this year it is not to be. Our thoughts are with all those on ops and those at home who press on regardless to make it as special as possible.
I hope you will find much that is useful and entertaining in this issue. If you would like to contribute a piece, do let me know!
So whether you’re in uniform yourself, a spouse, a partner, a parent, a child or a sibling of a member of the RAF, we are here to act on your behalf.
And do remember that if you don’t regularly get to see a copy of Envoy you can request your own copy. We will send each issue free of charge . There is a registration link on the website, you can call the Federation on 01780 781650 or email:
enquiries@raf-ff.org.uk
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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