EDITOR/CHAIRMAN
EDITOR’S words T
Good reading A From the Chairman
s I write, I am acutely conscious that many hundreds of RAF personnel will be opening letters that
will tell them they have been selected for redundancy.
For those who have volunteered and have already started making plans for life beyond the blue uniform, the news will be welcome. For those who volunteered but have been told they are required for further service due to their value to the RAF, the news will be bitterly disappointing. And for those who did not volunteer, but have now been declared surplus to requirements, the news will be devastating. Our thoughts go out to all those families affected by Phase 1 of the redundancy programme and we urge all to make best use of the many resettlement services available to you.
Since our last edition, we have also heard the sad news of the loss of yet another RAF base, a further victim of the SDSR. RAF Leuchars has a proud history of RAF service and we
share the sadness that many will be feeling as plans are made to transfer personnel and families to RAF Lossiemouth and other units, making room for a new era of Army presence in Fife. As Leuchars families begin to assess the implications for them, again we urge contact with the chain of command, welfare and manning staffs to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. Like many, we expressed grave frustration at the length of time it took the Government to make their basing decisions public but now the uncertainty has been lifted and we can at least look forward with a little more confidence regarding the future size and shape of the RAF.
However, uncertainty continues, with the long-awaited Review of Children’s Education Allowance to be published any day now. Again, we urged Ministers to make the announcements before the summer recess but our pleas appeared to fall on deaf ears. Details of Phase 2 of the RAF’s redundancy programme are awaited and we remain hopeful that quotas and fields will be made public soon so personnel and their families
can make informed decisions about their future in the Service.
Against this backdrop, the RAF Families Federation continues to gather evidence on issues of concern and to feed that evidence to a high level. Our evidence is due with the Armed Forces Pay Review Body in October and we are also feeding the results of our Future Accommodation survey into the MOD Project Team. Thanks to everyone who has taken part in our surveys, be that during live unit visits or on-line. The 6 themed surveys remain open until the end of October so if you haven’t contributed your views yet, get in touch. Keep telling us what you think – without you, we have no voice.
Why Should YOU Contact the Federation? T 4
he RAF Families Federation represents the concerns of RAF personnel and their family members on the
issues that affect them as part of a RAF family.
Your views and concerns are put in front of senior RAF and MoD staffs and direct to Ministers.
Envoy Autumn 2011
The Federation is also invited to sit on steering groups where the views of RAF family members are sought. In these ways the Federation can influence change, where it is needed, for the better.
So whether you’re in uniform yourself or a spouse, a partner, a parent, a child or a sibling of a member of the RAF, the Federation is here to act on your behalf.
If you have something you wish to bring to the Federation’s attention, please call and speak to one of the team on 01780 781650 or email:
enquiries@raf-ff.org.uk
We operate entirely outside the RAF chain of command, so we can always promise an independent and confidential service. Please remember it is your views that are asked for, not ours!
www.raf-ff.org.uk
he summer holiday’s over and there is change all about us. This issue is full of decisions taken, announcements made and reviews in tow. If you can bear to, let us know your thoughts on how what is happening
is impacting on you and your family and allow us to pass your views, undiluted, to those at the top.
Also, if you would like to write something for Envoy then I should be only too pleased to hear from you. The Federation and its magazine are there for you and it would be great to have your words and your experiences colouring the pages.
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