FOREWORD FOREWORD BY ANNA SOUBRY
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL, WELFARE AND VETERANS
T
hank you for inviting me to contribute to the winter edition of the Envoy magazine. I am delighted to have this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Minister for
Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, and to express my appreciation of the role that Service families play in supporting our Armed Forces.
The Royal Air Force has a proud heritage of courage and selfless devotion to duty. I am sure that the support they get from their families and friends is a major factor in that great dedication, and I do not underestimate the importance played by the RAF Families Federation in this. I will do everything possible to ensure that the concerns of RAF personnel and their family members are understood and that I take action to address such issues whenever it is within my power to do so. Where that is not possible, I will explain why.
My predecessor mentioned the New Employment Model (NEM) in his foreword to last winter’s edition of Envoy. I am pleased to be able to update you on the progress we have made. The MoD continues to review its support to families and has commissioned new research into the support of families of the injured.
Phase 1 of the NEM consultation exercise with Service Personnel and their families concluded on 1 November 2013 and is now followed by a second phase of consultation involving some targeted questionnaires on specific parts of the NEM programme. Feedback from the consultation will be used to shape the detailed policy development of the components of the NEM.
Separately, the MoD is undertaking a review of the impact of Service life on the employment of partners with a view to
introducing measures to help partners overcome some of the difficulties they face in maintaining their desired employment pattern.
Organisations such as the RAF Families Federation are vital elements in the network of support for the Service Community. It is therefore with great pride that I tell you how highly I regard the invaluable part that RAF families and the RAF FF play in ensuring our military personnel cope with the challenges they face. I look forward to continued collaboration between the RAF FF and the MoD.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
Envoy Winter 2013
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