EDITOR/DIRECTOR
EDITOR’S words T
he last time I edited a magazine was in the 1970’s when I was a pupil at a convent school in West London. My Headmistress, Sister Josephine, was a strict disciplinarian who ran
the school along the lines of a Mafia Don. Her word was final and she took no prisoners. She dismissed my suggestion that we include an article about the Boy Band of the time The Osmonds as frivolous rubbish, instead insisting that I include articles about the lives of the Saints. Not surprisingly the readership dwindled…
Fast forward to 2014 and after offering to help out until a new Editor is appointed, I find myself once again editing a magazine. This time however, the Boss of Bosses is Bill Mahon, who although he has a passing resemblance to Tony
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f there’s a safe bet to be had, it is that something, somewhere in the world will occur seemingly overnight that requires RAF personnel to put
themselves in harm’s way once again – just look at what’s happening in Syria and Iraq at the moment. Afghan withdrawal will not automatically mean peace and quiet for our people and their families.
However, we are seeing small signs that the fantastic support and affection afforded to the Services in recent years might be starting to wane as the operational profile in Afghanistan reduces. It shouldn’t come as a surprise and there’s a certain inevitability about it as well, given the historical evidence. It’s therefore more important than ever to get across the message that the commitment and the sacrifices required of RAF personnel and their families during significant periods of tension and conflict are still required and expected of them in what passes for many
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he RAF Families Federation represents the concerns of RAF personnel and their family members on the
Soprano has a much lighter hand on the tiller. Thank you to my former RAF colleagues and friends who have provided articles for this edition of Envoy after receiving my begging phone calls. We have tried to include a variety of interesting articles covering a wide range of topics including the sport of Drifting which was new to me!
No matter where you are in the world if you have an idea for an article or would like a particular topic covered please get in touch with us. The Envoy relies on the input of the RAF Community and it is apparent that many of you have interesting stories to tell.
Finally, I have not included a photograph for this piece but if you think Cameron Diaz then you won’t be far wrong… Maggie Fuller – Guest Editor
From the Director
as peacetime: That, for some, short notice deployments to hotspots will continue; that the stresses and strains of several tours of duty in Afghan and Iraq will have a lasting impact on others; that repeated 6 month deployments to places like the Falklands has a cumulative effect on families (OK, I know there’s no place quite like the Falklands but you get my point!); that the training workload for many will still mean separation and time away from home and loved ones, and that for many, the unrelenting workload remains a real challenge to sustain as the reductions in manpower numbers bite.
One of the Families Federation’s key responsibilities is to help get those points across – to ministers and MPs, to the public and to organisations that can have a huge influence on the lives of Service personnel and their families, such as the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, the House of Commons Defence Committee and the people who oversee the Armed Forces
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 2014
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.
Covenant. That’s where we are concentrating our efforts in the coming months. We’ll be out and about seeking opinions on pay, allowances, the quality of RAF life and the reactions to the recent announcements on major initiatives such as the New Employment Model. We’ll also be running a series of short, sharp surveys on the website on specific issues. If you are serving, or a family member, please keep an eye out for us – be you Regular, Reserve, single, married or a partner, we need your input to help inform “the system” of your views and concerns.
Why Should YOU Contact the Federation? 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
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.
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
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