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28 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2009
News and information for serving personnel
Grit in abundance
UK
IN AN open letter to all and positive leadership means
He stressed: “We must continue “But we ned to do more in
commanding officers, the
more contented sailors and more to build, mentor, select and seeking opportunities to develop
Second Sea Lord Vice
effective ships. And most of these promote the very best leaders at all robustness and spirit in our
Admiral Sir Alan Massey
things are directly influenced by ranks and train them throughout people.”
their career.” As part of this development,
marked the end of his first
the CO, his HODs and EWO.”
And the admiral praised the And finally to that current the admiral mentioned the
year in office as 2SL and
peformance of the Senior Service buzzword of Naval thinking – recommmendations of the Core
Commander in Chief Naval
in initial training, as highlighted grit. Maritime Skills review, the
Home Command. by the recent Ofsted report “which The admiral states: “Increasing encouragement of adventurous
visits
He commended all for their graded the overall provision of numbers of our people are going training (AT) opportunities, and
excellent work, and highlighted initial training as good, with directly into harm’s way, and we finally the RN Fitness Test saying:
his three priorities – more people, several outstanding areas; amongst must all be ready for unpredictable “Fitness – physical and mental –
better leaders and more grit. the strengths highlighted was moral and physical challenges at enables grit.”
Against the first target he the extremely good pastoral and short notice. Admiral Massey concluded:
said: “Recruiting performance welfare support provided by the “I have been impressed by what “Things rarely change dramatically
is improving, thanks to excellent Divisional System.” I have seen on my travels, and in the personnel area, but the
work in Captain Naval Recruiting’s In terms of leadership, 2SL have seen grit in abundance. trends are encouraging.”
for NFF
HQ and by the often under-valued mentioned the Enduring
Recruiting Field Force.” Leadership programme which will
He added: “Just as important, be in place by April 2010 and a
we are beginning to improve strategy in development to bring
A sailor went to
slightly on retention, which coaching into training, as is already
remains my main effort.” producing results at CTCRM
He writes: “A taut divisional Lympstone, BRNC Dartmouth
system, effective senior rates and MWS Collingwood.
see, see, see
teams
Next steps in
Forces focus
ONE year on from the Service Personnel Command Paper, the
government has published a Green Paper The Nation’s commitment to the
THE Naval Families Federation decline your offered SFA there Armed Forces community: consistent and enduring support, an open invitation
meetings between Naval and Royal could be a significant wait before for discussion and ideas from anyone who wishes to contribute.
Marines communities continued anything else is available or Kevan Jones, Minister for Veterans, commented: “We said last year
apace during the summer, writes offered. that we would not allow this strategy of support to our Armed Forces
Kim Richardson, with visits to HMS Please get in touch with community to fade.
Raleigh, HMS Northumberland comments and experiences if you “The Green Paper sets out the next step in this process.”
and HMS Albion, Commando have elected to decline your first The consultation runs until the end of October, and all Service
Training Centre Royal Marines at offer. personnel, veterans, MOD civilian personnel and members of the
Lympstone and 40 Commando at ■ Are you an overseas reader? general public are invited to make their views known.
Taunton being real highlights. How easy and timely have your To date, the main achievements of the SPCP are: compensation for
Despite the Met Office experiences been when voting
AS a mark of support to the Royal Navy
most serious injuries doubled; free further education for Service leavers;
reappraising their barbecue from overseas?
and Royal Marines, the Spinnaker Tower –
access to substantial grants to adapt houses for disabled veterans;
forecasts, the topics raised defied We have a meeting with a
Portsmouth’s iconic landmark – is offering
retention of places on NHS waiting lists; help for Forces’ leavers to get on
the cool conditions and are as hot Minister to discuss voting for
all serving RN and RM personnel a special
the housing ladder; priority boarding school places for Forces children;
as ever, mainly housing, childcare Service families overseas in
discount rate.
fairer treatment when Forces families apply for social housing; help for
and separation. October and would like to table
The Serviceman and up to three guests
Forces’ partners when they move; fairer route to British citizenship for
If you are living in Service your comments and suggestions
will be able to enjoy a trip up the tower
Foreign and Commonwealth Forces’ children; and special advocates to
Families Accommodation (SFA) for improvements.
at a rate of £4.80, £4.20 (children)
speak up for the Forces in government departments.
and need to contact Modern
and £4.50 (senior citizens) – that’s
■ The Service Personnel The minister said: “Those who serve on our behalf place all that they
Housing Solutions (MHS) you Command Paper (the first ever
almost one third off the normal
have on the line for this country.
will notice some changes to how cross-government paper looking
entry price.
“In return, the nation has a commitment to make sure that they have
the call is channelled. at support to our Armed Forces,
The soaring tower at
the support they need and deserve, when they need it.”
The difference callers will their families and veterans) is one
Portsmouth’s harbour
To see the consultation paper for full details
notice is that teams dedicated to year old.
mouth offers unrivalled
of the questions and options, see www.mod.uk/
specific areas are now in place, the It is designed to end disadvantage
views of the ships, naval
DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/
aim being to improve consistency that armed service imposes on
base, and Isle of Wight
ConsultationsandCommunications/PublicConsultations/
for callers. our people, their families, or our
– stretching up to 23
TheNationsCommitmentToTheArmedForcesCommunityConsultation
■ Parent Support Advisors veterans.
miles.
or write to SPCP Team, Level 7 Zone J, MOD Main Building,
(PSA) – the introduction of parent A year after its publication, we Whitehall, London SW1A 2HB.
Picture: LA(Phot) Brian Douglas
support advisors in schools is in would like to hear what you think
place and early feedback says that about the key objectives. Have
it is working really well. they made a difference or are
PSAs are in place to improve they wide of the mark? What
parental engagement with would you like to see? And more Service housing
children’s learning, school-home interestingly, do you know what
relationships and pupil attendance. it is and what it should be doing
on the up
Trophy 10,693 is a silver successful night attack on the
The feedback highlights that for you? bowl originally presented to Italian battle fleet at Taranto,
families feel supported, and has the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle when three battleships were ■ Whether you are serving or
given many of them the self- not, making and lodging a will by Mrs Page, the wife of the seriously damaged.
esteem and confidence to tackle is a difficult task which no family American Ambassador, when During 1941, having passed
problems themselves. member relishes, but without one,
UPGRADES to Service accommodation are set to continue apace over
she named the ship in June through the Suez Canal,
Your comments and experiences confusion and assumption can
the next few years, with both families and single Servicemen and women
1918. her aircraft
are welcome. prevail in an emotionally turbulent
seeing major improvements to their housing and the way it is managed.
These rather assisted in the
time.
Among the improvements will be a new Housing Information Centre
unusual cir- destruction of ■ Moving house in the near
future? Whatever form the document
in Plymouth and a streamlined management system which will match
cumstances Italian ships at
When you have settled in we takes make sure that your loved
supply and demand of accommodation more efficiently.
were a result Massawa and in
would appreciate your feedback ones know of its existence and
Communications are set to improve as the MOD website will publish
of the ship hav- the Red Sea. In
on how easy or difficult the process where it is lodged.
details for the first time of modernisation programmes up to two years
ing been laid June her planes
has been. To record a basic will, a MOD
in advance.
down as the sank a German
If you are living in the Form 106 can be completed and
Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, Chief Executive of Defence Estates,
Chilean battle- merchant ship
Portsmouth area and move into lodged at JPA’s Glasgow site;
said: “We have been criticised, quite rightly, for not communicating
ship Almirante and, with the
Service Families Accommodation these forms are available via JPA
our plans and for not being as efficient as we could be in allocating and
Cochrane and cruiser Dunedin,
that is not as clean or well or the UPO.
maintaining properties.
her purchase intercepted
maintained as you expect it to be, If you feel that a more
“We have put a lot of effort into improving both these key areas, and
by the RN while being built the U-boat supply ship
try giving the office a call. If we comprehensive document needs
we have a range of initiatives planned.”
for completion as a seaplane Lothringen which was forced
can get a member of the team out to be drafted, serving personnel
He added: “The tri-Service Housing Information Centre in Plymouth
carrier. She eventually was to surrender.
to take a look we will. If not, then and their families have access to
will bring a welcome focus for naval people and others in the south-west
completed – as an aircraft car- In August 1942 Eagle was
please take photographs and send a free half-hour legal consultation
region whose nearest centre is currently at Warminster.
rier – in 1924. The bowl is involved with Operation
them in. with specialists, who can guide you
“We are also planning to issue estate agent details to incoming
inscribed on one side record- Pedestal – when over 40
occupants. This is more complex than first appears but we aim to get
ing its donation by Mrs Page, warships managed to fight ■ Are you clear on the policies through the process and retain the
governing the allocation of Service documents on your behalf.
some details out by the end of the year.”
while the other side has an through just five out of 14
Family Accommodation (SFA)? Check with your UPO about
Defence Estates’ target is to bring all occupied service families’
engraved American eagle. merchant ships in a convoy
This summer has seen an any scheduled meetings and
accomodation up to the top standard by 2020 at a cost of more than
On July 5 1940 Eagle’s attempting to lift the siege of
increase on demand for SFA for workshops they may hold,
£3 billion.
aircraft attacked Tobruk Malta. On the eleventh of that
a variety of reasons, but the one as professional advisors from
This includes ‘greening’ the estate with introductions such as modern,
harbour, sinking a destroyer month, whilst in the Malta-
myth that should be dispelled is recognised companies regularly
energy-efficient boilers and better insulation.
and two merchant ships bound convoy, she was hit
that sufficient stock is available visit bases to offer consultations.
It also includes completing the Single Living Accommodation
and damaging a third. Two by four torpedoes from the
to allow families to choose their For more comprehensive
programmes and bringing in the most-needed improvements including
weeks later, in another raid German U-boat U73 and
SFA. information go to our website and
new furniture, modern showers and toilets and better internet access.
on Tobruk, two more Italian sank in just eight minutes 65
Be aware that if you elect to follow the ‘money’ links.
Defence Estates are also looking at the long-term implications of the
destroyers and another miles south of Majorca. Two
You can get in touch with us
Maritime Change Programme, which will see the submarine fleet based
merchantman were sunk; while officers and 158 ratings were
on tel: (02392) 654374, admin@
at Clyde and the future frigates based in Portsmouth.
in August her aircraft sank an lost but 927 of her ship’s
nff.org.uk, check out our website Italian submarine in the Gulf of company, including Capt ■ The improvements are among several in the Defence
www.nff.org.uk or write to NFF, Accommodation Management Strategy, one of 40 measures set out Bomba. In November 1940 her Mackintosh, were picked up
Castaway House, 311 Twyford in the 2008 Service Personnel Command Paper to improve support squadrons, with those from by the destroyers Laforey and
Ave, Portsmouth, PO2 8RN to the Armed Forces and their families. HMS Illustrious, took part in the Lookout and the tug Jaunty.
News and information for serving personnel
NEW 028_NN_sept09 2-6.indd 1 20/8/09 11:26:14
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