Image: An RAF Voyager tanker aircraft taking off from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada during Exercise Red Flag. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.


Non Serving Family Responses


As the NON-SERVING family member, what do you ENJOY MOST about RAF life?


35%


12% 8% 7% 5%


Living in different parts of the UK


The


chance to live


overseas Secure


employment for my partner


His/her


pay and/or pension


4%


Living on the ‘patch’


Community spirit


friendship and social life


Access to affordable housing


8% 5% 2% The


provision of CEA


I don’t


enjoy RAF life


Other


14%


‘We are unmarried, but have been together for 9 years, have a child and we are treated as though we don’t exist. We cannot live in quarters, have a dependants pass, use the Families Club, use the gym, and attend events like Families Day or fireworks on camp. I have no welcome calls, no newsletters.’


‘The RAF seem to have an inability to plan anything in advance. Either this or information is not passed on quickly enough to the people it affects. No date is ever set in stone, it’s a complete joke and very frustrating for families. Especially those with children who are trying to manage expectations of when they’ll see daddy, or arranging holidays, settling into new schools etc.’


By some margin the challenging and unique issues surrounding mobility dominated the comments received. Unsurprisingly, for many moving home every 2-5 years and the requisite need for schools and childcare, employment, healthcare and community support networks came with major challenges and affected all members of the ‘mobile RAF family’. Access to appropriate childcare and a ‘level playing field’ for the allocation of school places were often cited as the most important issues but for many were the most difficult to achieve. Employment was also raised by many spouse/partners as being extremely difficult to pursue, maintain or develop and many felt they were unable to follow their own career ambitions whilst supporting the service lifestyle and demands.


www.raf-ff.org.uk


15


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