HMNB CLYDE Armed Forces Covenant Win a Merlin Pass - NFF

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Contents Autumn2013NEWS AND VIEWSQuestions & Answers........................................................................ 4In Brief............................................................................................. 5ARTHUR MARTHA OR MABELWhat is a Buffer?........................................................................ 6 & 7Welcome to the NFF.......................................................................... 7DID YOU KNOWWhat is an Ensign............................................................................. 8HMS TRENCHANT........................................................................... 9ROYAL MARINESRoyal Marines Reserves........................................................... 10 & 11Mountain Leadership...................................................................... 13INFORMATIONHMNB CLYDE......................................................................... 14 & 15Submarine Perisher Course..................................................... 16 & 17Reserves in the Future Force............................................................. 18Armed Forces Covenant.................................................................. 21Overseas................................................................................ 22 & 23New Employment Model................................................................. 26Accommodation News.................................................................... 28BFPO..................................................................................... 32 & 33Term-Time Leave............................................................................. 35YOUR MONEYPensions......................................................................................... 42Bedroom Tax.................................................................................. 43YOUR FAMILYDaddy Day Care............................................................................. 45educationCEA Changes................................................................................ 47CHARITIES IN ACTIONHMS SUTHERLAND Challenge......................................................... 49READER OFFERSCompetitions.......................................................................... 50 & 513HomeportThe Naval Families Federation’sMagazine for Royal Naval & RoyalMarines familiesHOMEPORT is distributed free by the Royal Navy andRoyal Marines to Naval families throughoutthe world and is published quarterly byMethod Publishing,a division of Scottish Provincial Press Ltd.Editorial Office: Editor: Sarah WoodsNaval Families Federation, Castaway House,311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth PO2 8RNTel: 023 9265 4374E-mail: editor@nff.org.ukWebsite: www.nff.org.ukViews expressed in HOMEPORT, unless otherwisestated, are those of the author alone and do notnecessarily reflect the official opinion of the NavalFamilies Federation or of the Ministry of Defence.HOMEPORT welcomes articles from readers.Contributions are included at the NFF Chair’sdiscretion. Anonymous contributions are not accepted.Design and Typography: © Method Publishing 2013Editorial Matter and Illustrations: © Crown Copyright2013 unless otherwise stated. Articles are not to bereproduced without permission from the Editor. Printedin Great Britain by Warners Midlands plcAdvertisement Office (UK)Method Publishing, Sutherland Press House, Golspie,Sutherland, Scotland KW10 6RATel: 01408 633871 Fax: 01408 633876E-mail: j.alker@methodpublishing.co.ukNo responsibility for the quality of goods orservices advertised in this magazine can beaccepted by the Publishers, Printers or by theMinistry of Defence. Advertisements are acceptedon the express condition that the advertiserwarrants that they in no way contravene theprovisions of the Trades Descriptions Act 1968or any other prevailing legislation in the UnitedKingdom.The Publishers reserve the right to refuse acceptanceof any advertisement, either before or after receipt ofcopy, without stating a reason.HOMEPORT Editorial Deadlines: Winter2013 Deadline: 27th September 2013FREE SUBSCRIPTIONSThe Naval Families Federation relies on Units andEstablishments to distribute copies to all familiesas quickly as possible. If you are not in a positionto obtain a copy through the usual Naval Servicechannels, e-mail: Editor@nff.org.uk with your postaladdress to make sure you receive YOUR copy ofHOMEPORT.FRONT COVER:Many thanks to Lt Cdr Rob Trewinnard-Boyle fororganising the front cover photo in America, and tophotographer Andy Wolfe from Lockheed Martin. Thanksalso to our cover stars (from L – R) Cdr Bow Wheaton,POAET(M) Adrian Corbett, POAET(AV) Gary Lister, Lt CdrRobin Trewinnard-Boyle, POAET(AV) Mike Eland, andCPOAET(M) Nathan Lankester.Cover design by Emma Prince. If you want to beconsidered for our front cover, e-mail your photos toEmma at info@nff.org.uk.CONTENTSAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

Military Receive FreeTransport for LondonTravelAs from June 2013, Transport forLondon is offering free travel to Servicepersonnel in uniform.This offer applies to regular and reservepersonnel travelling in issued uniformand in possession of a MOD Form 90ID card. The offer is valid for travel onLondon Buses, London Underground,London Tramlink and the DocklandsLight Railway.PAX Continue to ProvidePersonal Accident CoverThe MOD has placed a new contract withthe existing PAX provider for the provisionof Personal Accident cover.The contract provider has beenannounced as Aon UK Ltd and theduration of the contract is four years,until 30th June 2017, existing membersof PAX will automatically be insuredunder the new Scheme for the same levelof cover purchased. The ability to takeup, amend or cancel insurance cover,methods of payment, and the ability toclaim are unaffected. The PersonalAccident Premium costs willincrease by 10% from 1st January2014. This will be the first premiumincrease to PAX since 2011. There will be,however, improved cover for all policyholders and this will be implementedfrom 1st January 2014 with the inclusionof new benefits for additional injuries andincreases to some existing benefits.For more information, read DefenceInstructions and Notices 2013DIN07-125.TV Licence – Have You GotOne?In Ministry of Defence (MOD)accommodation, on or off base, anyonewho watches or records televisionprogrammes as they’re being shown onTV, on any device, must be covered by a TVLicence. This includes computers, laptops,TVs, mobile phones, games consoles,digital boxes and DVD/VHS recorders.Armed Forces personnel are not usuallycovered by their home TV Licence whileliving on base. In Service accommodation,they’re only covered by their home licenceif they watch TV using a device that’spowered solely by its own internal batteries,and it is not plugged into the mains or anaerial.If Service personnel already have a licencebut no longer need it, they may be entitledto a refund. If posted overseas you can claima refund for every three consecutive monthsthat you don’t use your TV Licence. This isprovided that you don’t need to watch orrecord TV again in the UK before it expires.You have up to two years from the expirydate of your TV Licence to claim your refund.To apply for a refund, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk and enter ‘refunds’ in the searchoption Note, you may be asked to supplyevidence in support of your application.It costs £145.50 for colour and £49.00 fora black and white TV Licence.Is this fair? Let us know your views.INBRIEFLynx Wildcat BeerRob Sherwood, Managing Director ofYeovil Ales was looking for a name forhis latest beer and decided on ‘LynxWildcat’ after the next generation ofRoyal Naval helicopters to join the FleetAir Arm at RNAS Yeovilton.Lynx Wildcat is a commemorative beercommissioned by the Royal Navy tocelebrate the 40thanniversary of theYeovil built Helicopter.The Lynx has also heldthe world helicopterairspeed record forthe past 25 years!Lynx Wildcat is abronze, full-bodied,hoppy bitter.Specialist maltsprovide a sweetnessthat is accompaniedby grapefruity hopflavours and aromas. To find out more,visit www.realbeerathome.co.uk.700W NAS are now charged withbringing the HMA2, the naval variant ofthe Wildcat into front-line service in early2015.Royal Navy and Royal Marines Families Continuous AttitudeSurvey 2013by Paul Cox, Future Personnel Research Team, Commodore Naval Personnel Strategy5Defence Medical WelfareService (DMWS)The Defence Medical Welfare Service(DMSW) delivers an independent andimpartial 24-hour specialist welfareservice to members of the British ArmedForces.DMWS provides practical and emotionalsupport to serving personnel, theirfamilies and entitled civilians inoperational and non-operational areaswhile they are in hospital, rehabilitation orrecovery centres. Visit www.dmws.org.uk for further details.The Royal Navy and Royal MarinesFamilies Continuous Attitude Survey2013 closed in June.Thank you to the 1,551 respondentswho took the time to complete thesurvey. This is 30% up on the numberof people who responded in 2012.It is hoped the Royal Navy headlinesfrom the survey will be available forthe winter edition of Homeport. It isimportant that the views of Servicefamilies are taken into account whendeveloping personnel policies and theresults of this survey will be circulatedto Second Sea Lord and numerousstakeholders and policy desksthroughout Navy Command.A number of questions in the 2013survey related to the Armed ForcesCovenant (AFC). The DefenceSecretary is required to report toParliament every year on the AFC.The information from this survey willprovide evidence of issues that need tobe addressed. More information on theAFC can be found on page 21.The tri-Services Report will bepublished in September 2013 and willbe available at www.dasa.mod.uk.Autumn 2013hOMEPORTNEWSANDVIEWS

arthurmarthaormabel6Arthur, Martha or MabelAccording to Jackspeak (a reference book explaining the ‘informal vocabulary’ used by members of the Royal Navy/Royal Marines)Arthur, Martha or Mabel means ‘someone who is unsure of their job or a little confused’.The Homeport series of Arthur, Martha or Mabel articles is designed to help you understand the different roles and jobs within theRoyal Navy and Royal Marines to give you an insight into their lives.What is a ‘Buffer’?by Petty Officer (Seaman Specialist) James GarveyI am Petty Officer (SeamanSpecialist) James Garvey, and inSeptember 2012 I was assignedto the role as Chief Bosun’s Mate(CBM) onboard HMS DEFENDER,the 5th Type 45 to be built. As apredominantly Type 23 rating thisplaced me outside my comfort zonewhich was ideal in providing mewith a fresh challenge as a newlypromoted Petty Officer.The CBM, or ‘Buffer’ as he or she isknown onboard, is the Executive Officer’s(XO) right-hand man in respect of all workdone around the ship to maintain bothseamanship equipment (especially lifesaving and survival equipment) and theoverall appearance of the ship. Usuallythe ‘Buffer’ is a stalwart character of greatexperience and dynamic personality!The role of the ‘Buffer’ is a challengingposition and comes with a number ofsecondary roles. The core job is to takecharge of all seamanship evolutionsonboard, whether they be routineevolutions such as launching the ship’s seaboats or bringing the ship alongside, or themore major evolutions such as conductingReplenishment at Sea (RAS) and towingoperations. The ‘Buffer’ has the biggestsub department of the warfare branch andis responsible to four Leading Hands and10 Able Seaman (AB) in a fully manneddepartment, but with the ever changingneeds of the Navy ships are rarely fullymanned. My tasks as a Sub-DepartmentManager and leader usually includesmanaging ‘gaps’ within the departmentensuring that training is taking placeand people take their allocated leave ona regular basis whilst ensuring that thedepartment is ready to meet the demandsof an ever changing programme.appearance and fully serviceable, theupperdeck is divided into ‘parts’ such asthe fo’c’sle or quarterdeck and sailors (or‘hands’) are allocated to each ‘part’. Thedaily routine in harbour starts at 0800 whenthe ‘Buffer’ musters all of the ‘part of shiphands’ which is known by the traditional term‘Both Watches of the Warfare Department’.During both watches, hands are given thepriorities for the days work and the ‘Buffer’then acts as the go between for the XOand the warfare senior rates to ensuretasks are carried out promptly. During busymaintenance periods, with personnel awayon courses, I can be left with as little as 10hands to cover the huge real estate andkeep everything greased, oiled, cleaned andmaintained.At sea, the seamanship department is splitinto two different roles of bridge watchkeeping and deck work. During normaloperations there are two AB’s found on thebridge assisting the Officer of the Watch bysteering the ship, being a lookout and alsobeing responsible for the communicationsand exchanging messages between Navalvessels and civilian ships. A secondary roleof the seaman at sea is to act as ‘swimmerof the watch’ during a man overboard,when they jump into the sea to rescue aperson who has fallen off the ship – this isfortunately a very rare occurrence for real,but something we practice every week.Most importantly though, the seamen arecharged with driving the ships Pacific 24rigid inflatable boats which is a demandingIn order to keep the upperdeck in pristineAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

ut fun part of the job in these very capableboats. During maintenance periods inBase Port the seamanship department keeptraining and have, for example, takenthe boats away for numerous navigationexercises in the Solent and around thePortsmouth areas.As a relatively junior Petty Officer the ‘Buffer’must have strong moral courage and isfrequently required to provide seamanshipadvice to the Commanding Officer and XO.HMS DEFENDER’s most recent XO joined uswith an aviation background as a Lynx Pilot, butafter a short stint behind the wheel of our boatsduring a man overboard exercise we had soonconverted him to a honorary seaman.Although I have only been onboard a shorttime I have found the learning curve very steep,taking over on the tail end of a ship emergingfrom build, working with civilian contractorson a day-to-day basis, sailing for Devonportto carry out ‘Flag Officer Sea Training’ workup, getting to grips with my new role onboard,but also quickly learning about the differentmethods of fire-fighting and damage controlwith this very different class of ship.Over the years core seamanship has notchanged much but with the new design ofship our drills differ vastly from the past. Thebiggest difference noted was the complexityof the ‘Pellegrini’ boat davits that hoist andlower the ships boats into and out of thewater. It is fitted with numerous switches andsafety mechanisms, all of which must beactivated in the right order to safely use itand lower or hoist the boats. Our seaboatdrivers are known as ‘Coxswains’ and theyhave to be highly skilled on launch andrecovery procedures. The job is made allthe more difficult because of the ‘flare’ ofthe ship’s side which is where the ship’s sideangles in as you get closer to the water line.At the front of the ship, the cable deckarrangement is slightly different to myprevious units, not only is it all enclosedbut there is a lot more cable on deck thanI am familiar with and it is substantiallylarger. With the enclosed Forecastle andQuarterdeck and the inability to see theforward and aft ropes being passed to shoreside when we berth in harbour (becauseof the size of the ship), I am reliant on theexperience and knowledge of my LeadingSeamen to direct their ‘part of ship hands’correctly on coming alongside, whilst I retaintotal responsibility.We have conducted many trials onboard aswe emerged from build and commencedour journey to becoming a fully operationalship for the Navy. These have included trialswith different makes of boats to supporthigh profile current and future tasking andexplore new tactics. This has challengedboth myself and my team, encouraging usto think on our feet and realise the potentialeffects it could cause us and the T45 worldif we get them wrong – not to mention thecost of the trials themselves!My less glamorous, but just as important,secondary duties include being one ofthe Fire and Damage Control Instructorsonboard, tasked with training and refreshingthe Ship’s Company on fire-fighting anddamage control techniques. I found this abig challenge to settle into as I have alwayspreviously been stationed on the upperdeckwhen we are at Action Stations and now I aminstructing teams how to battle fires, floodsand damage (in peace time and war) insidethe ship.I am also a Departmental Health andSafety Representative ensuring that ‘riskassessments’ are put in place prior toconducting any short notice and potentiallydangerous tasks, and I ensure that ‘PersonalProtective Equipment’ used by sailors fora variety of jobs is at a safe standard forpersonnel to wear. This goes hand-in-handwith being the ‘lifting equipment manager’tasked with ensuring all lifting equipmentused onboard, such as hoists and cranes (or‘davits’ as we call them on ships), is in datefor testing and fit for purpose.One of my most important jobs and a job thattakes place on a day-to-day basis is being thesupervisor of the ship’s life-saving and seasurvivalequipment. With one of my LeadingSeamen and one Able Seaman tasked to carryout this maintenance, it is my responsibility toensure that the ‘25 man’ life rafts are in datefor service and all our emergency ‘once onlysurvival suits’ and general service life jacketsare regularly maintained in case that worsecase scenario ever arises.Although still in the early stages as a‘Buffer’ I have gained a massive amountof experience and knowledge to take meforward with my career. I am now lookingforward to our pending ‘Operational SeaTraining’ and our future deployment and forthe challenges it will offer. I will hopefullybe progressing through the career ladderto pass on my knowledge and experiencesto the future members of the seamanshipdepartment.WELCOMETOTHE NFFWe are pleased to welcome ourtwo new Armed Forces CovenantCo-ordinators to the team. Jenny Wardand Mark Walker will be working inand around the Midlands and Northof England.Armed Forces Covenant Team – Mark Walkerand Jenny WardThese posts are funded by the LIBORbanking fines. Jenny and Mark willbe engaging with local councilsand service providers to talk aboutfamilies and also to identify goodCommunity Covenant practise andalso areas where a little more help isrequired.Sam Allardyce, Evidence and EnquiryCo-ordinatorThe NFF said ‘Goodbye’ to JackieJackson, our Office Manager, whoretired in July after almost 10 yearswith the team. We wish her well in thefuture. We are delighted to welcomeSam Allardyce to the team who joinsus as our new Evidence and EnquiryCo-ordinator.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT7arthurmarthaormabel

didyouknowWhat is an Ensign?An ensign is a nautical flag flown at, or near, the stern (back)of a ship to identify the carrying vessel’s country of origin.In the UK there are three legal ensigns: the Red Ensign, theWhite Ensign, and the Blue Ensign. Each features the Unionflag in its top left hand quarter, on either a red, white or bluebackground as appropriate.The Union Flag, commonly but almost always incorrectlyreferred to as the Union Jack, is not an ensign. The onlylegitimate place for the Union Flag to be flown on a ship ison a Jack staff – a flagpole at the bow (front) – and this inturn is the only time that the UnionSource of information:Flag is correctly called a Union Jack.Nauticalia Ltd. For moreinformation on Nauticalia The Red, White and Blue EnsignsLtd and their products, visit originally related to the colours of thewww.nauticalia.com. principal squadrons of the Royal Navy,first appearing in the 17th Century.Today, each of the ensigns has a specific role:BritanniaRoyalNavalCollege(BRNC)Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) is a modern, military collegesteeped in traditional values, delivering learning that is inspiring,challenging and relevant to meet Fleet operational capability. Ithas been at the forefront of the education and development ofworld-class Naval Officers in Dartmouth since 1863.The College’s contribution to defence today is as relevant as ever,through Initial Officer Training, enduring leadership training, andsupport to Defence Diplomacy outputs through the training ofInternational Officers from over 20 Navies.Underpinning all aspects of training at BRNC remains the aim todeliver courageous leaders with the spirit to fight and win.The Red EnsignIn the 17th century, the Red Ensignbecame one of the colours of the threeNaval squadrons, and was actuallychosen to represent the most senior.However, as the Red Ensign wasalready being used by merchant sea vessels, much confusionarose and the decision was later reversed, so that it becamethe flag that can (and should) be flown by every British civilvessel.High on a hill above the town of Dartmouth in Devon, south westEngland, Britannia Royal Naval College has been training Royal Navalofficers since 1905. In fact, Naval officers’ training in Dartmouth goesback to 1863, when HMS BRITANNIA was first moored in the River Dart.The present buildings date from 1905; the architect was Sir GeorgeAston Webb, one of the more distinguished of his day, whose previouscommissions included Admiralty Arch and the East Front of BuckinghamPalace. The foundation stone was laid by King Edward VII in March1902 and the first cadets entered the College three years later.8The White EnsignThis has been used exclusivelyby ships of the Royal Navy, andmembers of the Cowes-basedRoyal Yacht Squadron, since thenineteenth century. The Red Ensign, as the senior of thethree, was the obvious choice for the Navy, but wouldeither have continued the confusion with the merchantfleet, or required all of them to change their flags. TheWhite Ensign was next in rank. Vessels other than thoseowned by the Royal Navy or members of the Royal YachtSquadron (with the member on board), cannot fly theWhite Ensign and are liable to prosecution (and in theoryhanging!) if they do so.Two important new groups of Officers came with the arrival of theSpecial Duties Officers Pre-qualifying Course; St. George, in 1974and the Women’s Royal Naval Service Officers’ Training Course,Talbot in 1976. The training of female Naval Officers was integratedinto that of their male counterparts in 1990 and the Special DutiesOfficers’ Greenwich course moved to Dartmouth in 1996.Visit www.royalnavy.mod.uk and search for BRNC to view theunit diary and see how Officer Cadets are progressing through theirtraining; for example Week 7 – ‘The 78 Officer Cadets in the presentmilitarisation phase of INT(O) spent their seventh week on courseat HMS RALEIGH carrying out elements of chemical, biological,radiological nuclear and damage control training – including first aid,general service respirator use and fire or flooding damage control.The Blue EnsignTo fly the Blue Ensign, specialpermission is required from theAdmiralty. Vessels allowed to fly thestandard Blue Ensign meet a numberof criteria: an Officer of the Royal Naval Reserve has to bein command; they must have a certain number of RoyalNaval Reserve Officers and ratings on board, and hold anAdmiralty Warrant. Membership of certain yacht clubs alsoentitles owners to fly the Blue Ensign, usually ‘defaced’ withsome form of club insignia in the bottom right hand cornerto identify them from others entitled to do so.In addition to physical development sessions, the Officer Cadets alsotackled the assault course on their final morning at Raleigh beforereturning to BRNC.’Left: Officer Cadets from Britannia RoyalNaval College have been faced with thechallenges of Raleigh’s Damage RepairInstructional Unit (DRIU) – all part of theredesigned Initial Naval Training (Officer)courseAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

(Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer)Ben Shread, Crown copyright)HMS TRENCHANT– the Long Deployment– Welcome HomeIn May this year, HMS TRENCHANT returnedto Devonport exactly 11 months to the day(that’s 335 days) after she sailed on whatbecame the longest patrol ever completed byone of the Royal Navy’s hunter-killer boats.Thanks to rotation of the 170-strong crew,at least 40 of HMS TRENCHANT’S Ship’sCompany have been at home at any onetime, but seven submariners completed thewhole 11-month deployment and had notbeen home for the entire trip.Some 37 crew completed the patrol as fullyqualifiedsubmariners having earned theircoveted Dolphins badges as the boat added38,800 nautical miles to her odometer –that’s the equivalent of sailing around theworld one-and-three-quarter times.The impressive statistics don’t end there: HMSTRENCHANT spent 4,700 hours dived; that’ssix-and-a-half months without sunlight!The long patrol meant the crew consumed:• 30,240 eggs – which would take 45hens laying 2-a-day the length of thedeployment to achieve• 7,904 litres of milk• 20,592 sausages (called ‘snorkers’by submariners) which, laid end-toend,would stretch approximately twokilometres in lengthIn all, HMS TRENCHANT’S chefs cooked103,350 meals, and produced over 44,000homemade rolls.HMS TRENCHANT is the fifth of the sevenTrafalgar-class submarines. All Royal Navysubmarines are nuclear-powered, givingthem virtually unlimited range and the abilityto stay submerged for as long as the crew’sfood supply holds out.A submariner by HMS TRENCHANT’s fin conveysorders to crewmatesHMS DUNCAN D37The arrival of HMS DUNCAN marks the endof a successful 12-year build programme toprovide the largest and most powerful airdefence destroyers the Royal Navy has everreceived.The six new destroyers – HMS DARING,HMS DAUNTLESS, HMS DIAMOND, HMSDRAGON, HMS DEFENDER and HMSDUNCAN will provide the backbone of theUK’s Naval air defences for the next 30 yearsand beyond.HMS DUNCAN – The Facts• Her Sea Viper missiles weigh two thirds asmuch as a small car and can acceleratefrom launch to a supersonic speed inunder 10 seconds.• Her hull is made of 2,800 tonnes of steel• 40 tonnes of paint covering 100,000square metres of steel has been applied• She is 152 metres long• Her onboard power plant can supply enoughelectricity to light a town of 80,000 peopleThe Dunker tri-Service unit trains BritishArmed Forces aircrew and frequent flyerpassengers to escape from a helicoptercrash into a body of water. The Dunkeris also utilised by foreignnationals of the Armed Forcesof countries such as Ireland,Portugal and Turkey. Otherorganisations, such as FireBrigades, Air Ambulances,Air Support Units, WestlandsHelicopters and QinetiQ, alsotrain their staff in the Dunker.Originally based at HMSVERNON using actual aircraftcockpits, the Unit moved to its modern purposebuilt facility at RNAS Yeovilton in 1985.Two specially constructed modules areused; one to represent the cockpit of smallaircraft, such as the Lynx, and another forlarge aircraft, such as the Merlin. The largemodule is split into two halves; one halfrepresents the Merlin, the other the SeaKing. The observers mission console andcrewman's station is fitted for the Merlin,and the other half for the Sea King Mk6.After a comprehensive brief from staff, traineesstrap themselves into the mock cockpit,• Her fuel tanks are roughly half as big asan Olympic swimming pool• She has 220 beds, 26 sofa beds, 22single beds and her own hospitalfacilities complete withoperating table• There are 44 showers,54 toilets, 100 washbasins and one bathonboard• Her carpet could covernearly two 5-a-sidefootball pitches• Her electrical cable could circle the M25three times• There’s enough space on board to host aRoyal Marines detachment up to 60-menstrong.Underwater Escape Training UnitAutumn 2013To find out how HMSDUNCAN got hername, read the articlefrom the autumn 2012edition of Homeport,available online viaour websitewww.nff.org.uk.which is then rapidly immersed completelyunderwater. The individual must then escapeusing the correct procedure.This is repeated in the darkwith the module turning upsidedown underwater to increasethe degree of realism. Diversblock off windows and exitsto simulate them becomingjammed due to impact, makingescape more difficult so thatuse of a Short-Term Air SupplySystem (STASS) is required.All Naval Aircrew carry aSTASS fitted to their jackets when flying inhelicopters. The STASS is an aluminium airbottle about the size of a soft drink can,fitted with a regulator to give the escapeeadditional breathing time underwater.The Dunker operates Monday to Friday allyear round, apart from one week everyquarter when the unit goes on a divingexpedition so that staff can maintain theirdiving currency. The Unit has an AdmiraltyMark 1 recompression chamber at itsdisposal in the unlikely event of problemsbeing encountered after use of thecompressed gas STASS bottles.hOMEPORT9didyouknow

Mountain Leadership Opensto All Royal MarinesThe Royal Marines elite mountain leadersbranch has introduced a new course,available to all marine-level ranks.The Royal Marines want to show that the worldof Mountain Leaders goes far beyond climbing,mountain training, clambering out of holes inice or building makeshift snow shelters.Joining the Mountain Leaders cadre alsoopens up the world of reconnaissance andinformation-gathering in the brigade patroltroop; the small, specialist team that goes inahead of the main Royal Marines force.Typically the Mountain Leaders branch,which traces its roots back to the cliff assaultunit in the Second World War, has beenthe domain of Corporals and above. Butthe Corps is now expanding the branchto all marine-level ranks as it introducesthe Mountain Leader 3 course; the mostexperienced being Mountain Leader 1.The new course sees marines taught how tocarry out surveillance and vertical assaults,spending two weeks in Glencoe in Scotlandfor practical mountain training, and takepart in two exercises where they practiseclose target reconnaissance and guidingattack troops to their objectives.Within Military mountaineering, RoyalMarines work in cold weather conditionsthat range from 3°C to -30°C, as wellas desert and jungle because everythingthat they do is orientated to having aneffect on the ground in terms of combatoperations.What is perhaps less well known outsidethe Corps, however, is that MountainLeaders are also taught specialistcommunication skills and how to bereconnaissance operators; skills vital in thepatrol troop.The troop – part of the Surveillance andReconnaissance Squadron, based atStonehouse in Plymouth – has seen action inevery major Royal Marines operation fromthe first Gulf War to Afghanistan. They’retaught how to parachute, how to drive amultitude of vehicles, how to provide firstaid, and how to escape or evade capture.Y Squadron isAll Ears to USMarine CorpsCross TrainingThirty five Royal Marines wereall ears during an intelligencegathering and reconnaissanceexercise, Listening Eagle 13, playedout alongside their US counterparts.The team from Y Squadron(Electronic Warfare and SignalsIntelligence) deployed to Fort APHill, in Virginia, USA, to take part inExercise Listening Eagle with RadioReconnaissance Teams from 2ndRadio Battalion US Marine Corps(USMC).Y Sqn is part of 30 CommandoInformation Exploitation Group,based at Stonehouse Barracks inPlymouth, and held permanently athigh readiness to deploy as part ofthe Response Force Task Group.Listening Eagle was the perfecttraining platform for the RoyalMarines; designed to improvelow-level interoperability andUS and UK Marine Commandos undergoing training atFort AP Hill in the USAintelligence sharing as part of3 Cdo Brigade’s preparationsfor possible deployment with acoalition partner.The exercise tested their intelligencegathering, technical reconnaissanceand electronic surveys.Some of the biggest challengeswere faced in the tacticalcommunications to ensure that USand UK teams could share vitalintelligence over different radios.Fort AP Hill also provided anincredibly challenging trainingenvironment that saw thereconnaissance teams operatingin 95% humidity in jungle-likeconditions.Y Squadron is already planning toreciprocate the training experiencenext year, potentially expanding thescope and ambition of the exercise.Royal Marines Training Unit MovesThe Royal Marines small craft training squadron has movedto a new multi-million pound amphibious centre in the SouthWest.The unit of specialist amphibious assault troops (10 LandingCraft) Training Squadron Royal Marines and craft moved fromits base at Royal Marines Poole to Royal Marines Tamar inHM NAVAL BASE DEVONPORT, Plymouth, the new centre ofamphibious excellence.RM Tamar houses hovercraft and landing craft of all sizesfor training and from fully trained battle combat experiencedoperational assault squadrons on amphibious ships such asHMS BULWARK, HMS OCEAN and HMS ALBION. The centretrains the small craft crews, and provides both a base foroperational boat squadrons and engineering support.90 permanent staff from the Hamworthy base moved with thesquadron to the Royal Navy’s new £30million training centre.They will join Commandos of 539 Assault Squadron, previouslybased at Turnchapel, Plymouth, who have already completedtheir final move to RM Tamar with their impressive fast offshoreraiding craft and landing craft air-cushion (hovercraft).RM Tamar is the first of the Royal Navy’s centres ofspecialisation and offers Defence, the Royal Navy and theRoyal Marines a modern, bespoke amphibious operatingbase capable of delivering support to worldwide operations,training and maintenance in a one-stop shop for amphibioustroops and craft.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT13royalmarines

HermitageAcademyThe refurbished ServiceFamily Accommodationin HelensburghLomond Schoolis expected to be complete by 2016. Plansfor a third tranche of accommodation are inthe early stages that will address the currentneed for dual occupancy (sharing cabins)and allow us to accommodate increasingnumbers of trainees. In the long run, theaccommodation in HM NAVAL BASE CLYDEwill be amongst the newest across both theRoyal Navy and MOD.Service Families Accommodation (SFA)has also benefitted from a substantial £7million refurbishment programme conductedover the past year or so. Working withindustry partners Turner Estate Solutions,Mansell and the Bell Group, the DefenceInfrastructure Organisation (DIO) has helpedto deliver full internal upgrades to 130properties on the Colgrain estate, with eachproperty getting a new bathroom, kitchen,electrics and insulation. The programme hasalso provided external refurbishment to 143properties at the Upper Churchill estate,which now have new roofs and entrancecanopies, modern colours on the externalfacades and improved gardens, with sheds,patios and private fencing. The DIO hasalso delivered new play areas, upgradedroads, footpaths and lighting throughout thearea and a further £3 million investment isplanned for 2013-14.This is a remarkable success. Thematerial face-lift to Upper Churchill isalready translating to a step-change inthe community spirit. This improvementprogramme is drawing considerable praiseand recognition from longstanding and newlyjoining families alike. It provides a clearstatement of commitment to both our familiesand the area, as Helensburgh becomes‘Home of the Submarine Community’.Phase 3 of the project is already underwayand will result in all 225 properties on theUpper Churchill estate being upgraded byspring 2015. The take up of SFA will beclosely monitored to ensure supply matchesdemand, but today there are over 140properties in the Helensburgh area thatare ready for occupancy and a further 90properties are awaiting refurbishment beforebeing returned to the housing stock.Local InfrastructureProvision of medical, dental and educationservices for families will continue to betaken forward by engagement with localgovernment and the NHS to achieve the bestpossible service for families. Argyll and ButeCouncil provide a state funded SecondarySchool, Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh,along with four primary schools and aRoman Catholic primary school. In additionthere is a private school, Lomond School thatprovides education from nursery to 18 yearsold. All of the schools have the capacity tomeet the future demand likely to be placedon them by the dependants of Servicepersonnel stationed in Faslane. HMNB CLYDEhas a bespoke nursery and there are otherchildcare facilities in the Helensburgh area.There are two General Practices and fourNHS dentists in the area, all with spaces ontheir lists. New strategic development planshave been put in place by both local councilsto significantly develop the local areas,including a plan by West Dunbartonshire tobuild 5,000 quality houses over the next 10years. And within easy reach by the direct railand bus links are the cities of Glasgow andEdinburgh, providing even more services andthe opportunity for family employment.The Naval Base Commander and histeam remain engaged in influencing theappropriate local government authoritiesand agencies in and around the Clydearea to support the base porting of shipsand submarines in Faslane, reinforcing thelinks through the Military Covenant andlocal Community Covenants. HMNB CLYDEprovides a bus service to and from the SFAestates in the morning and evening, andthere is a commercial bus service that runsfrom the centre of Helensburgh, stoppingnear the north and south gates of thebase. Helensburgh is a self sufficient townand new businesses are investing in thearea including Waitrose, who are openinga new store in the late autumn of 2013,to complement the Co-op, Tesco andother local shops. There are also manyshopping outlets in nearby Dumbarton andClydebank and, of course, the full range ofshops in Glasgow to suit every need!If you are moving or considering a moveto Faslane, the friendly team at the HIVEwill be very pleased to hear from you andassist you in any way with your plans.Contact: Mrs Lorna Austin, Faslane HIVEInformation Office, The Families Centre,Churchill Square, Helensburgh, G84 9HL.Telephone 01436 678 029 or e-mail:NAVY PERS-PFCS HIVE FASLANE@mod.uk.Also available are information plannersand proforma on how to manage themove of children of school age so thatsufficient information, including thehandover of a child’s ability and progresscan be achieved between schools.Surrounding AreaWith countryside all around and spectacularscenery of lochs and mountains, the LochLomond and Trossachs National Park,Scotland’s first National Park, just threemiles from Helensburgh, the West Coastof Scotland is also terrific for those whoenjoy the outdoor life; the Base even hasits own artificial ski slope, and in the winterthe real slopes are just a couple of hoursaway. There are also great opportunitiesfor sailing, mountain biking, walking andclimbing right on the doorstep for a healthy,active lifestyle.These are exciting times in Faslane withimprovement to all of our facilities andexpansion setting the agenda. The next10 years represents a great opportunity tomake a positive difference to the lives of ourService personnel and their families and setthe standards in what is fast becoming oneof the best places in the country in which tobe based. And whatever they say about theweather, you will be assured of a very warmwelcome here.Failte gu Alba (Welcome to Scotland!)Autumn 2013hOMEPORT15information

informationPerisher – The SubmarineCommanding Officer’s Courseby Commander Ryan Ramsey, Submarine Command – the next generationCommand of a nuclear poweredsubmarine is an amazingresponsibility and leading the menand women who serve in submarinesis an incredible privilege.The Royal Navy needs to know that theyare led by the best and in order to do this,My responsibilityduring the courseis partially to thestudents, but mostlyto the crews andfamilies they willeventually command– their lives areentrusted to theCaptain who mustdecide and lead.16selected Officers mustpass the world recognisedSubmarine CommandingOfficer’s Course or‘Perisher’ as it is known.The candidates arepassionate for success.The reward is to leadpeople on missions thathave direct impact on thesecurity of our country in the most complexman-made machine the UK military owns.Why the Submarine Service continues thiswell proven process is easy to see; theresults would speak for themselves if theclassification allowed! It is most definitelythe contributing factor as to why we remainin the top flight of submarine operators.After finishing an absolutely amazing threeyears in command of HMS TURBULENT Iwas privileged to have been selected as‘Teacher’. I saw it as my way to give backto the Submarine Service; to make surethat all my team and I had done was notlost in time, but used by others.The course has adapted well to keep pacewith the changing nature of warfare. Lastcentury we were coming out of the ColdWar and the world was relatively stable; itwas easy to see where the focus needed tobe. In this century, it is almost impossibleto work out ‘where next’ – Libya is a primeexample of this. The future Captains havea real challenge to make sure that theyare prepared to lead their teams whereverthey need to – my job is to make surethey are better than they need to be andnothing but the best is acceptable.The course lasts six months, with the first4½ being the most intense. Included inthis are nine weeks of simulator training,where the student captains are able tolearn the skills of tactical employment ofa 5,200 tonne submarine in areas whereeveryone is hostile, and detection willresult in political embarrassment at bestand, worse still, beingattacked.After they have provedthemselves during thistime, the course movesto sea onboard asubmarine. During thattime the submarine goesto war for five weeks.The mass of NATO ships,submarines, aircraftand land forces aregenerally against them, searching for them,aiming to find them and destroy them. Thesubmarine, led by the student captains,must remain undetected and achieve thefull range of tasking it is told to. Dealingwith warships and helicopters in closeproximity, knowing that they will chargeand attack you, is difficult enough – butensuring that when you conduct an attack itis selective and precise creates considerablepressure – failure is not an option. Yet thepass rate is only 60 per cent, and that isdespite the fact that student captains areselected for it generally after 10 years oftraining and experience. It’s difficult tocapture the tension of everyone watchingwhile you need to make a decision in thatdark control room, at periscope depth,with enemy warships around you, andnowhere to run. Meanwhile, your conscience‘Teacher’, sometimes without sayinganything, is challenging you, demandingthat you justify your actions; willing you todemonstrate why you should be successful.You know that you need incredible mentalagility, communications skills and spatialawareness; you know that you need tounderstand the complex nuclear submarineand your enemy. By now you are in weekthree, living on four hours of sleep a day(at the most), you need to be able to makedecisions and lead your crew, not becauseyou have to, but because you want to. Thatis quite a skill.The course aims for success, but it isrealistic. Despite training and experience,not everyone can meet the exactingstandards and demands of SubmarineCommand. If a student is unsuccessfulduring the sea phase and perishes, he isAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

emoved immediately. The submarinewill surface wherever the decision ismade and either a helicopter or shipwill come in to collect the student andreturn him to shore; he effectively finisheshis submarine career there and then.Compassion is used to tell the studentbut it remains a traumatic, but necessaryprocess. Both I and the Career Managersensure that they are provided with otheralternatives outside of the SubmarineService and the majority pursue successfulcareers within the RN. In some cases theywill become deep specialists, in othersstaff officers and for some they pursuethe route of surface warfare officer andbecome successful frigate captains.Capability Boost forPatrol Boat SquadronThe Faslane Patrol Boat Squadron, based atHM NAVAL BASE CLYDE, received a boostto its operational capability with the deliveryof two batch 2 P2000 patrol boats.The new vessels, HMS RAIDER and HMSTRACKER, replace the older, batch 1, shipsHMS PURSUER and HMS DASHER thathad become familiar sights on the Clydesince the creation of the Squadron back in2010.Previously assigned to a training role withthe University Royal Navy Units, HMSRAIDER and HMS TRACKER underwent anupgrade package that saw them fitted withballistic protection and weapon mountings.The work meant that they are now fullyfledged armed patrol boats and ready tobecome part of the Squadron.A crew memberdemonstratesone of thevessel’s generalpurposemachine gunsHMS TRACKER and HMS RAIDER, whichdiffer from their batch 1 counterparts byhaving more powerful and faster engines,are able to cruise at over 20 knots and arearmed with three General Purpose MachineGuns. The Patrol Boat’s Squadron’s roleis to protect the high value shipping in theFirth of Clyde, as well as conducting othertasking on the west coast of Scotland.HMS DASHER and HMS PURSUER havenow returned to a training role, althoughHMS PURSUER will remain based at HMNBCLYDE supporting Glasgow and StrathclydeUniversities’ Royal Navy Unit.The reasons why student captains wantthis so badly are best summed up by aprevious post 2nd World War Teacher,Captain Fell who said, “The Submarinermust be a navigator, an electrician, atorpedoman and must know men andget on with them. He must use initiativeand tact and learn to enjoy hard living.He must accept responsibility and notmisuse it. The greatest joy of all is thecompanionship, unity and feeling thathe is one of a team which only he asCommanding Officer (CO) can let down.When he feels the faith of his Ship’sCompany behind him, knows that theytrust him and will carry out or evenanticipate his slightest command, thenindeed he is a proud man.”Apart from the privilege of teaching thenext generation, I am there to ensureour proud heritage continues, by passingthose who are truly capable of commandand I must be absolute in my decision.It is remarkable though that despiteeverything that has changed in over acentury of submarine warfare, one thingdoesn’t – in a world where results areeverything, leadership is the thing.HMS ARGYLL Shackleton TrekSailors from HMS ARGYLL followed in thefootsteps of Britain’s greatest polar explorerwhen they recreated Sir Ernest Shackleton’slegendary trek across the snow and ice ofSouth Georgia.A dozen-strong team from the Devonportbasedfrigate volunteered to make thecrossing of the South Atlantic Island inthe depths of the Austral winter – just asShackleton himself did in May 1916.In doing so, Sir Ernest raised the alarm thatthe men of his Trans-Antarctic expedition weretrapped on Elephant Island, 800 miles away,ensuring they were subsequently rescued.Shackleton struggled across 26 miles ofmountainous, snow-covered South Georgia.Ninety-seven years on and HMS ARGYLL’soperations officer Lieutenant CommanderSimon Cox set his shipmates the challengeof repeating the final leg of his journey:from Fortuna Bay to the now abandonedwhaling station at Stromness to test, not justtheir physical strength, but their commandand leadership skills.The expedition was opened up to the entireShip’s Company – 190 strong – and there wasno shortage of volunteers, but numbers werelimited to 12. The chosen dozen set aboutpreparing for the task by researching theroute, weather, navigation, wildlife and alsoplanning what to do in an emergency. Theywere then flown into Fortuna Bay, on the northside of the island, by Argyll’s Lynx helicopter –call sign Eagle 1 – to begin the trek.The seven mile route to Stromness requiredthem to work their way past fur seals, kingpenguins and elephant seals, scale severalsnow-capped peaks, avoid avalanches,hidden lakes and rivers, and descend pastShackleton’s waterfall and into Stromnessharbour.Once they reached Stromness, the 12explorers had the chance to assist BritishAntarctic Survey (BAS) scientists. Trekkinganother two miles over extremely roughterrain and overcoming steep mountainsides, the team had the task of movingsome of the scientists’ kit from one of itsremote sites back to the headquarters inSouth Georgia’s ‘capital’ Grytviken forsafekeeping over the rest of the winter.After Eagle 1 had ferried the BAS equipmentit returned to the shore to pick up the 12explorers and return them to the ship,offering them yet more stunning views of theisland.17

informationReserves in the Future Force 2020:Valuable and ValuedThe Defence Secretary, PhilipHammond, has published the WhitePaper ‘Reserves in the Future Force:Valuable and Valued’ that sets outthe plans to sustain and grow ourReserve Forces.Fundamental to this, is improving theoffer to Reservists, their families and theiremployers.Reserves make an essential contributionto national security. In future theircontribution to Defence capability willincrease. They will become an integratedpart of the Whole Force required foralmost all operations, both at home andabroad.To do this the MOD is growing thenumber of Reserves to 34,900 across allthree Services by 2018, and is investingan additional £1.8 billion over ten years.Delivering Defence’s vision for FutureForces 2020 and adoption of the WholeForce concept requires a new approachto how the MOD equips, supports anddeploys Reserves.The measures in the White Paperinclude:• For Reservists – Investing in high qualitytraining, increasing their pay througha paid annual leave entitlement,introducing access to the Armed ForcesPension Scheme, providing moremodern equipment, better access towelfare support and health services.This will bring greater similarities withRegular Forces where appropriate. TheMOD will continue to recognise thedifference between the two Forces andsupport this• Restructuring the tax-free annualTraining Bounty to better recognisecommitment, encourage retentionand reward the appropriate level ofcapability• For employers of Reservists – The MODwill seek an open relationship tailoredto meet the needs of different sizesand types of employers, based onpredictability of Reservist training anddeployment and mutual benefit. Thiswill include working together to accreditthe skills and training Reservists gainduring Service with recognised civilianqualifications. This open relationshipwill be tailored to different needs; forexample, for Small and Medium sizeemployers (SMEs) the MOD will offeradditional financial incentives; establisha National Relationship ManagementScheme by April 2014 made up ofleading supportive employers from thepublic and private sector; and introducea new Employer Recognition Scheme,building on the Corporate Covenant• Introducing new legislation through theDefence Reform Bill to use Reservesfor the full range of tasks that theUK Armed Forces may be asked toundertake; rename the TerritorialArmy the ‘Army Reserve’ to reflect thesignificant changes to its role and fullintegration; provide Reservists withadditional protection by direct access tothe Employment Tribunal (exempt fromthe two-year qualifying period) wherethey have been unfairly dismissed due totheir Service; and to provide additionalfinancial incentives to SMEs• An online form is now available forReservists to report any instancesof perceived disadvantaged in theworkplace as a result of their service.This will enable Defence to betterunderstand the scale of the problem.The changes set out in the White Paperare substantial and require a cultural shiftwithin the Armed Forces and as a Nationwhere all recognise the contributiona Reservist, their families and theiremployers make.White Paper changes and Servicespecific impact – For the Royal Navyand Royal Air Force:• Forces structures of the Royal Navy,Royal Marines and Royal Air ForceReserves will remain largely unchanged;they will continue to be mobilised on anindividual basis or as small teams• They will also continue with their currentannual training commitment, for theRoyal Navy the average is 24 days,and 35 days for the Maritime Reserve.The RAuxAF will also continue with anaverage commitment of 35 days• However, they will increase in size (asstated above) and capability.Also published are the details of how theArmy Reserve will be structured and basedin the future. This covers the structure of thefully integrated Army Reserve and whereReserve Units will be located; to optimisemanning and pairing with the Regular Unitsthey will be paired in line with the Army2020 concept. This completes the plans forthe Army 2020 design.The White Paper was informed by a publicconsultation, which ran from November2012 to January 2013. The consultationreceived over 3,000 responses from arange of groups including Reservists, theirfamilies, employers and Regulars. Key FactSheets on all the measures in the WhitePaper and a Future Reserves 2020 leafletcan be found on our website www.nff.org.uk.Personnel can find more information onthe Defence Intranet, within the DefenceInternal Brief 2013DIB/39 that includesa helpful Q&A and a background to theWhite Paper.

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Armed Forces Covenant –Latest Newsby Catriona Shaw, Armed Forces Covenant TeamIt’s been a busy few monthsfor the Covenant Team at theMOD. We now have over 330local authorities signed up tothe Community Covenant, andhave enjoyed hearing about allthe successful events held upand down the country for ArmedForces Day in June. Check outour website – https://www.gov.uk/the-armed-forces-covenant– for more information on thesedevelopments, but the mainpurpose of this article is to tellyou about two important piecesof news and what they mean forService families.We have recently had some veryexciting news in the Covenant Team, asthe Chancellor decided that the ArmedForces Covenant will be permanentlyfunded from 2015/16, with £10 milliona year coming from the fines levied onthe banks for attempting to manipulatethe LIBOR interest rate. This is excellentnews and it willallow us to continueWe are nowsupporting theactively signing upfantastic work oforganisations sothe Armed Forceskeep an eye on theCovenant.website – https://www.gov.uk/thecorporate-covenantnoticed that onYou may have– to check out which Armed Forces Day,companies are signing the Prime Ministerup, and make sure announced almostyou encourage any £3.8 million oforganisations that you funding for charitiesengage with to sign up! that support Servicefamilies through theArmed Forces Covenant LIBOR Fund.This £3.77 million builds on the £7million already awarded in the firsttranche of funding. We are lookingforward to announcing further awardsfrom this second tranche over the nextfew months.play. He said, “Service families makeextraordinary sacrifices on our behalfand as a society we should be doingmore to support them. It is right thatthese charities are being recognisedfor their excellent work and getting themoney they need to expand their vitalwork is exactly the right thing for ourcountry to do.”We take the effects Service can haveon family members very seriouslyand supporting Service families is animportant part of the Covenant. Anumber of the projects that receivedfunding from the LIBOR Fund will focuson supporting the family life of theArmed Forces Community. For example,the Sailors Children Society received£70,000 to purchase two additionalcaravans to expand their programmeof sending Royal Navy Service familieson holiday, whilst the Royal MarinesBarracks Chivenor was awarded£18,300 to complete renovations of achildren’s play area.to develop projects supporting troops,veterans and their families – keep aneye on the website for more details.The other exciting news to tell youabout is the introduction of theCorporate Covenant. A CorporateCovenant is a written and publicisedvoluntary pledge from businesses andcharitable organisations who wish todemonstrate their concrete support foryou and your family. The CorporateCovenant will support the ArmedForces Covenant and sit alongside theCommunity Covenant, and is designedto allow businesses and charitableorganisations to express their supportfor the Armed Forces Community.In announcing the successful projects,the Prime Minister paid tribute to thevital role that you and your familySupporting the mental health of theArmed Forces Community was animportant focus of this tranche ofLIBOR funding. The Veterans OutreachSupport received £414,000 toexpand their monthly drop-in eventsin Portsmouth, which bring togetherpublic, private and charity sectorsfor one-stop assistance to Servicepersonnel, and Shore Leave Haslarwas awarded £13,000 to supporttheir therapy programme based inthe Memorial Gardens at the formerRoyal Hospital Haslar in Gosport andPortsmouth. The Covenant recognisesthe importance of supporting ourVeteran population, and QueenAlexandra Hospital Home in Portsmouthwas awarded £238,000 for on-goingnursing and rehabilitation services forveterans and to upgrade facilities as itenters its 95th year of service.Applications for a third round offunding are set to open in the autumnand will provide further opportunitiesAll Corporate Covenants will includea core statement of commitment thatthose adopting the scheme sign upto. This covers the two key principlesof the Armed Forces Covenant, thatare: no member of the Armed Forcescommunity should face disadvantagein the provision of public andcommercial services compared toany other citizen; and that in somecircumstances special treatment maybe appropriate, especially for theinjured or bereaved. Each organisationwill also be encouraged to offersupport by adopting a number ofcommitments. For example, somecompanies are pledging to support theemployment of Veterans, Reservists,Service spouses and partners, as wellas support for cadet units, ArmedForces Day, and discounts for theArmed Forces Community. There isalso an opportunity for companiesand charitable organisations to addtheir own commitments based on localcircumstances.21informationAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

informationForeign Loan Service – A Remarkable Experienceby Sally-Ann Ingram22I didn’t quite have to stretch for theatlas when my husband told me thathe had been offered a Loan Serviceassignment to Oman. You can imaginemy immediate questions: what is thejob, where would we live, is it a goodtime for me to temporarily retire frommy career, what is Oman like as anArab country, could we adapt andpermanently live within the culture,will our daughters join us in Oman orstay in UK to continue their education,what might the impact be on myhusband’s career, will our parentsbe ok about the separation andunderstand if we decided to go, whatwould we do with our home? Therewere quite a few more, so it didn’tlook as if our decision would be easy.The overriding first thought we hadthough was, what an opportunity! Thequestions above would almost certainly berelevant for most families that are offeredLoan Service, but perhaps in differingmeasures. I say ‘offered’ as we foundout that RN’s regulations state that youmust be a volunteer for Loan Service. Forus, the chance to experience somethingcompletely out of the ordinary for aroundthree years, whether in my husband’s workor for us as a family, outweighed the likelydisadvantages.It took a few days but it was reasonablyeasy to make an informed decision,especially as my husband gained approvalto talk to the person already in post, andAutumn 2013hOMEPORTalso discussed various things with the wellestablishedsupport and administrationorganisation in Oman who are thereto advise on conditions of service andtalked us through the principles of LoanService. Fortunately, and perhaps unlikeother assignments, my husband’s CareerManager first made the proposal about12 months before he would start, givingus plenty of time to prepare and put ourpersonal affairs in order. This 12 months’notice would normally be the same for allcoming to Oman.Having been in the country for quite awhile now I feel that I can reflect fairlyaccurately on the experience that can behad and perhaps answer some of thequestions that we had at the start. It isquite possible that perceptions and needsof others will be different to ours, andthat other Loan Service locations aroundthe world have dissimilar surroundingsand cultural backgrounds. For myhusband, his work has him fully involvedin the Command Chain of the OmaniNavy, wearing their uniform and with hisresponsibilities reflecting his experience andspecialisation; and he does, at times, worklong hours – it’s not a holiday!Although Oman has a rich maritimeheritage, today’s Navy is really only 40years old, having developed under thereign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos andlots of influence from our Royal Navy. Inthe 1970s the Omani Navy had only onesmall dhow, whilst it now has a modernand capable fleet of 26 vessels. The OmaniAdmiral thinks very highly of the RN LoanService team and the skills they bring, sofor every person here it can be a rewardingtime.Oman is beautiful and has seen amazingdevelopment over the last 40 years.Although a large number of schools,hospitals, roads and commercial businesseshave been introduced from very little, thecountry has, I feel, remained unspoilt.For the Loan Service people this meansthat Oman has all of the essential familysupport facilities, yet there is also escapeand the freedom to explore this country ofabout the same size as the UK, whether it’sthe mountains, wadis, deserts or coasts.Care has to be taken though, as a goodguest an understanding and acceptanceof the culture is required and there areobvious differences that are part of theexperience, such as Ramadhan and the hotsummers. The winters are similar to hotUK summers but without the rain, and youbecome accustomed to the environmentreasonably quickly and develop a healthyrespect for it. The Omani people areperhaps the most friendly I have comeacross. Living here and making new friendswithin a different culture is somethingspecial; being invited by complete strangersinto their rustic home for a meal or coffee,dates and fruit, or to join a two day familywedding is extraordinary.The families on Loan Service here varymore than I expected; some with grown

up children, others with children at schoolin UK, some with teenagers or youngerchildren here at school, quite a fewbabies have been born here and there arecouples too. At the ages of 15 and 19, ourdaughters remained in England for schooland university and, although separation isdifficult, the Oman experience has beenwonderful for them. Keeping busy duringterm time doesn’t seem to be too much ofa worry as many of us find that we starthobbies or sporting pursuits that we haveput off for many years or have an itch tostart. For me it’s tennis and unique periodswith our family and friends that visit. Somespouses look to work, but it is hard tofind employment and sponsorship by alocal business is required therefore, whilstpossible, it can be tricky to achieve; so beprepared to put your career on hold. Weare allocated a modern, air-conditionedhouse on a Loan Service compound in asuburb of Muscat called Seeb, and are with‘like-minded’ people from the navy, armyand air force. Shopping is an experience;the smells and sounds of the souqs remindyou that there is so much on offer, althoughour western supermarket items areavailable and there are malls that have avariety of shops that you would recognise.We are displaced from the usual supportprovided by the RN at home and noteverything works as you would expect inthe UK, but the Loan Service administrationteam here in Oman has evolved throughmany years of experience and localknowledge. I imagine that other LoanService locations around the world also havesuch support arrangements that invariablyremove concerns that families might have.Here they arrange the housing, movesto and from Oman, maintenance andallowances, whilst advising on schooling,medical, leave and potential emergencies.For me, there seems to be nothing thatthey haven’t heard of when it comes tosupporting Loan Service people here!The Oman experience might not be foreveryone, but I feel it is an opportunity thatdeserves careful consideration; despitesome apprehension before we left UK weare having a very worthwhile time here.Whilst there will be plenty of questions thatyou would wish to answer, as we did atthe outset, it is a wonderful country andan experience that can be tremendous foryou and your family. If this has whettedyour appetite for something different thenperhaps ask your spouse to request detailsof Loan Service posts that exist.New Regulations forCommonwealth Recruitsto the Naval ServiceThere has been a long tradition ofCommonwealth citizens serving in theBritish Armed Forces and most recently onoperations in Iraq and Afghanistan.A change to the residency rules forCommonwealth recruits and theimplications for personnel who are serving,who are being recruited, or who intendto apply to the Naval Service has beenannounced.With effect from July 2013, Commonwealthpersonnel wishing to join the regular UKArmed Forces will need to demonstratethat they have been continuously residentin the UK for the five years prior to theirapplication. In addition, Commonwealthrecruits into the Reserves will be required tohave Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK(also called Settlement).The new five year UK residency requirementapplies to applicants from Commonwealthcountries except the Republic of Ireland,Malta and the Republic of Cyprus as theyhave freedom of movementto live and work in the UK asEuropean Union/EuropeanEconomic Area citizens. Thechanges do not, in anyway, affect Commonwealthpersonnel already serving inthe Naval Service.Full details ofthis change arecontained in2013 DIN 01-149(Recruitment ofCommonwealthpersonnel into theArmed Forces).New Immigration Rules for Armed Forces FamiliesNew rules have been announced toensure Armed Forces personnel are notdisadvantaged by immigration rules, andfamily members can integrate into society.Changes announced in Parliament in Julyaim to make sure families of members of HMArmed Forces are not disadvantaged whenapplying for settlement or leave to remain.There will be more flexibility and the ruleswill take into account the realities of lifein the Armed Forces, so that time spentoverseas will count as time in the UK forthem.It also means that for the first time Non EEA(European Economic Area) partners andchildren of Foreign and Commonwealthcitizens and of British citizens serving in HMForces will be subject to a single set of rules.Aligning Armed Forces Familiesto Family Migration PolicyIt will also align immigration rules forArmed Forces families with the widerfamily migration policy introduced lastsummer, ensuring family members areable to integrate into British society and aresupported by their sponsor. These widerchanges were not applied immediately toserving personnel and their families whilethe Home Office and Ministry of Defenceconducted a joint review to ensure theArmed Forces would not be disadvantaged.The new rules will mean that all non-EEAdependants of members of the ArmedForces between the ages of 18 and 65 willneed to meet requirements on knowledgeof ‘Language and Life in the UK’ beforethey can settle in the UK, and their sponsorwill need to meet the minimum incomethreshold.Transitional PeriodMembers of the Armed Forces and theirfamilies currently serving may still applyunder these temporary arrangements until30th November, meaning that they will notbe subject to the new requirements.The new rules will come into force for allserving personnel from 1st December 2013.For more information on these changes andwhat the next steps are for those affected,search for ‘Armed Forces family migration:statement of intent’ on www.gov.uk.23informationAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

The JointStrike FighterMerlin Mk2 –The Story ContinuesA small team of UK personnel arelearning all about the fifth-generationstealth aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base inFlorida.So far, Britain has taken delivery of twoLightning II multi-role Joint Strike Fighteraircraft. The pair of STOVL (short takeoffand vertical landing) variants of theF-35 fast jet are currently based at EglinUS Air Force Base in Florida and from2018 will be landing on the deck of thenew Queen Elizabeth Class carrier.Lieutenant Commander Ian Tidball, RN with one ofthe UK’s Lightning II aircraftAt Eglin, pilots and ground crew areworking alongside their US MarineCorps colleagues learning all they canabout maintaining the aircraft and howto fly the platforms to get the best outof them.The firstoperationalJSFSquadron,which will beformed in2016, will benamed 617Squadron.The Lightning II is extremelyresponsive with a lot ofthrust. The fly-by-wiresystem makes it simple tofly which means the pilotis freed up to concentrateon the objectives of themission.So intelligent is theLightning that if a novice pilot asksit to do something that it considersunsafe, it will refuse, which doesn’tmean that the technology has the finalsay, you can always override it – butyou’d be a fool to do so!The Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Forceare due to start receiving front-lineF-35s in 2016. Operating out of RAFMarham near King’s Lynn, whereland-based testing and training flightswill continue through 2017. Thefirst test flights from HMS QUEENELIZABETH are planned in 2018.Picture: Boeing Defence UKDown at Royal Naval Air Station Culdroseon the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, thelatest addition to the Fleet Air Arm maritimehelicopter fleet is starting to find its feet.While the Merlin Mark1 has been fullyoperational since 2003, and continuesto see Service throughout the globe, it isnow being upgraded as part of the MerlinCapability Sustainment Programme (MCSP)or Merlin Mark 2 for short.In essence, the programme has seen eachMark 1 airframe returning to the factory atAgustaWestlands in Yeovil, to emerge nearly12 months later as the new variant; theupgrade includes a modern ‘glass cockpit’,a new multi-mission computer system,improved sensors and an open architecturedesign that will absorb any technology orsoftware modifications that emerge over theaircraft’s 25 year life span.824 Naval Air Squadron, the Merlin TrainingUnit at Culdrose, took delivery of the firstMark 2 aircraft earlier this year. It now hasfive, and is running through a detailedUK warships are to benefit from a newsurveillance capability as part of a £30million contract signed by MOD.ScanEagle is a maritime reconnaissanceasset that can be launched off the back ofRoyal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships,day or night, to gather intelligence andsurvey the wider area of operations.The SeaEagleis launchedfrom ships bya pneumaticcatapaultconversion programme to ensure that thecombined staff of aircrew and engineerslearns how to safely operate the aircraftfrom both ashore and afloat. They will thenstart the complex business of transitioningthe rest of the Merlin Force, andits three front-line Squadrons,onto the new version of theaircraft; a process that will take18 months or so.The Squadron will also soonstart its usual ‘day’ job oftraining the latest batches ofnew aircrew, fresh from basic flying coursesand equipping them with the skills to flythe Merlin Mark 2 on operations. Althoughearly in the programme, the 824 aircreware getting a clear insight into the significantcapability and emerging potential of theupgraded variant. The improved sensors,and the sheer volume of information thatthe mission brain can receive, process anddisplay presents a significant and potent stepforward, and one that will ensure that theMerlin retains its reputation as the world’smost capable maritime patrol helicopter.Royal Navy’s New‘Eye in the Sky’The lastMark 1aircraft willsubsequentlydisappearfrom Servicearound theend of 2014.The ScanEagle is the first maritime-specificunmanned air system capability to bedelivered in support of Naval operations andwill complement the existing intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance assets used onoperations, such as helicopters and long-rangeradar.The unarmed aircraft, which has a wingspanof just over three metres and weighs 22kilograms, is launched from ships into the skyby a pneumatic catapult. Flying at about 60knots, it is commanded by a specialist team onboard the ship who will plan the ScanEagle’smissions, control its flights and monitor andanalyse the information it gathers using itsstate-of-the-art sensors. At the end of its flight,the ScanEagle is recovered back to the ship.25informationAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

information26New Employment ModelAn Interview withCommodore Mike Bath, NEM Programme ManagerWe spoke to Commodore MikeBath, NEM Programme Manager, toask more about the NEM and thesummer consultation programme.Can you tell us a bit moreabout the New EmploymentModel? Why is this needed?Yes of course. In recent years it’s becomegradually more apparent that the currentemployment model – for examplepay, allowances, accommodation,career structures – does not deliver anaffordable balance between deliveringversatile, agile and battle-winningArmed Forces and the reasonableexpectations of our Service people andtheir families as to how they live theirlives whilst serving in the Armed Forces.The current employment model datesback to the 1970s and some aspectsof it have not kept pace with modernlifestyles. For instance, one of the keyelements we wish to change is theimpact of Service life on families andthe difficulty for spouses and partnersin maintaining their own careers, bothof which consistently feature as the toptwo reasons for leaving the Services andwhich I know will resonate with some ofyour readers. So, there is a gap betweenwhat the Services offer and what ourpeople expect, both now and in thefuture, and through the New EmploymentModel we are seeking to improve that.What does this mean in reality?What sorts of changes canNaval families expect to see?I think, before I answer that, I would liketo make a brief mention of the thingsthat are not going to change. It’s reallyworth highlighting that some aspectsof the package are very strong andneed to be retained. For instance, theprovision of subsidised accommodation,our welfare provision and the excellentstandard of training and educationacross all three Services are all thingsthat will remain. I am aware that thereis a real sense of worry amongst someof our personnel and their families thatwe are hacking away at the existingAutumn 2013hOMEPORTpackage. I want to make clear that’s notthe case. This is not about cutting costsand not about reducing the overall worthof the package. It’s about getting morefrom the money we spend on people andspending it on the right things.In terms of what families in particularcan expect to see, there will be changesto policies on accommodation, to theway we support partners and spouses infinding employment, and also changes tothe flexibility associated with working inthe Regulars, for example through parttimeworking.You mentioned accommodation,can you expand on that?With regard to accommodation weare developing an improved overallaccommodation strategy. This means weare looking at all aspects of the provisionof accommodation – both subsidisedand privately owned. Let me state quiteclearly now that the NEM is absolutelynot removing access to Service providedaccommodation for those who need it.In fact we want to improve the standardof Service Families Accommodation(SFA) and Single Living Accommodation(SLA) and to that end the NEM willintroduce a new system that will allowus to compare our accommodationstandards to the civilian rental marketand support improvements in the qualityof accommodation and the serviceprovided. We will also benchmark SFAand SLA charges against rents for similaraccommodation in the national civilianhousing market but we will continue toapply a discount to the cost of livingin Service accommodation. But wealso want to make the option of homepurchase more realistic for greaternumbers of our people and so we willintroduce a Home Purchase Incentive(HPI) Scheme that will offer greater helpand support for those who wish to buytheir own home.That sounds interesting, canyou say more?We currently offer help to Servicepersonnel who would like to buy a homethrough the Long Service Advance ofPay (LSAP) but we are very much awarethat the amount available through thisroute no longer matches the modern-daycost of getting onto the property ladder.The HPI is still a work in progress, butin essence we are looking to increasethe amount we can make available asan interest-free loan to more realisticallysupport the sum needed for a deposit.The amount offered isn’t yet agreedand we need to take into account boththe individual’s ability to repay the loanand the impact on mortgage lenders’willingness to lend. It may also bepossible to give some personnel whohave qualified for an Armed ForcesPension Scheme 2005 or 2015 EarlyDeparture Payment access to those fundsbefore they leave the Service. It’s not justabout financial help; we are working toensure better access to information aboutthe ways to achieve home purchase, sothat Service personnel and their familiescan make informed choices. As I say, weare still working on this and we are keento get feedback on our plans duringthe consultation before we launch thescheme in 2015.How will my pay be affected?We have been working up new optionsfor pay that aim to provide the rightbalance between attractiveness (forexample, how pay affects recruitmentand retention) and affordability. Ourwork now will focus on a pay modelwhere rank continues to be the mainfactor in determining how much youare paid. We will address key areas ofdissatisfaction with the current model,such as the overlap between pay rangesand through-career pay band movement.We also aim to improve the impact

on recruitment and retention. We areplanning to introduce these changesfrom April 2016.We’d like to know more aboutthe consultation, what areyour plans?It’s vital that we get the design ofthe NEM right – not just in terms ofensuring value for money for Defencebut crucially in delivering a packagethat fits with what Service personnel andtheir families want. Feedback providesadditional evidence to guide our policydevelopment and to enable strategicdecisions on the way forward. Weconducted a consultation last year, andhave access to feedback from the ArmedForces and Families’ Continuous Attitudeannual surveys, but there are gaps in ourknowledge and hence a number of areaswe want to explore.We launched consultation in June and itwill run into October. This is a reallyimportant window of opportunityfor Naval personnel and theirfamilies to give us their views onthe NEM. We are delivering a seriesof roadshows at Naval bases includingRNAS Yeovilton, Naval CommandHeadquarters, Faslane, Portsmouth andPlymouth and running Focus groups andinterviews with Service personnel andtheir spouse/partner. A Defence InternalBrief has been published (2013DIB37)giving details of the consultation, andwhich contains a link to an online surveyenabling personnel to give their viewson some of the key aims of the NEM.Details will also be provided throughthe usual RN Communications channels;(Personnel Support Brief, 2/6 DVD andGalaxy 17/2013).You can also submit questions andthoughts to the NEM mailbox PersTrg-NEM-Mailbox@mod.ukWhat will happen after theconsultation?Once the consultation period ends inOctober, we will analyse the informationgathered and will communicate theoutcome of the analysis as well aswhat we are doing with the feedbackobtained, towards the end of this year.There will be further consultation inearly 2014 on the details of some of thecomponents of the NEM, including payand accommodation, and how we planto implement them.WIN a FamilyAnnual Pass toMerlin EntertainmentAttractionsExclusive to Royal Navy andRoyal Marines FamiliesRoyal Navy and Royal Marines families have the chance towin 12 months of fun and adventures at Merlin EntertainmentAttractions, which include Alton Towers Resort Theme Park,Legoland in Windsor and Manchester, Sea Life Centres,Blackpool Tower, Thorpe Park and more! Visitwww.merlinannualpass.co.uk for more information.This prize is provided by the Royal Navy and Royal MarinesCharity, funded through the Operation Olympic Fund, andcourtesy of Reward for Forces.A recent winner, CPO Iain McCallum of the Fleet Air Arm,took his two youngest sons to London to see the Anniversary Games in the Olympic Park.Whilst there, they used the tickets for the EDF Energy London Eye, London Dungeon andSea Life Centre and plan to visit the Weymouth Sea Life Centre in Dorset.For your chance to win this fabulous prize, e-mail editor@nff.org.uk with your name andcontact details. Entrants MUST be currently serving in the Royal Navy orRoyal Marines and MUST clearly state which fighting arm the Serviceperson represents – Fleet Air Arm, Submarines, Royal Marines orpart of the Surface Ships.Full details of how to enter our competitionscan be found on page 51.Laundry Tax – Good News!HMRC and the MOD have been workingtogether on a number of areas ofcompliance with tax regulations, oneof which hasbeen LaundryTax. Generally,employees areentitled to tax relieffor the costs oflaundering theiruniforms where theirduties require it tobe worn and theymust bear the cost. This was not routinelythe case for Service personnel as variouslaundry services were made availableat no cost to the individual. However,the availability and provision of laundryservices has reduced over recent years tothe point where they are only provided topersonnel on operations and for limitedcategories of specialist uniforms.HMRC has therefore agreed that thereshould be an entitlement to tax relieffor laundry expenses for Ratings/Other Ranks. Officersalready receive tax relief onmaintenance of uniforms(JSP 752 08.01.09 refers)and discussions on laundryexpenses for them willbe looked at separately.Discussions will also be heldto determine entitlement fortax relief on laundry expensesfor all Reservists (excluding MobilisedReserves and Reservists on Full-TimeReserve Service Engagements), Royal FleetAuxiliary and Police/Guards.A further Defence Instruction Notice willbe issued when the level of tax reliefand implementation dates have beenestablished.Autumn 2013Ryan and Toby McCallumon the EDF Energy London EyehOMEPORT27information

accommodation NewsListening to Your Views about Service Family Accommodation28New Welcome PackLaunchedA short Welcome Pack is provided at theMove-In appointment to give basic adviceabout Service Family Accommodationto Service personnel and their families,and help them find information moreeasily. The pack has recently beenrevised, following feedback from thesingle Services and Families Federations.However, the Naval Families Federationhighlighted the fact that Naval familiesmay move less often, and asked if thepack could be hosted online as familiesmay not get a copy of this pack ofinformation anytime soon. Therefore, theWelcome Pack is now on the SFA websiteand families are welcome to downloada copy if they would like the latestguidance – www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-familyaccommodation-welcome-pack.Easier Ways to AccessInformation about SFAA new customer friendly website addresshas been launched to help customersfind information about Service FamilyAccommodation (SFA). The informationis located on the new Government widewebsite www.gov.uk. However, the newdirect link to information about SFA iswww.gov.uk/DIO/SFA. The site has arange of information about all aspectsof the application process, allocation,appointments and a series of usefulcustomer guides.The maintenance contractor inEngland and Wales, MODern HousingSolutions, has also recently improvedtheir website. The new site can befound at the same address at www.modernhousingsolutions.com/Successful organisations understand theimportance and benefit of listening tocustomers, and whilst the Ministry of Defencehas undertaken surveys of customer opinionin the past, there often hasn’t been asustained regular survey into the quality ofthe accommodation services provided by theDefence Infrastructure Organisation.In order to better understand customers,an independent research company M•E•LResearch has been appointed to undertakea monthly satisfaction survey with a randomsample of customers living in SFA. Surveysbegan in June 2013, and the first set havealready been undertaken and will be analysed.Please respond to the survey questions if youThe final new Customer AssistancePoints (CAPs) are now open, offeringpersonal support to Service personneland their families living in Service FamilyAccommodation (SFA).The new CAPs aim to provide SFAcustomers with the opportunity for faceto-facediscussion about any issues withthe services provided by DIO OperationsAccommodation and its maintenanceprovider in England and Wales, MODernHousing Solutions (MHS). Each office has aco-ordinator who will investigate problems,and help ensure that relevant actions aretaken to help resolve issues raised.Deciding where to live is one of the mostimportant choices you and your family will needto make on leaving the Armed Forces.It is never too early to think about where youwill set up home. Whether you are due to leavein a year, a couple of months or have alreadyleft, there is support out there to help you.Your options depend on where you want to live,your needs and your situation. These optionscould include renting a property privatelyor through a council, housing association(sometimes known as a registered socialreceive a phone call as your opinions will beused to measure how we are performing andidentify ways of making further improvements tothe housing service. Calls are limited to between1000 hrs to 1800 hrs, and the company willclearly identify themselves as working on behalfof the Ministry of Defence. Your privacy willbe paramount and therefore answers will betreated in the strictest confidence and only usedfor research purposes.If you have any queries about the survey,or would like to follow up a call, M•E•LResearch can be contacted on 0121 6044664, or freephone on 0800 0730 348. TheSFA website also refers to the survey for anycustomers who question the validity of thecall.Customer Assistance Points Now OpenA Scottish Housing GuideThe location of CAPs was agreedwith representatives from the usercommunity, with sites chosen to reflectareas where there are large numbersof SFA. A full list of addresses has beenpublished on the SFA website and isavailable on the NFF website www.nff.org.uk. The locations are: Aldershot;Brize Norton; Catterick; Cosford;Colchester; Dover/Shorncliffe; HighWycombe; Larkhill; London (Bushey);Marham; Plymouth; Portsmouth;Waddington; and Wyton.The CAP co-ordinators look forward tohelping you.landlord) or an ex-Service charity, or buyinga property.The Scottish Government has produceda publication ‘A Scottish Housing Guide’for people leaving the Armed Forces andex-Service personnel that sets out yourhousing options in Scotland and answerssome of the questions you might have. It alsogives information about where you can gofor further advice and support.The publication is also available online, visithttp://scotland.gov.uk/Publications andenter ‘A Scottish Housing Guide’ in the searchfield.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

Naval ToastsTradition is the foundation of theRoyal Navy. However, traditiondoes not stand still; by its verynature it adapts and developsover time.Forces SaucesForces Sauces is the brainchild of Veteran Bob Barrettand aims to generate a continuous income stream tosupport those serving and who have served, providingBritain with an easy, delicious and enjoyable way ofmaking a difference every day.One such tradition is the use of theNaval Toasts for each day of the week,a much loved part of Wardroom lifethat goes back to1931:• Monday – Our Ships at sea• Tuesday – Our Men• Wednesday – Ourselves (as no oneis likely to concern themselves withour welfare)• Thursday – A bloody war or a sicklyseason• Friday – A willing foe and sea room• Saturday – Sweethearts and wives(may they never meet) (when theyoungest officer may be asked toreply on their behalf)• Sunday – Absent friendsHowever, to keep these traditions asrelevant and meaningful today asthey may have been in the past, thefollowing amendments to two ofthe Toasts have been introducedto reflect the modern Royal Navyand to avoid possible unconsciousoffence:• Tuesday – Our Sailors – Toreflect that both men and womenserve in the RN• Saturday – Our Families (whenthe youngest officer may beasked to reply on their behalf) –To reflect the importance of thesupport of our families to all of usas sailors.In 2005, Bob set up ‘The Beef Kitchen’, selling highquality roast beef rolls to Chelsea football supporters,which was an instant crowd-pleaser. Buoyed by thesuccess of The Beef Kitchen, Bob, with help from thecharity Stoll, set up the Pryor’s Bank Cafe in Fulham’sBishops Park. Run by a team of Veterans, with anapprenticeship programme supported by The RoyalBritish Legion, this not-for-profit venture retrained StollVeterans as chefs. One day, Bob was watching theteam unload boxes of sauces from thecash and carry and the idea of ForcesSauces was born.It was Bob’s vision to launch ForcesSauces nationally in order to raisemoney to get even more Veterans’ livesback on track. And respecting ‘ForcesSauces’ roots, today’s recipes aim tospice up hearty portions of Great Britishfood – packed with real taste andnatural spicing you can be proud to serve.For moreinformation,please visit www.forcessauces.co.uk www.stoll.org.uk andhttp://www.britishlegion.org.uk/The range can be found nationally in Tescosupermarkets, RRP £2.19, and include:NPFS Community ‘Band of Wives’ montage course, 4th from Left Jo Gibson, 7th from left HayleyMcCaffrey‘Band of Wives’A group of wives of sailors and Royal Marines are celebrating the completion of a coursepreparing them for their partners deploying overseas.The ‘Band of Wives’ staged a presentation evening at the Royal Naval Personal FamilyService (NPFS) community centre in Plympton, Plymouth to a gathering includingPlymouth Lord Mayor Vivien Pengelly and Captain Gary Pettitt of Devonport Naval Base.The women have learned how to cope as individuals and a mutually-supportivenetwork by completing a course run by NPFS, enabling them to become resilient,emotionally and practically while their partners serve overseas, perhaps at sea orashore in Afghanistan.Part of their Building Resilience Course was to share their situations and experiences ofcoping with family and domestic life effectively like single parents. Creating an artisticmontage was a way of illustrating their family background to the other wives andgirlfriends, using personal memorabilia such as letters, photographs, maps and songs.Band of Wives provides a 24-week programme delivered in blocks of six under theBuilding Resilience umbrella. Each block has a theme and they link together to give agreater understanding of personal levels of resilience and form coping strategies.LA(Phot) Dean Nixon• Corporal Ketchup 500ml – Real tomato taste• Brigadier Brown 500ml – Rich and fruity tasteEvery bottle of Corporal Ketchup and BrigadierBrown sold donates at least 6p to helping thoseserving and who have served, and will be splitequally between Stoll and The Royal British Legionto support broader practical help across the ArmedForces community nationally.Stoll (formerly Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation) enablesvulnerable and disabled ex-Servicemen and womento live as independently as possible by providing arange of services. The Royal British Legion has beenproviding welfare, comradeship, representation andRemembrance for the Armed Forces community forover 90 years.See page 51 to win two bottles of ForcesSauces.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT29information

information30Diversity and Inclusion NewsAdvice and Support for the NavalService CommunityAre you concerned that your friend, daughter,son or a family member may be gay andwant to know where to find advice andsupport? This article provides a summary ofthe organisations that can help.StonewallStonewall is a Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual(LGB) rights charity in the UK. It was foundedin 1989 by a small group of women and menwho had been active in the struggle againstSection 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.Section 28 stated that a local authority ‘shallnot intentionally promote homosexuality orpublish material with the intention of promotinghomosexuality’; as well as stigmatising gaypeople it also spurred the gay community.Stonewall’s aim was to create a professionalWelsh GovernmentHousing Assistance forArmed ForcesThe Welsh Government has recentlyearmarked £2m to be spent onhoming personnel who requireassistance on leaving HM Forces.The money is to be spent beforeApril 2014 and will only benefitthose personnel who are leavingthe Armed Forces between now and2014. The money will be dividedbetween three geographical areas(one north, two south) and will beused to buy properties that are onthe open market rather than buildingfrom new. The properties shouldthen be ring-fenced for use byveterans only.For further information relating to theArmed Forces and Veterans in Wales,please contact ArmedForces@wales.gsi.gov.uk.lobbying group to campaign againstdiscrimination that targeted lesbians, gay menand bisexuals. Stonewall has subsequentlyput the case for equality on the mainstreampolitical agenda by winning support withinall the main political parties and now hasoffices in England, Scotland and Wales. Somemajor successes include lifting the ban on LGBpersonnel serving in the military (2000) andsecuring legislation allowing same-sex couplesto adopt.Their main focus is now to work withorganisations to bring equality to LGBpeople at home, at school and at work.Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programmeoffers advice and support to over 600organisations including the RN, RAF, Army,MOD Civil Servants and other public andprivate sector organisations.In 2005, Stonewall launched an ‘Educationfor All’ programme to tackle homophobia inschools. Stonewall utilises personnel from itsDiversity Champions to speak in schools abouttheir own experiences whilst at school andnow. The Naval Service (NS) has five servingpersonnel signed up for this programmeacross the UK and it has proved to be verypopular for children of all backgrounds andsexual orientations to speak to someone whohas lived through the experience, whethergood or bad. The questions at the end ofthe session cover a breadth of issues andoccasionally have nothing to do with sexualorientation. Overall the visits seem to providea good opportunity to represent the Serviceas a whole to the public, many of whom havelittle knowledge of the Armed Forces.If you have any questions regarding your child’ssexual orientation or need advice or supportStonewall (www.stonewall.org.uk) has somevery useful booklets that can be downloaded;‘So you think your child is Gay?’ is just one ofthe booklets available.Naval Service Lesbian, Gay andTransgender ForumThe NS utilises the support provided byStonewall and in October 2008 the NSLesbian, Gay and Transgender (NS LGBT)Forum was established. Its aim is to ‘Work inpartnership with NS Diversity and InclusionPolicy Staff, utilising subject matter expertsknowledge within the LGBT community, toachieve a working environment in whichNS LGBT personnel feel comfortable,valued and empowered to fulfil their careerpotential and contribute fully to the benefitof the Service’. One of its main objectives,in conjunction with the D&I Policy Staff, is todevelop an employee support network forLGBT issues and provide advice for those inthe community who need it. The Sources ofNS LGBT forum can be contacted information:via e-mail: nslgbt@tiscali.co.uk. Proud2Serve,This is a confidential e-mail Stonewall,address with limited access by the Pink News,Chair (and Deputy Chair in hisWikipedia.absence) to answer any questionsor queries that Service personnel or theirfamilies may have.Earlier this year the NS LGBT Forum launchedits own intranet website page that is updatedon a regular basis and promotes events andconferences, NS LGBT minutes, contact detailsand other useful information. Unfortunately itcan only be accessed via the military computersystem and is not accessible to families andfriends at home.Proud2Serve websiteProud2Serve (P2S) www.proud2serve.netis the LGBT E-Network for the British ArmedForces. Winner of the European DiversityAward in 2011 for ‘Outstanding EmployeeNetwork Group of the Year’, it is an internetsite that can easily be accessed from home.The website serves as a comprehensive portalfor subjects of relevance to the Armed Forcescommunity, including up-to-date news fromthe military and LGBT arenas, hosts an on-lineforum for networking and seeking advice,acts as a focal point for policy, advice andhelp, and finally it provides a gallery bringingtogether the best photographs and videosof the military family at work and play. EachService has its own section within this websitethat can assist with advice relevant to the needsof each individual service. As it is outside of themilitary intranet many civilians have used thissite to ask questions about being LGB or T andpursuing a career in the military.Naval Families FederationThere is a wealth of advice and support thatis available for anyone that wishes to discussand ask questions regarding LGBT matters,but doesn’t know where to turn. Membersof the NFF team can always help and pointyou in the right direction if you are unsure ofwhere to start.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

A Naval Charity providing,personal help and advice for all servingand former members of the Royal Navy,Royal Marines, their Reserves andFamilies on;Men and women of the Royal Navy and Royal Marinesserve their country, often at times of danger. Establishedin 1922, the RNBT helps non-commissioned Sailors,Marines and their families (The RNBT Family)throughout their lives.Your donation will help us to help them.The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, Castaway House,311 Twyford Avenue, PoRTsmouTH, Hampshire, Po2 8RNT: 02392 690112 F: 02392 660852E: rnbt@rnbt.org.uk www.rnbt.org.ukPersonal FinanceIncluding - investment, savings and pension issuesCivilian Employmentwww.whiteensign.co.uk020 7407 8658 ~ office@whiteensign.co.ukHMS BELFAST, Tooley Street , LONDON, SE1 2JHYOURLONDONHOME£42JOIN | EAT & DRINK | CELEBRATE | STAYAll Ranks,Tri-Servicemembers’club inLondon’s West End.• 2 minutes from Oxford Street, Hyde Park andMarble Arch• Modern, tastefully decorated bedrooms• Disabled friendly rooms• Rooms with air-conditioning• Free Wi-Fi throughout• Event Rooms for every occasion• Contemporary Lounge Bar for drinks,afternoon tea or light bites• Club Restaurant, serving Modern European cuisinewith a range of British classics• Breakfast buffet with a wide range of healthyand traditional options• Reading Room for a quiet escapeTo book call us on 0207 616 8346or email res@vsc.co.ukThe Victory Services Club for Veterans, Serving Membersof the Armed Forces, and their families.Victory Services Club63-79 Seymour StreetLondon | W2 2HF31Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

e-BibleDid you know that youcan download the Bible in audio format ontoyour Android phone, iPhone or iPad?Visit the Naval Military & Air Force Bible Society’swebsite – www.nmafbs.org and click on ‘AudioBibles’ to choose the format that will suit you.things: (1) post early – and (2) no unsolicitedmail. The first piece of advice is obvious, butnot always heeded. The last posting datesseem long before the big day, but Christmasat the BFPO runs well into the New Yearand there are still people posting gifts onChristmas Eve expecting them to arrive intime...As for ‘no unsolicited post’, it might seemmean spirited, but it’s not. Look at it thisway: would a sailor prefer to get cards andpresents from his/her loved ones on 25thDecember, or a woolly hat and selectionpack from somebody that they have nevermet before? Put simply, there is only somuch space on the aircraft carrying thesacks and the BFPO team want those sacksto be filled with gifts from friends and family.If you are desperate to send an unsolicitedgift to deployed personnel, use the websitewww.uk4u.org.For those who want to more easily keepup to date with the BFPO service, andin particular track their mail, then BFPOhas released a number of Apps availablefor both Apple and Android operatingsystems: ‘Info App’ provides specific detailsof the BFPO service including addressesand specimen postal charges; a ‘Track &Trace App’ enabling monitoring of wherein the BFPO system certain mail items areand coming soon will be an ‘e-bluey App’making it possible to send e-blueys fromyour tablet or smartphone.The Bible Society – www.biblesociety.org.uk – offers the Bible in a new and exciting waythrough our new FREE listening programmeYou’ve Got The Time where you can listen to thewhole of the New Testament for just 28 minutesa day over 40 days.Faith Comes by Hearing makes the NewTestament available for free in audio across theworld for communities that can’t read. You canlisten to the English Standard Version (ESV) Bibleor the Bible in 700 other languages. Visit www.faithcomesbyhearing.com.‘Bible.is’ for iPhone lets you read, listen to, andsee the Bible on iPhone and iPod Touch – perfectfor home, church or on the go. ‘Bible.is’ workswith any iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad and isalso free to download. For full detail, visit www.bible.is/apps.Forever-JackFOREVER-JACK is the brainchild of ExRoyal Naval Signalman George Heronwho served in the Royal Navy between‘Forever-Jack’has kindlydonated a‘Onsie’ for onelucky Homeportreader. Seepage 50 to findout how youcan win one.1978 and 1987. Georgeis an accomplished authorand it was as a result ofthe huge interest in hislast book; HMS INTREPID– Her Final Journey that‘Forever-Jack’ was born.‘Forever-Jack’ wasformed in 2010 andits main aim is to provide bespokeNaval memorabilia to both servingand retired members of the ArmedForces. It was during research for hisbook that George realized that therewere very few ‘gizzits’ available forex-Servicemen and women, so Georgebegan designing bespoke Tee-shirtswith motifs such as ‘ROMFT’, ‘RDP’and ‘Grumpy Old Matelot’ on them.The interest in these tee-shirts surprisedeven George who went onto to producethe official final tour tee-shirt for HMSARK ROYAL as she paid her farewellvisit to Tyneside.‘Forever-Jack’ then beganproducing other bespoke items,such as mugs, mouse mats andembroidered clothing and againthe interest in the new productsmeant that ‘Forever-Jack’ couldexplore other areas. Before long therange of items had increased to over 50individual bespoke gifts ranging fromlapel pins, mugs and engraved products,to embroidered clothing and evenumbrellas!‘Forever-Jack’ is a family-run business,based in County Durham. George designsmost of the products from ideas sent tohim from his many followers on Facebookand Twitter, while his ever understandingwife Louise runs the ‘business’ endof things. including running twoembroidering machines, postal duties anddoing the admin side of things.Since its beginning in 2010, ‘Forever-Jack’ has secured over 4,500 followerson Facebook alone and the website hasbeen visited over 35,000 times by visitorsfrom over 25 countries around the globe.‘Forever-Jack’ now supplies the RoyalNavy museums, many Royal NavalAssociation units and several ships of thefleet with bespoke merchandise and giftsand has now begun to supply Sea Cadetunits around the country with their veryown unique clothing.George adds, “I never really appreciatedhow big ‘Forever-Jack’ would becomeand it’s great that so many people areable to get personalised and unique giftsfrom us. We specialise in providing smallruns even, ‘one offs’ and we love to hearhow ‘Forever-Jack’ has helped to makesomeone’s leaving do or reunion veryspecial. I get requests for new lines everyweek and I find it hard to say no. I guessthat’s the secret of our success.”To find out more, visit www.foreverjack.com.33informationAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

A brighter home for everyoneEnjoy great value TV, broadbandand calls this AutumnAd Ada month£15.40 monthly line rental applies.Superpoweryour packagewith Fibre34FREE YouView Box usually £299Rent the latest blockbusterswith TalkTalk Box OfficeAdTotally unlimited broadband andanytime calls + to UK landlinesAdd a choice of over 65 channelsfor a month at a time ‡For our best deals go online:talktalk.co.ukOr call:0800 049 1046Subject to status, acceptance & availability in your area. Payment by Direct Debit only. You must take TalkTalk line rental. Calls to 0871 will cost no more than 13.16p & to 0870 no more than 50.88p/min. All chargeable calls subject to 13.87p connectionfee. Line rental and subscription fee subject to change. TalkTalk Plus TV broadband & phone: 18 month min term & conditions apply; New/reconnect lines subject to £20 connection fee & credit check. Customers entitled to a free YouView box.£200 charge applies for your YouView box if you leave in your minimum term. Optional engineer installation £50. Self install delivery charge £4.50. Optional Powerline adapters from £35. YouView subject to aerial reception, minimum line speed of3mbps (5mbps for TV Boosts). If you already have a Set Top Box & do not want our FREE Set Top Box we will be unable to process your order online, please call the number above. TalkTalk Box Office films are an additional cost. ‡TV Boosts: 30day minimum commitment. Additional monthly cost. Boosts range from £5 to £40 a month and subscription fees are subject to change. All Boosts have a minimum one-month commitment. Once added, you’ll continue to receive the Boost until youopt-out or your contract ends. If we are unable to provision the Boost from the start of the billing period, you’ll be charged the pro-rated amount. You must give 48hrs notice to remove a Boost. + Anytime calls: Applies to UK numbers starting 01, 02& 03, 0845/0870 only (excludes calls to Channel Islands). Max call time 60mins per call (redial before the end of such period to avoid further charges). Excludes non-geographic or premium rate numbers, indirect access numbers & dial-up internetaccess. All info & prices correct at time of going to print 23.08.13. Full T’s & C’s at talktalk.co.uk/policies & prices at talktalk.co.uk/pricing. Registered office: 11 Evesham Street, London W11 4AR. Registered in England. Company No. 4633015.Autumn 2013hOMEPORTTT4330 TT HOMEPORT AD.indd 1 23/08/2013 12:26

Term-Time Holidays and PostOperational Tour Leave (POTL)by Olivia Denson, Children’s Education Advisory ServiceFrequent deployments have resultedin many serving personnel spendinglonger periods of time away fromtheir homes and families. As a resultService families may want to takeadvantage of Post-Operational TourLeave (POTL) to take a family holidayto help re-integrate the servingparent into all aspects of parenthoodand family life.Because of the concern about the impacton pupil attainment of any pupil absencefrom school, schools in England continueto be under great pressure to secure100% attendance for all their pupils and,generally speaking, are discouraged fromauthorising pupil absence during term-time.Law and guidanceParents and carers are under a statutoryobligation to ensure that their childrenattend school on every day of the schoolyear, unless exceptional circumstancesprevent this. Headteachers have thediscretion to authorise term-time absenceof up to 10 days in any school year, ifthey believe the circumstances warrant it.Headteachers are not required to authorisesuch absence in any circumstances.Headteachers may in special circumstancesgrant leave of absence of up to 10 daysfor the purpose of family holidays duringterm-time. The application must bemade in advance and the Headteachermust be satisfied that there are specialcircumstances that warrant the leave. Aleave of absence is granted entirelyat the Headteacher’s discretion andis not a parental right.The current regulations states that‘Headteachers can grant requests fromparents to take their child on family holidayduring term-time in ‘special’ circumstances’.The Government has accepted CharlieTaylor’s recommendation that changes aremade to the pupil registration regulationsto strengthen the rules around term timeholidays. The Government intends to do soby September 2013.”This advice should provide Headteacherswith sufficient flexibility to authoriseunavoidable term-time leave for pupilsas the result of POTL. However, Serviceparents need to be aware of the issues(see below) a Headteacher must considerin taking such a decision and of the factthat they must make a formal, writtenapplication, setting out their case for therequested absence. There is no right to theauthorisation of term-time absence for anypupil, even Service children, to enable themto take advantage of POTL.Issues to be considered byHeadteachers:• The child’s attendance record• Difficulties with learning/behaviour• Safeguarding concerns• School performance• Annual School CensusDespite all this, many schools are sensitiveand sympathetic to the needs of the Servicecommunities they serve, including those inrespect of requests from Service parents toauthorise unavoidable term-time absencebecause of POTL. Schools with smallnumbers of Service children on roll may beless aware and Service parents themselvescan help by raising, on a confidential basis,the school’s awareness of the demands ofService life, including those relating to POTL.ProceduresIt is the responsibility of each school todetermine a formal procedure for theconsideration by Headteachers of parentalrequests for the term-time absence ofpupils. Some may provide forms tocomplete, others require parents to writeletters and some request a combinationof both. Requests must always be madein advance and must make clear theexceptional reasons for the request,explaining why such leave is unavoidable.Whilst it continues to be the case thatholidays in term-time are considerablycheaper than those in school holidayperiods, this, on its own, is unlikely to beconsidered as sufficient justification of aterm-time pupil absence.More detailed information on this issueand advice on specific cases are availablefrom the Children’s Education AdvisoryService (CEAS): Telephone: 01980 618 244(Civilian) 94344 8244 (Military) or e-mail:enquiries@ceas.uk.comEditor’s Note: In January 2010, theNaval Families Federation met withthe DfE regarding the subject ofterm-time holidays for Armed Forcesfamilies. Following our meeting wereceived this statement.‘Ofsted has confirmed that theseabsences should be recorded asauthorised and that when the schoolleaders are discussing this withinspectors, they should specify howmany children from Service personnelare in the school and how much of theabsence relates to the R&R. Inspectorsshould discount this in their overallassessment of attendance for the school.Whilst inspection documentation doesmake reference to percentages forattendance and absence, this is to guideinspectors and should not drive thejudgement – inspectors must use theirdiscretion and professional judgement.’We are currently investigating whetherthe above statement still stands fromOfsted. Whilst families can use thestatement from Ofsted to add weightto their request for POTL during termtime,the decision still resides with eachschool’s Headteacher. As soon as weknow more we will let you know.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT35information

information36Charities at the Helm Hubby Commander Gavin Richardson (SO1 Naval Life Management)It can be quite difficult for familiesto know where to turn for helpfrom a charitable point as thereis a whole host of organisationsthat can offer assistance to ArmedForces families.Help is at hand for serving personnel asthey can check the Royal Navy PeoplePortal’s ‘The Helm’ and search for relevantArmed Forces charities. Detailing not onlywebsite addresses and contact details ‘TheHelm’ also provides a brief description ofhow the charitable organisation can helpserving personnel and their families. Hereare a few:Combat Stress – The UK’s leading charitythat specialises inthe treatment andsupport of BritishArmed ForcesVeterans who have mental health problems.Combat Stress welfare officers visit clientsat home, and there are three treatmentcentres where victims stay and learn tocope with their disabilities. Call 01372 841600 or visit www.combatstress.org.ukBlind Veterans UK – Formerly StDunstan’s, believes that no one who’sserved their country should battle blindnessalone. Blind Veterans UK offer a lifetime’spractical and emotionalsupport, regardless of whenpeople served or how theylost their sight. They get theirmembers back on their feet,recovering their independenceand discovering a life beyond sight loss.Visit www.blindveterans.org.ukBritish Limbless Ex-Service Men’sAssociation (BLESMA) – A nationalcharity for Limbless and ex-Service Menand Women,their dependantsand widows orwidowers. Itsobjectives are topromote the welfare of all those who havelost a limb or the use of a limb, or oneor both eyes, as a result of service in HerMajesty’s Forces or Auxiliary Forces. Visitwww.blesma.orgThe Warrior Programme – Aims torestores self-esteem and helps to re-buildconfidence and dignity, by empoweringpeople and giving them the tools to leada more fulfilled life. It will benefit anyonesuffering from depression, anxiety andincreased levels of stress that is seriousabout changing their life for the better.Visit www.warriorprogramme.org.ukHounds for Heroes – Provides speciallytrained assistance dogs to injured anddisabled men and women of both the UKArmed Forces and Civilian EmergencyServices. Once fullytrained, the dogs notonly bring quality oflife to their ownerby opening doors,picking up items,getting money from ATMs, opening traindoors etc., they also bring companionshipand love that can be missing whensomeone becomes disabled.Visit www.houndsforheroes.comTROOP AID – Deals direct with theDefence Medical Welfare Service andprovides ‘Grab Bags’ to injured troopswhen they returnto the UnitedKingdom fromwar zones that contain basic essentialsincluding, washing kits, t-shirts, underwear,socks and pen and paper. Visit www.troopaid.infoPoppy Factory Ltd – Employs disabledex-Service men and women in theproductionof poppies,crosses andwreaths.They aimto providepaid employment opportunities and tosupport paid working schemes for disabledex-Servicemen and women. Visit www.poppyfactory.orgAfghan Heroes – Launched by a groupof mothers with the aim of helping Servicepersonnel directly on the front line. It dealsspecifically with membersof the British forces andtheir families that havebeen affected by the militaryoperations in Afghanistan,now and into the future.www.trueheroes.org.ukHappy Days – A national children’scharity dedicated to providing holidays,residential trips, days out and theatre tripsfor disadvantagedyoung people withspecial needs. Theyoffer help to thosewith learning difficulties, physical or mentaldisabilities and with acute, chronic or lifelimitingillnesses. They also help youngpeople who have been bereaved or act ascarers for a parent or a sibling. Visit www.happydayscharity.orgSupport Line – Offers confidential,emotional support to children, young adultsand adults by telephone, e-mail and post.They work with callers to develop healthy,positive coping strategies, an inner feelingof strengthand increasedself-esteemto encouragehealing, recovery and moving forward withlife. They also keep details of counsellors,agencies and support groups throughout theUK. Visit www.supportline.org.ukMake-A-Wish Foundation UK – Grantsmagical wishes to children and young peopleaged 3-17 thatare fightinglife-threateningconditions. For many families the Make-A-Wish memory can be the last happymemory they have of their child having funin a magical world, surrounded by familyand friends – rather than memories ofdays and weeks of painful treatments andhospitalisation. Visit www.make-a-wish.org.ukThe Forces Children’s Trust – Helpsdependent childrenthat have lost a parentor who’s parenthas sustained life-Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

threatening injuries whilst serving with theArmed Forces. The charity aims to helpthe individual needs and problems of thechildren as each child is special and unique.www.forceschildrenstrust.orghousing; Housing Association rental andLow Cost Home Ownership schemes; Detailsof local Estate Agents, Property ManagementAgents and Financial Advisers. Visit www.gov.uk and search for JSHAO.have suffered the loss of their partner inpeacetime, when the death was attributableto their Service life.Visit www.warwidowsassociation.org.ukSPACES (Single PersonsAccommodation Centre for theEx-Services) – An accommodationplacement service that provides help tosingle Service leavers seeking ‘appropriatehousing’. They work closely with otherServices support charities. SPACES is runand maintained by the English ChurchesHousing Group. Emergency grants areavailable for travel and furniture. Visit www.spaces.org.uk“Your Transition to Civilian Housing Starts Here”Joint Service Housing Advice Office(JSHAO) – Provides housing informationand advice and in some cases helps placeService personnel and their dependants insuitable civilian accommodation. JSHAO willgive details of: Local Authority addresses,websites and eligibility criteria for councilForces Support – Offer practical supportand assistance to families that have losta loved one in recent conflicts. Providinggeneral maintenance around the home andgarden; the work the lost family memberwould have done for his or her family aswell as helping with the jobs that havebuilt up while a family grieves. Visit www.forcessupport.org.ukThe War Widows Association – Existsto improve the conditionsof War Widows andtheir dependants inGreat Britain. Its workencompasses those whohave suffered bereavementas a result of World War II and all conflictssince then, including Iraq and Afghanistan.The WWA also represents those whoBritish Forces Foundation – Providehigh-quality entertainment, with big namestars, in operational theatres all over theworld to boost the morale of Servicemenand women on the frontline. Visit www.bff.org.ukForces Pension Society – Anindependent, not-for-profit organisationthat fights for better pensions forall three Services; campaignsagainst injustices in the ArmedForces pension schemes andprovides Members with invaluable,authoritative advice through theirPension Helpline. In addition,Members enjoy many discountson a wide range of productsand services, from healthcare toholidays, currency exchange to car parking.Visit www.forcespensionsociety.org.37ONCE NAVY,ALWAYS NAVYWhether you left the Naval Service a long time ago, oronly yesterday, you’ll always remember the great thingsabout being in it. The mates, the feeling of being in ittogether, the loyalty and doing what you did for Queenand country. By joining one of the 370 branches ofthe Royal Naval Association, you won’t just rekindleold friendships, you’ll make new ones and in doing soyou can support the Royal Navy, maintain its traditions,support those in need and all the while have a greattime. The RNA – Once Navy, Always Navy.JOIN TODAYroyal-naval-association.co.ukThe Royal Naval Association is a registered charity No 266982Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

information38TRiM for Veterans(T4V)When individuals have served inthe Armed Forces and experiencedthe challenges of operationaldeployments they may take theirresulting memories, both good andbad, with them when they return intocivilian life. There is nothing wrongwith memories providing they do notimpair your ability to cope, functionand generally get on with life.However, in some cases the returnto ‘civvy street’ can bring certaindifficulties as they come to terms withtheir new environment.To provide a new tier of assistance to theVeteran community, the Operational StressManagement (OSM) Cell of the NavalCommand Headquarters based in WhaleIsland supported by the Royal MarinesAssociation (RMA), the Royal MarinesCharitable Trust Fund and the CharitableSector have come together to support andimplement a new Project called ‘TRiMfor Veterans’ (T4V). The Project is beingrun as a pilot scheme for two years andwill support all Royal Marine Veterans. Ifthe pilot is successful, the scheme will beexpanded to include the whole of the NavalService.The terms: Stress, Trauma, PTSD havebecome commonplace in today’s world.Although we increasingly hear more aboutstress related issues, this is not a newchallenge. Adverse reactions to Traumahave been recognised for many years.Either in the military environment or asa Veteran, at some point nearly all of uswill experience a traumatic event that maychallenge our view of the world and/orourselves. Why some people are affectedmore than others has no simple answer.Dependant on a wide range of factors,some people’s reactions may last for ashort duration whilst others may experiencemore lasting effects.Most stress reactions to traumatic eventsare entirely normal and manageable,particularly with the correct degree ofsupport from fellow Veterans, colleagues,by Cameron March, Navy Command Pers Op OSM SO2friends and family. At a low level, theycan consist of; troubling memories,disturbed sleep patterns, misuse ofalcohol, anger issues and relationshipdifficulties. These conditions are certainlynot uncommon and, if addressed quickly,can be successfully dealt with. However,if left unaddressed, these conditions havethe potential to become highly toxic. Inthe most severe cases, they can go onto develop into a wide range of posttraumaticdifficulties.To assist in dealing with these issues T4Vuses a bespoke adaptation of the currentTRiM system. In addition, it works in closeconjunction with the established existingRMA Welfare system. The Project trainspersonnel who are Members of the RMAand who have volunteered to become T4VPractitioners. Their training consists of atwo-module course that deals with a widerange of physiological support issues,interviewing skills and casework. It shouldbe noted that T4V Practitioners are nottrained as therapists or counsellors; theirrole is to act as the initial responders tothe troubled Veteran. In simple terms theirtask is to; ‘Engage – Befriend – Signpost’.The signposting process is designed toensure that Veterans are directed to theappropriate support agency with theminimum of delay. With over 850 separateUK registered charities all wishing to assistVeterans, the challenge for the T4V Projectis to accurately identify the correct resourceand help the Veteran to access it.As outlined, all Practitioners have servedin the Royal Marines, however, there areother criteria that must be met prior toworking in a support worker role, theseare:• They are specially selected and trainedto carry out the T4V Practitioner role• They are all CRB checked• They are all fully insured• They are externally mentored, supportedand supervised by the NCHQ OSM CellTRiM Instructors• They are required to develop anin-depth knowledge of the Veteranssupport facilities that are available intheir local area• They will receive additional training inmental health related subjects.For the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines,it is right and proper that we should beconcerned about short and long-termconsequences of Naval and Military Service.The Naval Service aims to achieve this byworking in close collaboration with VeteransAssociations, the NHS, Veterans Outreachand General Practitioners. With fundingsupplied from the charitable sector, T4Vshould go some way to providing bespokeand enduring physiological support to ourVeterans. As with the introduction of TRiMinto the Service 16 years ago, TRiM forVeterans will continue to be developed tomeet these wide ranging challenges.iPhone App forMental HealthThe App, called Joining Forces, isavailable to personnel all over the worldand provides tailored information on11 mental health problems includinganxiety, post-traumatic stress anddepression, as well ashighlighting where to accesshelp.Interactive videos from alead psychiatrist are alsoavailable through the Appand outline the signs ofmental health problemsto encourage personnelto seek advice if they feelthey have any of thesesymptoms.Joining Forces can be usedanywhere and is availablenow for free download for iPhoneand iPad through the iTunes store.Joining Forcesapp singleService homescreensAn Android version of Joining Forcesis currently being developed and isscheduled to be available later this year.Picture: Crown copyrightAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

information40Forces in MindTrust Supports TheRoyal FoundationThe Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) is supporting The RoyalFoundation with a grant of £250,000 as part of theirthree-year partnership agreement.FiMT is currently funding a number of research and evaluationprojects, as well as making direct grants to military and civilianpartner charities and organisations. Each initiative provides anevidence base from which to improve the transition process thatService personnel and their families undergo as they to moveinto civilian life. The funds come from a £35 million endowmentawarded to the Trust by the Big Lottery Fund in January 2012.The Endeavour Fund, created by The Royal Foundation,For moreinformation on TheRoyal Foundationand EndeavourFund, visit www.royalfoundation.com.provides opportunities for injured Servicemenand women to take part in sporting andadventure challenges as part of their recoveryand subsequent transition into civilian life. TheEndeavour Fund offers seed funding for newendeavours and help emerging initiatives withadvice, hands on support and mentoring. TheRoyal Foundation and Forces in Mind believethat the Fund will play an important role in ensuring that morewounded Servicemen and women have the opportunity torediscover their self-belief and fighting spirit.The organisations and projects FiMT and The Endeavour Fundpartnership are funding are:• Toe in the Water (a tri-Service initiative using competitivesailing to re-inspire, re-engage and re-integrate profoundlyinjured Servicemen and women)• Flying For Freedom (trains wounded Servicemen to fly microlightsup to solo standard. They have adapted their vehiclesso that people with multiple amputations are able to fly andthey offer the kind of freedom that would have otherwise beenunattainable)• Walking With The Wounded (supports a number of charitiesand projects that are entirely focused upon the re-training andre-skilling of wounded personnel) will be sending three teamsof four on foot to the South Pole in the winter of 2013.LifeWorks is an innovative work-focused assessment andemployability residential course, funded by the Royal BritishLegion Industries (RBLI), that provides information, advice,guidance and ongoing support for serving and ex-servingpersonnel.Led by skilled assessors and coaches, the course has a numberof options depending on individual needs. Each course is runin small groups of up to ten people – so you will get personalattention and guidance, as well as the opportunityto share your experience with your fellowparticipants in a relaxed and friendly environmentof mutual support.The LifeWorks course incorporates:• A LifeWorks assessment• The value of work• How to write a winning CV• How to search, find and apply for jobs• How to be successful at interview.To discussLifeWorks,telephone 0800319 6844 ore-mail lifeworks@rbli.co.uk. Formore informationon the coursesavailable anddates, visit http://www.rbli.co.uk/employment_solutions/ andclick on ‘Trainingand Workshops’.Individuals will also:• Work with a coach to develop a personalaction plan• Receive a ‘Toolkit’ – a manual of information material to referback to once at home• Receive on-going support through their telephone helpline foras long as individuals need it.The LifeWorks course also incorporates Coaching for Change – anadditional two-day module designed to help motivate to achievepositive outcomes, understand how to develop and increase selfbelief,how to manage unhelpful thinking and how to overcome thelimiting beliefs and obstacles that could stop you from working.In addition RBLI offers LifeWorks+ Families; a course for thespouses and dependents of Service personnel who are no longerable to sustain employment due to injury or health.The Royal Foundation was set up by The Duke and Duchess ofCambridge and Prince Harry and is the result of their charitablelives so far and will be the principal vehicle for Their RoyalHighnesses’ future charitable activities.The Endeavour Fund is a restricted fund set up by the Foundationto supported wounded Servicemen and women providingphysical challenges as part of their recovery and subsequenttransition into civilian life.Designed around the difficult circumstances of a family’sprimary earner finding themselves unable to provide for theirhousehold, this three-day course equips delegates with the skillsand confidence to develop their own career. Delivered by a teamof experienced vocational assessors and employability coaches,LifeWorks+ Families builds on the change-management coachingand vocational assessment that forms the core of their LifeWorkscourses, adding employability modules written specifically forthose finding themselves in the unfamiliar position of supportingtheir family financially.As with all of RBLI’s LifeWorks experiences, LifeWorks+ Familiesis fully-funded to the Armed Forces community, with a limitednumber of places.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

Start-up LoansChanges Benefitex-Service PersonnelPersonnel leaving the Armed Forces will be some of the first tobenefit from removing the age limit on start-up loans.Currently around 4% of Service leavers go on to set up theirown businesses and it is hoped these numbers will increasefollowing changes announced in July.The loans, to help people start up their own businesses,were historically only open to those under the age of 30.However, the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Advisor, Lord Young,recommended that these loans be open to everyone whoaspires to start up their own business.Now, ex-Servicemen and women, including those aged over30, will be in the first wave to receive targeted support. X-Forceshave become the first specialist start-up loans delivery partnerfor ex-Service personnel and the wider Forces’ community.The X-Forces team have commercial and militarybackgrounds, and will provide Service leavers, veterans,spouses and reservists with a comprehensive package ofactive support to set up sustainable and successful businesses,including mentoring.Careers Service Launchedfor Injured HeroesInjured and wounded Service personnel are being given access to newcareer opportunities with the launch of the Recovery Career Services.The new services will ensure injured troops have access to the mostcomprehensive range of vocational training, education and workplacements to give them the best opportunity tocompete in the civilian employment market.Iconic car manufacturers, including Aston Martinand Jaguar Land Rover, along with businessessuch as Barclays, have got behind the newscheme to offer competitive work placements forinjured troops. They join over 200 commercialproviders who have signed up to provide sick,injured and wounded Service personnel withexciting opportunities, including working as pitcrew at the World Endurance Championship inLe Mans.For further information,visit www.gov.uk/defence-recovery-andpersonnel-recoverycentres.For injuredand wounded personnelwishing to accesscomprehensive careeradvice and the full rangeof partners supporting thescheme, visitwww.recoverycareerservices.org.uk.The roll-out of the new careers service coincided with the announcementthat the Defence Recovery Capability is now fully operational. The MODledinitiative, delivered in partnership with Help for Heroes and the RoyalBritish Legion, will ensure that all wounded, injured and sick personnelhave access to the full range of key services and resources, includingpersonalised recovery plans, to help them at every stage of their recovery.Start-up loans for ex-Service personnel and the Troops toTeachers programme (see page 39), are examples of howthe Government is supporting the Armed Forces with futurecareers and using their skills and talents to help build oureconomy.To find out more on the start-uploans and X-Forces, visit www.xforces.com.All injured and wounded personnel who come under the Defence RecoveryCapability will receive a personalised recovery plan covering all aspectsof their recovery including medical care, welfare, housing, reskilling,education, work placements, and employment issues and opportunities.Complex or lengthy cases are transferred to personnel recovery unitsacross the UK that deliver consistent and high-quality command and carein order to gain the right outcome for the individual and the Ministry ofDefence.World War 1 – A Century On41The Great War, World War I (WWI), beganon 28th July 1914 and lasted until 11thNovember 1918.During those four years, the death tollof military and civilians stood at over 16million, nearly one million of them Britons.200,000 were killed on one day of theBattle of the Somme.Every single community in Scotland andNorthern Ireland lost someone, and thedeath toll in the Commonwealth was similarlycatastrophic. The then Indian empire lostmore than 70,000 people; Canada andAustralia both lost more than 60,000; NewZealand, 18,000. And as part of the UK atthe time, more than 200,000 Irishmen servedin the British forces during the war, with morethan 27,000 losing their lives.To mark the Centenary of World War 1 and torecognise the sacrifices made the Governmentis working alongside partners, includingthe Heritage Lottery Fund, CommonwealthWar Graves Commission and ImperialWar Museums, on a series of nationalremembrance events, an extensive culturalprogramme and educational schemes. Thesewill include national commemorations forthe first day of conflict, on 4th August 2014,and for the first day of the Somme, on 1stJuly 2016. Together with partners like theCommonwealth War Graves Commissionand the custodians of our remembrance,the Royal British Legion, there will be furtherevents to commemorate Jutland, Gallipoli andPasschendaele, all leading towards the 100thanniversary of Armistice Day in 2018.The IWM (Imperial War Museums) is leadingthe First World War Centenary Partnership andthe Heritage Lottery Fund is looking for ideasfor projects marking the centenary, includingcommunity heritage projects. Whether it isa series of friendly football matches to markthe famous 1914 Christmas Day truce, or thecampaign led by the Greenhithe branch of theRoyal British Legion to sow the Western Front’siconic poppies here in the UK, they would liketo hear from you – www.hlf.org.uk.Visit www.1914.org to find out what ishappening nationally and in your local area.informationAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

pensionsyourmoney42What Happens to My PensionWhen I’m Dead and Gone?by Lieutenant Commander David Marsh, Forces Pension SocietyFor the majority, our deaths will occurlong after we have left the ArmedForces and deep into our retirementfrom paid employment, so whatbenefits do the Armed Forces PensionSchemes offer in the form of pensionpayable to the dependants we leavebehind, where death has occurredafter exiting the Services?Dependant’s pensions have differentvariables associated within each of the twoArmed Forces Pension Schemes (AFPS75and AFPS05). In this edition I will focus onthe AFPS75 Scheme.If you would like tofind out more aboutthe issues raised inthis article and youare a member of theForces Pension Society,you can find moreinformation on theSociety’s website www.forcespensionsociety.org or call thededicated help line on020 7820 9988.Let’s begin byascertaining whois eligible for adependant’s pensionfollowing yourdeath, and whois not. Once youhave left the ArmedForces you mustbe in a marriageor civil partnershipfor your dependantto be entitled toreceive any form ofdependant’s pension; living with somebodyas your partner – regardless of whether itis somebody of the same or opposite sex,or how long the partnership has been inexistence – does not count.It does not matter whether the marriage, orcivil partnership, has taken place before orafter leaving the Services, but in cases wherea marriage took place after leaving; onlythe portion of Service from 6th April 1978counts towards a dependant’s pension.Children are also eligible for a child’spension in certain circumstances too.On the date of your death, your spouseor civil partner will (providing you left theServices on or after 31st March 1973)receive an income known as a ‘short-termfamily pension’. (Retirement prior to thisdate does not attract this benefit.) A shorttermfamily pension is paid at an amountidentical to what you were receiving on yourdate of death for the first 91 days followingthe day you died or, if you should leave‘eligible children’, for the first 182 daysfollowing your death. In other words, thereis no change to the family income stream inForces Pension Scheme terms for that initialperiod of time.Now, what is an ‘eligible child’? An eligiblechild is a natural child or any child whois financially dependent upon the schememember who is:• Under age 17 – quite straightforward• Under age 23 and still in full-timeeducation or vocational training. Thisincludes university, providing there is nomore than a single gap year between thecompletion of ‘A’ Levels and the start ofthe university degree. If a child’s pensionis in payment before the commencementof a gap year it will cease to be paidthroughout the gap year but reinstatedat the start of the university degree,providing those intentions were madeclear at the end of the child’s ‘A’ Levels• Is unable to undertake gainfulemployment due to mental or physicaldisability suffered before the age of 23.In such cases it does not matter what agethe child is on your date of death, theywill receive a child’s pension until the daythey die• Born of a marriage that took place beforeretirement from the Armed Forces. Thisis most important to grasp, particularlyif you already have children from apartnership, or you intend to start afamily after exiting the Services – marrythe spouse before leaving military serviceand the children are covered; marry afterleaving and they are not• The stepchild of a spouse where themarriage took place before retirementfrom the Armed Forces. If your partneralready has a child from a previousrelationship and you marry them beforeleaving the Services, then their child –now your stepchild – is covered like anyother; marrying them after leaving andthey are not• Adopted by you or your spouse beforeretirement from the Armed Forces andthe marriage also took place before thatretirement• An illegitimate child of you or your spouse,born before or within nine months of yourretirement, provided that where the childis the illegitimate child of the spousethe marriage to you took place beforeretirement.Whether you have eligible children or not,as soon as the short term family pensionperiod expires, the proper ‘forces familypensions’ will kick in. Your spouse or civilpartner will receive a pension equal to 50%of your pension, ignoring any reductionmade for commutation you may havetaken. Also, if you die under the age of55; all of the inflation-based increasesthat have occurred between you leavingthe Services and your date of death areadded to the original pension awardbefore dependants’ pension awards arecalculated.In other words, your dependants do nothave to wait until you would have beenaged 55 before reaping the reward of thosestored uplifts, as you would have done;they are payable from completion of theshort-term family pension period and thedependant’s pension is increased annuallyeach April thereafter by the CPI uplift rateapplicable to all Service pensions.As far as eligible children’s pensions areconcerned, where there is a widow(er)’spension in payment, an amount equal to50% of your pension is divided betweenall eligible children with no single childallowed to receive more than 25% ofyour pension. However, where there is nowidow(er)’s pension in payment, and noneof any eligible children are in the care of aparent or step parent, an amount equal to100% of your pension is divided betweenall children with no single child eligible toreceive more than 33.33% of your pension.Widow’s; widower’s and civil partner’spensions must be surrendered if, afterthey commence drawing their dependant’spension, they elect to re-marry or cohabit.Members of the Forces Pension Societyknow just how dreadful a rule this is andthe painful dilemma it creates. The Societyis and has been lobbying the Governmentvigorously to have the rule removed so thatonce a dependant’s pension is put intopayment they will be allowed to keep it forthe remainder of their lives.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

The Bedroom Tax Explainedby Miles Cowley, Manager of Seafarers’ Advice and Information Line (SAIL)TAXThere are a huge number of benefit changes occurring in 2013.One that’s caused a lot of controversy is the change to HousingBenefit, often called the Bedroom Tax.What’s changed?Starting in April, Housing Benefit was cut for working age peoplewho are living in social housing and are ‘under occupying’. To dothis, Local Authorities calculate how many bedrooms each HousingBenefit claimant needs. The benefit is then cut by 14% if the personhas one bedroom too many, or by 25% if the person has two ormore bedrooms too many.How many bedrooms does a person need?There is a formula for the number of bedrooms a family needs.Young children are expected to share a bedroom, but olderchildren of different sex have their own bedrooms in the formula.So what problems does this change cause?For many people affected by this change, this cut in benefitrepresents a substantial loss of income. The Government hasgiven more money to Local Authorities for short-term help, calledDiscretionary Housing Payments, but there have been too manyapplications for this money for the Local Authorities to handle.There’s a large backlog.There is also a shortage of one-bedroom houses in the social housing sector.Many people who are affected by the Bedroom Tax and who would like tomove to a smaller property simply can’t. Government advice to just move in toa smaller property, get a lodger or work longer hours was recently describedas ‘claptrap’ by a Scottish MSP.Some help for families of Armed Forces personnelFollowing a strong campaign, the Government included some changes to theBedroom Tax. Families living with adult children in the Armed Forces who areaway from the home on operations can be exempt from the changes. Thoseadult children will be treated as if they were continuing to live at home andhave a bedroom in the formula used for calculating Housing Benefit. Fostercarers also won concessions from the Government.For more informationTo find out more about how these benefit changes could affect you, contactSAIL. We provide advice on all aspects of welfare benefits, as well as housing,debt, family and many other issues. Royal Navy and Royal Marine personneland their families can access SAIL by first calling the White Ensign Associationon 020 7407 8658.SAIL is a unique UK-wide Citizens Advice service for seafarers. All adviceis free and confidential. SAIL’s website is www.sailine.org.uk and directphone Wrens line 08457 Small413 Ad 318. 91x130mmv2:Hydratech Data Sheets 15/12/11 11Forces EmploymentResettlement GrantsWills and ProbateLasting Powers of AttorneyHouse Sale or Purchase (LSAP)LitigationPersonal InjuryCourts MartialCriminal LawFamily Lawfor Wrens and Royal Navyfemale personnelashore and afloat43Forces Law Network Solicitor members offerlegal services to serving and retired personnelthroughout the world (including Reservists, theCivil Service and their families).Initial advice and guidance is FREE with 10%discount thereafter. Our reputation is wellsupported with over 60 years’ experiencein legal assistance to the Armed Forces.Liverpool Daily Post &Echo0845 6011260 www.forceslaw.comASSOCIATION OF WRENSRoom 215, Semaphore Tower (PP 70) HM NAVALBASE Portsmouth PO1 3LT02392 725141 •office@wrens.org.uk •www.wrens.org.ukAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

yourfamily44RelationshipEducation CoursesThe unique demands of Service life have aconsiderable impact on the relationships, marriagesor partnerships of Service personnel. The strainof extended periods of involuntary separation experiencedduring operational tours and the stresses imposed by suchdeployments, including the process of reunion, can affect eventhe strongest relationship.Service mobility also impacts on family life, including children’seducation, a partner’s employment and their separation fromfamily and friends. All of these factors may contribute to conflictwithin a relationship. Yet it is widely recognised that partnersprovide very significant emotional andFor moreinformation servingpersonnel should seeDefence Instructionsand Notices2013DIN01-054.Alternatively, visit www.relationshipcentral.org.practical support for their Service partnerthroughout their career, particularly duringdeployments.Although a relationship, marriage orpartnership is a private matter, theServices have a strong desire and indeeda responsibility, to provide help andsupport. Aside from any compassionateconsiderations, the need to maintain operational effectivenessprovides the justification for the Services to mitigate the adverseeffects of a relationship breakdown or separation. CommandingOfficers will already rely on their internal Command Chain aswell as their Chaplains and Welfare Officers to support thosewith relationship difficulties, and all personnel should be awarethat chaplains run a range of relationship courses across theArmed Forces.Due to generous sponsorship from a charitable body, twoadditional relationship courses are now being offered by TheWilliam Wilberforce Trust (WWT).Where demand allows, courses can be provided at Serviceestablishments. Alternatively, couples may prefer to attendcourses organised by the William Wilberforce Trust at a locationand time that is more convenient for them.Military Mentors is a new training company set up earlier this yearby former Provost Marshal (Navy), Commander Tony West.Based in Fareham, Hampshire, they specialise in preparing potentialtrainees for entry into the Services. The ‘Forces Ready’ course offersa rolling programme that students can join at any time during theyear. It is designed to give them the best possible chance of achievingtheir aim of getting into the Army, Navy or Air Force. As the namesuggests, the course has a heavy military bias. Instructors areex-Forces and training is conducted in a military style environmentusing Service methodology, whilst instilling military ‘Core Values’ andethos. Students wear uniform and adhere to regulations very similarto those they can expect in Phase One Training.Serving members of the Forces are regular Guest Speakers atMilitary Mentors, and students learn first-hand about the trainingand conditions, what’s good and what’s bad, from those actuallyin the role. The list of Speakers is diverse, covering a huge varietyof jobs from all three Services. Students find these sessionsparticularly valuable and are actively encouraged to ask searchingquestions of the Speakers.As well as academic work, students undertake leadership training.Every week one of them acts as Class Leader which boosts theirconfidence and gets them accustomed to being part of the rankstructure. To further familiarise them with what to expect in BasicTraining, surnames are used and Instructors are known as ‘Staff’or ‘Sir’. Additionally, ID Cards are issued and Drill and PT sessionstake place daily. Students are not referred to the Armed ForcesCareers Offices until they actually achieve the level of fitnessrequired to join their chosen Service.The ‘Forces Ready’ Programme is a full time college course forstudents aged 16-19. Military Mentors also runs a programmefor students aged 14-16. Details can be found at: www.militarymentors.co.uk or contact Tony West on 01329 828 255 or07856 975 3761.The William Wilberforce Trust is able to offer serving couplesthe opportunity to attend ‘The Marriage Preparation Course’and ‘The Marriage Course’ free of charge, due to generoussponsorship by a charitable body.The courses are, in some cases, delivered by unit chaplains,but externally qualified trainers who possess both previousmilitary service and experience of delivering marriage educationcourses are also available. The Marriage Preparation Courseis specifically designed for any couple seriously consideringmarriage, or who are engaged. The Marriage Course is designedfor any married couple or any couple in a long-term cohabitingrelationship; it includes a session entitled ‘Coping with Times ofSeparation’ that is specifically designed to help military couplescope with operational deployments. Although both courses arebased on Christian principles, they are specifically designed forcouples with, or without, a Christian faith.British Red Cross First Aid AppsThe British Red Cross has two free Apps – RedCross First Aid App and Baby and Child FirstAid App – available to help you know what todo if your child chokes on a sweet or suffers anasty cut; or if a friend or family member washaving a heart attack.The free apps are packed with simple andeasy advice, interactive quizzes to test yourknowledge and useful videos, animations andtips. There’s also a hospital finder in case ofan emergency while you’re out and about.To download the app, visit the Apple App Store or the Google PayStore.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

Daddy Day CareAs we move into the 21st Century, it isbecoming more common for fathersto be the primary carers of theirchildren. Fathers are now eligible totake Additional Paternity Leave (APL)whilst the child’s mother returns towork. One Dad, PO Dave Griffiths,decided to ‘turn to’ whilst his wifereturned to work. Here is his story:children will know, the privilege of weaningyour child on to solids, seeing the first crawl,hearing the first words your child speaksin the past have mainly been reserved formothers; however, with the introduction ofAPL, fathers are now able to experiencethese major milestones in their little person’slife first hand.Some of you may disagree with the planthat my wife and I have come up with forthe first year of our child’s life. Some of youmight disagree with our reasons for doingit, but rightly or wrongly my wife, Beth andI are choosing to each take six monthsmaternity/paternity leave to look after ourfirst born, Sammy. Sammy’s mother isreturning to work after the first six monthsmaternity leave and I am taking on the roleof sole carer and taking Additional PaternityLeave (APL) for the second six months ofSammy’s life.The reasons are two-fold. Firstly, I quitefancy being a modern man and trying myhand at being a stay at home dad, even ifit is just for six months. The second reasonis that my wife is a Lieutenant in the RoyalNavy and has far greater career prospects,pension prospects and at the end of the daya greater monthly wage packet, so why notcapitalise on this extra income in these daysof higher living costs? As those of you with“Apart from breast feeding, what can Bethdo for Sammy that I can’t?” I asked myself.Being a military man, I should be able tokeep on top of the household chores as wellas enjoy the adventure of bringing up ourson until he is nearly one years old. I amexcited at being able to do this and nervousat the same time that I might not be verygood at it.Will Beth come home to a bomb site,Sammy covered in baby rice after tryingit for the first time and flinging it up thewalls, the remnants of some carroty, orangemush painted across the floor? Or will shecome home to find the washing machineexploding, knickers, socks, pants, bras andbaby grows everywhere and a husband andfather shaking in the corner of the kitchenas Sammy screams the house down? Weshall see.Under new guidelines from the Government,fathers are entitled to take the same leaveas mothers. Basically, care for your childcan be divided by the mother or father forthe first year of the child’s life. I bet thereare fathers out there that have deployed notlong after the birth of their children, or thosethat would have liked to be more hands onwith their baby. Now might be that chance.All the information I needed was in the JSP760 Chapter 22 Paternity Leave, it was a bitof a complex read but all the informationwas in there. It took quite a few phonecalls to various people and departments,quite often the answer being ‘I don’t know,it’s not something that I have heard of’,but eventually I found someone that couldanswer my questions and the paperworkwas in. The application form is quite simpleand easy to fill out. It needs a signaturefrom your CO and can be submittedthrough your UPO, or personnel supportflight as I work on an RAF station.Taken from the Diversity & Inclusionnewsletter, April 2013.45At Your ServiceA group of young people have finisheda film to raise awareness of the effectsoverseas deployment has on the familiesof Armed Forces members.To watch the The Plymouth-basedfilm visit www. group, who all havefixers.org.uk a relative who isand enter ‘At Your serving in the ArmedService’ in the Forces, want to showsearch box. teachers and pupilsin their schools howhaving a relative in the military affectstheir emotions, especially during the‘deployment cycle’.The film shows Laurie Foxcroft (17)who’s step-father is in the Royal Navyand who can often be away for monthsat a time, which causes Laurie constantworry and adds stress to her school, homeand social life.Through a series of reconstructions – thatare based on the experiences of thegroup – the film shows how Armed Forcesdeployment impacts the lives of youngpeople and how the cycle often seems tohave no end.Service children can constantly worry aboutthe wellbeing of their relative, who may bea long way from home with little contact. Ifa family has to relocate, this causes stressin school as workloads may get higher, andyoung people need to make new friends.It is hoped that the film can show schoolsexactly what they deal with on a day-to-daybasis so their situation is better understood.yourfamilyAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

education46Transition orRelocation –CEAS is here to help youRelocating, whether it is due to anew posting or transition from theForces, can be a stressful time forany family and moving schoolscan be especially difficult forService children.The MOD’s Children’s EducationAdvisory Service (CEAS) is part of theDirectorate Children & Young People,which is the focal point for all mattersregarding Service children and youngpeople.CEAS offers help and support with theissues around education and relocation,whether you are taking up a post in anew area or leaving the Forces.There are a number of issues you mayneed to think about before you move.It is advisable to start planning as earlyas possible to give more time to resolveproblems. If your child is at a criticaltime in their education, for exampleGCSE, AS or A Level years, you maybe able to retain your Service FamiliesAccommodation. Contact your housingprovider for further information.Some Basic Steps to FollowFind out details of schools in the newlocation; contact the local HIVE, whoproduce education fact sheets andwill have information on the localeducational establishments. If you areleaving the Services and moving toan area not covered by a HIVE, theLocal Authority (LA) website will haveinformation about the schools in thatarea.Many schools now have their ownwebsite. If possible, arrange to visitschools – inspection reports alone donot tell you whether the school willbe suitable for your child. Apply assoon as possible for your preferredschool – there are different systemsfor each area with some schools,such as foundation schools not underthe admissions control of the LA. TheLA will be able to advise you further.Do remember that although the law inEngland allows you to state a preferenceit does not require the LA to allocate yourpreferred school. CEAS is here to helpyou if you need information, guidance orsupport.Admission AppealsIf it is not possible for the admissionsauthority to offer your child a schoolplace, the written reply should alwaysset out the reasons for that refusal andoffer you the right of appeal againstthe decision not to offer your child aplace. This form of reply is a legalrequirement.If you are not satisfied with the schoolplace offered, you may appeal. CEAScan offer advice on the process, help inthe wording of the appeal and may beable to attend the appeal with you or foryou. However, before appealing, do lookat the school being offered as it maysatisfy your requirements. If you have anyworries about admissions, appeals orany other matter regarding the eduationof your children, please contact CEAS forinformation and advice.If you need further information oradvice please look at the CEAS websitewww.gov.uk/childrens-educationadvisory-service,e-mail onenquiries@ceas.uk.com or contact thehelpline on 01980 618 244 or Mil 94344 8244. The helpline is open 0930-1530 Monday to Friday with an answermachine for out of hours or when thelines are engaged.The RoyalCaledonianEducation TrustThe Royal Caledonian Education Trustwas established in 1815 and supportsthe children of Scots who are serving,or who have served, in the ArmedForces.For some children, repeatedly movinghome, schools and communities,can lead to under achievement inschool, particularly if families areexperiencing financial difficulties,health problems and other issues athome.The Royal Caledonian Education Trustprovides support in several ways:• Provide educational grants to helppay for school clothing, schooltrips and after school activities likeswimming and football, wherequalifying families have difficulty infunding these themselves• Support those who want tocontinue their education beyondschool by assisting with their livingexpenses while in higher educationor vocational training, especiallywhere financial circumstancesmight otherwise prevent them fromtaking up a course For more• Provide charitable informationfunds and resources on the Royalto selected schools Caledonianand local authoritiesEducation Trust,visit www.rcet.in Scotland to improveorg.uk.support for ArmedForces Children and their familiesparticularly prior to, during andafter the deployment of a closefamily member.They also work through the EducationProgramme in Scotland with schools,local authorities, Armed Forcescharities and the military on initiativesto support Armed Forces Children,their teachers and their families in theschool environment.Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

Changes to Continuity of Education AllowanceAs part of the Strategic Defence andSecurity Review (SDSR), the Minister forthe Armed Forces announced a packageof measures designed to improve thegovernance of Continuity of EducationAllowance (CEA). Included withinthose measures was a commitment toundertake a full review of CEA to establishthat the allowance remained justifiablewithin the wider context of the SDSR.The review concluded that revising theregulations will simplify the currentarrangements while maintaining the coreprinciples of the allowance. The main changesto the extant policy (including current locationwithin JSP752, where applicable) are as follows:• Changing School within a Stage ofEducation (09.0123a). In cases wherea parent wishes to move their child toanother school because of suspectedsafeguarding issues (but wishes tocontinue claiming CEA), the parent maynow withdraw the child before seekingthe advice of the Children’s EducationAdvisory Service (CEAS), submittingcasework later. This reflects currentpractice and is now formalised within theregulations• Responsibilities (Claimant) (New). Theclaimant accepts that the deliberate abuseof CEA regulations may lead to disciplinaryaction or criminal proceedings• Eligible Service Personnel (New)• Eligible Child (New)• CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC)(09.0105)• CEA Eligibility Certificate Not Approved(09.0124)• Voluntary Withdrawal from CEA (New).The ability to voluntarily withdraw from CEAwithout financial penalty was implemented byDefence Instruction Notice 2012DIN01-242.The amendment formalises that policy change• Maternity Leave (09.0135)• CEA Eligibility Certificate – Part 1C(Claimant Certification) (Chapter 9,Section 1, Annex A)• CEA EC Guidance (New)• Reasons for Changing a School duringa Stage of Education that may beacceptable (09.0123a)• Day School Allowance (North Wales)(DSA(NW))6095-Advert A4 General v3_Layout 1 03/07/2013 15:22 Page 1• Accompanied Service Guidance (Chapter1, Section 2, Annex A)• Guidance on INVOLSEP Service (Chapter1, Section 2, Annex B).As currently reflected within extant CEAregulations, any prospective or existingclaimant wishing to dispute a decisionregarding their initial or ongoing CEAeligibility based on either the existing orrevised administrative arrangements maysubmit casework to the CEAGT detailing theircircumstances in accordance with JSP752,Chapter 1, Section 1, Paragraph 01.0108.JSP752 (tri-Service Regulationsfor Allowances) was amendedin August 2013 to reflect thesechanges.Full detailsare availableon the NavalFamiliesFederationwebsite www.nff.org.uk.Before applying for CEA, Servicepersonnel should carefully consider allthe domestic and financial implications ofclaiming CEA before they commit to theundertaking. It is strongly recommended thatthey familiarise themselves with the regulationscontained within JSP 752m Chapter 9.THE PERFECT VENUE!...for get-togethers, overnight stays,first classholiday breaks,social occasions andbusiness meetings.Setinthe heartofBritish naval traditionandsynonymous with naval standards of excellence,The Royal Maritime Club offers club membersand guests:✦ Awelcoming ambience✦ Over 100 comfortable bedrooms✦ Special ratesfor seafarersand othermilitarypersonnel✦ Enjoymentofindoor leisure facilitiesincludingswimming pool with steam room andspa, pooland snooker tables and double skittlesalley✦ Ourpopular restaurantserves aset pricedinner.Choose froma2or3course menu,changed daily✦ Traditionalbuffetstyle English breakfastAll this at the centre of Portsmouth’sunique navalheritage –HMS Victory, the Mary RoseandHMSWarriorare allclose by. Soare the rail andferry links, the harbourside GunwharfQuays shoppingcomplex and the breathtaking Spinnaker Tower.The Club isalso fully licensed for CivilMarriageand Civil Partnership ceremoniesContact us fordetails of former Militaryand Associate Membership.47Excellence and Tradition at...Queen Street,Portsmouth, Hampshire,PO1 3HSClub Tel: (023) 9282 4231 ● Advanced Bookings: (023) 9283 7681 ● E: info@royalmaritimeclub.co.ukBanqueting &Events Manager,Tel: (023) 9283 5842Autumn 2013hOMEPORT

Blundell’sIndependent Co-educational SchoolAdvertising FeatureCelebrations at Blundell’sServices PackageBoarding & Day, ages 11-18We educate the whole child by combining traditional valueswith the best modern teaching and excellent pastoral care.Extra activities include CCF and outdoor pursuits.Personal visits always welcome.To book your visit please call 01884 252543www.blundells.orgTiverton • Devon • EX16 4DNBlundell’s School in Devon has been celebrating some significantachievements recently: winning a national public speakingcompetition and a regional engineering award, fantastic resultson the sports field with pupils playing at national, county andregional level, and a host of individual and team successes in awide variety of subjects. Other highlights have included the biennialCCF inspection by Brigadier Martin Smith of the Royal Marines (atBlundell’s CCF is compulsory for all pupils in Year 10 with manycontinuing to Year 13) and an ISI inspection which judged theschool to be excellent (such as in pastoral care, curricular provisionand outcomes for boarders) or good in every category.Founded in 1604, Blundell’s is an enduring and vital communitywith a rich history and great appreciation of the need to be modernand move with the times. A co-educational independent school forboarding and day pupils from ages 11 to 18, it combines strongacademic achievement and excellent facilities with the best pastoralcare. The extra-curricular programme is extensive, catering for allinterests and skills. Blundell’s welcomes forces families and offersa services package. For more information please contact theregistrars on 01884 252543, info@blundells.org or see thewebsite www.blundells.org4824 % cheaperthantheAA.com *Why the AAis the perfect choicefor the Armed Forces• You’ll have the option to put your AA Membership on hold,for example when you’re on duty overseas• AA Membership covers the whole of the UK includingNorthern Ireland• Get the AA’s best prices at enrolment plus 10% at renewal*On averageTo join, call0800 048 0075Quoting reference ‘F0690’*Renewal discounts are off AA standard recurring annual prices. Offer only available to Armed Forces personnel by calling the number given, quoting the stated reference and paying annually by direct debit under a recurring transactionarrangement. Enrolment offer available to new Members for their first 12 months of Membership only. Renewal offer available to Armed Forces personnel who are existing AA Members, or who join under the enrolment offer, and will beavailable at each renewal date until they cease to be Armed Forces personnel or the withdrawal of this scheme. Offer not available in conjunction with any other offer/discount or on any other AA product/service. Details correct at time of issue.Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke RG21 4EA. England & Wales.Registered number 2414212.Breakdown CoverAutumn 2013RAF00570_RAF_131hx186w.indd 1 27/08/2013 11:36hOMEPORT

HMS SUTHERLANDChallengeFive sailors who were set a challenge of racing a Royal Navy warshipback to its home port of Plymouth managed to raise £6,300 for theRoyal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) along their 833 mileroute.The sailors were chosen at random and told they had just an hour to prepare toleave the ship minus money, credit cards, transport or mobile phones and race theship from the Highlands back to Plymouth via Twickenham. They had the addedbonus of a daily task set along the way.All in aid of the RNRMC, the fab five were Master At Arms Dean Latham fromSalford, Manchester, aged 38; Petty Officer (Above Water Tactical) Russell Simpsonfrom Plymouth, ,34; Leading Chef Brad Morton from Castleford, 25; EngineeringTechnician (Marine Engineer) Steve Weaver from Droitwich, 27; and Able Rate(Warfare Specialist) David Grey from Rye aged 29.Through their survival instincts, wits, charm and leadership skills – all importantattributes in the Royal Navy – the team was ultimately successful and managedto impress enough businesses and individuals of the good cause they werecollecting for to be given at least two vehicles for transport, all their meals andaccommodation freeof charge.Make adonation to CharityThere are many opportunities to successfullyfundraise for charities in your workplace, andmany companies now allow employees to raisefunds for their chosen charity through a schemeknown as ‘Matched Giving’. This simply involvesemployers donating a pound for every pound thatthe employee raises.Depending on companypolicy this could beup to the full amountraised!Ask your employersabout ‘Matched Giving’For more information oneither of these options,check with your employerif they will participate in‘Matched Giving’ or visithttp://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity/.as a way to double your fundraising donations foryour favourite charity.most of the ship’s affiliations, en-route.The ‘HighlandEscapees’ called in onStirling Castle, OldTrafford, Twickenham,the Houses ofParliament, First SeaLord’s office, RAFBenson, TauntonRacecourse, as well asA cheque has now been presented to Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, President of theRoyal Navy and Royal Marines Charity from the Commanding Officer of HMSSUTHERLAND, Commander Al Wilson, and the ship won the RNRMC ChallengeCup for 2013.If you are selling items through eBay you can alsogive to charity at the same time. When you’reselling, you decide exactly what percentage of yourfinal selling price you’d like to give to charity andwhat percentage you’d like for yourself. You alsoget to choose which charity you’d like to support.eBay for Charity listings are the same as any othereBay listing, except for the blue and yellow eBayfor Charity ribbon in search results and yourchosen charity’s mission statement and logo inyour listing. This means your listing can be seenby everyone who searches through eBay.co.uk. It’llalso get extra visibility through the eBay for Charitypages.49CIVVY STREET NEEDS YOUR HELP.If you are about to leave the Forces and have time to spare, come and work as a part-time volunteer for charity.The organisational skills you learned can be of vital importance to the success of a voluntary organisation - and help give you a new lease of life into the bargain!REACH provides a free job-finding service throughout the UK and could find you a satisfying, voluntary opportunity nearby.Write or phone for details or visit our website at www.volwork.org.ukreach89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TPTel: 020 7582 6543Registered Charity No 278837charitiesinactionAutumn 2013hOMEPORT

WIN a Family Annual Pass toMerlin Entertainment AttractionsExclusive to Royal Navy and Royal Marines FamiliesRoyal Navy and Royal Marines familieshave the chance to win 12 months of funand adventures at Merlin EntertainmentAttractions, which include Alton TowersResort Theme Park, Legoland in Windsorand Manchester, Sea Life Centres, BlackpoolTower, Thorpe Park and more! Visitwww.merlinannualpass.co.uk for moreinformation.This prize is provided by the Royal Navy andRoyal Marines Charity, funded through theOperation Olympic Fund, and courtesy ofReward for Forces.A recent winner, CPO Iain McCallum of theFleet Air Arm, took his two youngest sonsto London to see the Anniversary Games inthe Olympic Park. Whilst there, they usedthe tickets for the EDF Energy London Eye,London Dungeon and Sea Life Centre andplan to visit the Weymouth Sea Life Centrein Dorset.For your chance to win this fabulousprize, e-mail editor@nff.org.uk withyour name and contact details. EntrantsMUST be currently serving in the RoyalNavy or Royal Marines and MUST clearlystate which fighting arm the Serviceperson represents – Fleet Air Arm,Submarines, Royal Marines or part ofthe Surface Ships.Full details of how to enter ourcompetitions can be found below.Ryan and Toby McCallumon the EDF Energy London EyeWin a Pair ofMacWet GlovesMacWet gloves provide the wearer with unparalleled levels ofcomfort and grip, in all weathers and conditions. Perfect for alllevels of riding and available in a wide range of sizes, the glovesare designed to adapt to changes in temperature and moisturelevels, ensuring that the wearer benefits from their ‘all grip, no slip’technology.Attention! Win TwoBottles of Forces SaucesWe have three sets of Corporal Ketchup and Brigadier Brownsauces from Forces Sauces to give away.Great tasting, Great British sauces you can be proud to serve,sold in support of The Royal British Legion and Stoll. And becauseevery year people in Great Britain spend almost £200 million onketchup and brown sauce, it’s an easy, delicious and enjoyableway to support the British Armed Forces. See page 29 for moredetails or visit www.forcessauces.co.uk.To win a set of Forces Sauces, send in your details marked‘Sauces’.51The unique materials used for the gloves mean that they fitlike a second skin, never causing any disruption to the wearer.Visit www.macwet.com to see the various designs and sizesavailable.We have one pair of MacWet gloves, priced between £27.99 and£29.99, to give away. Send in your details marked ‘Gloves’.Reader Offer Rules and ResultsSubscription Offer Nursery Flowers: J Driver, Ferndown. No Empty Chairs Book: Mr CLawrence, Chichester. Submarine Museum Family Ticket: Mr A Derrick, Bristol; Mr ADriscoll, Gosport. Workforce Socks: Mrs J Walker, Portsmouth. Sodexo SayShoppingVouchers: Ms K Read, Leyland; Mrs R Jenking-Reef, Plymouth. Arbonne Travel Fresh Set:Mrs J Murchie, Gosport. Merlin Standard Annual Pass: R Alderson, Yeovil; Mr R Greig,Helston; Mr P Cooper, Poole; Mr C Chew, Falsane. Sweet Deestrees: Ms B Allsopp,Market Drayton. Woburn Safari Park Family Ticket: Ms A Walker, Birmingham. SpitbankFort Sunday Lunch: Mrs T Gee, Gosport.For all Reader OffersCompetitions are open to all readers of Homeport, except employeesof the NFF and their families, its publishers, printers and anyoneconnected with the competitions. Only one entry per household perprize. Your details will not be passed on to any organisations. Sendin your name and address on a postcard to NFF, Castaway House,311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth PO2 8RN or e-mail editor@nff.org.uk, clearly stating which offer you are applying for.Closing date for entries is 1st November 2013.Autumn 2013hOMEPORTreaderoffers

PRIDE • SELF-DISCIPLINE • CHARACTER • SPIRITUALITY • SPORTSMANSHIP • LEADERSHIP • RESPECT FOR OTHERSThe Duke of York’sRoyal Military SchoolAn Academy with Military TraditionsThe Forces’ best kept secret is out…• The Duke of York’s Royal Military School is a full boarding academy forforces families’ children aged 11 to 18, as well as those buying into ourmilitary ethos and traditions.• Established for over 200 years, and sponsored by the MoD, we understandthe demands of military life and will ensure your child is well looked after.• Our military ethos, ceremonial parades and Combined Cadet Force will helpyour child to develop essential life skills including character and resilience.• They will enjoy an active lifestyle with sport, music, drama and activitiesall playing a key role while studying for their GCSEs and A Levels.• Every student is actively encouraged to achieve the very best they can -developing their self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills while livingand studying in a friendly and supportive community.Our fees are £3,500 per term (£10,500 per year)* If you qualify for CEA,you will pay just over £1,000 per year. Come and visit us in Dover fora pupil guided tour.This is a Dukie community, we look out for one anotherwww.doyrms.comadmin.office@doyrms.comTel: 01304 245073* Our fees are reviewed annually

Erskine Stewart’sMelville SchoolsProud to be differentThe ‘home fromhome’ boardingexperienceSee how your child can flourish byboarding at Edinburgh’s family of schoolswith the unique ‘diamond structure’.l Full Boarding for boys and girls from 10 years+l Affordable Feesl Commitment to Excellence in Sport andthe Performing ArtsThe Mary Erskine and Stewart’s Melville Junior SchoolStewart’s Melville CollegeThe Mary Erskine SchoolThe ESMS Sixth Form& 0131 3111111Queensferry Rd, Edinburgh EH4 3EZMerchant Company Education Board Schools. Registered Charity No. SC009747www.esms.edin.sch.ukadmissions@esmgc.comFor boys and girls ~ 3-13 ~ boarding and day..where Happy Children Succeedacademic excellence | sporting and creative | the best in boarding***discounts for military families***Open Mornings 2013/2014Saturday 5th October 2013 ~ Saturday 22nd March 2014 ~ Saturday 17th May 2014Fordingbridge, SP6 1NS 01425 653 181 office@fsmschool.com fsmschool.com“The spiritual, moral, social and culturaldevelopment of the pupils is excellent.”ISI Report 2013ChafynGrovesalisbury“Boarding; likecoming home toa massive family“Excellentdiscountsfor servicefamiliesConsistently high academic resultsWide range of co-curricular activitiesincluding Combined Cadet Force andDuke of Edinburgh’s AwardDay, flexi and full boarding availablefrom age 8Preparatory School for ages 3-11 andSenior School for ages 11-18OPEN DAYSaturday5th October10am -12.30pmFor more information, or to book a personal tour or taster day,contact Admissions Manager, Kirsten Bailey.Call: 01822 813193 Email: admissions@kellycollege.comCome and see for yourself...Co-educational Day and Boarding from 3 - 13• www.chafyngrove.co.uk • 01722 333423 •www.kellycollege.com

A world~classeducation in theheart of BristolSpecialdiScountfor forceSfamilieSMoyles Court SchoolFull, weekly and flexible boarding for boys & girls age 8 to 16www.moylescourt.co.ukwww.badmintonschool.co.ukOpen Mornings held inOctober, March and MayIf you would like to find out more about our 20% FeeDiscount for Forces Families and our forthcoming openmornings, please contact our admissions team.To find out more contact ourAdmissions team on:0117 905 5271admissions@badmintonschool.co.ukGreat friends, great fun and family ethos.A warm welcome awaits you.• Excellent “Value Added” GCSE results• Vibrant and challenging curriculum• Strong pastoral ethos• Weekend and after school activities“An educational gem in the heart ofthe New Forest”Contact us to arrange a visit01425 472856 or info@moylescourt.co.ukMoyles Court School, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 3NF.Charity No. 307347. CReSTed Registered.54Clayesmorefor your child“Caring, happy and successfulacross all ability levels”The Good Schools’ GuidePrep and Senior Schools sit side-by-side in beautifulrural Dorset, for an ‘all-through’ educationFriendly boarding facilities with a real family feelA true understanding of the needs of forces’ familiesIdeal location for those based in the southGenerous forces’ bursaries availableAnd so much more....To arrange a visit at anytime (including Saturdays) please call:Prep: 01747 813203 Senior: 01747 812122www.clayesmore.comAutumn 2013hOMEPORT