Our Stories in RAF News - Anger over plans for the Games

An angry wife whose husband has spent five years serving with a highly mobile team and has missed important family events. The lady says she didn't mind and they simply got on with it. However, she is now hearing that Armed Forces personnel will be used for the Olympic Games and that the Olympic Committee /Government are saying 'It will be a wonderful honour for serving personnel'. This lady doesn't think so, as yet again, it will be the family left at home... Click here

Future Accommodation -Your views go to MoD

Housing and accommodation issues dominate the Federation database. On the policy front, families are becoming more frustrated with current regulations and frequently implore the Federation to challenge the existing rules. Taking action - The Federation produces a number of evidence reports based on the concerns raised and this report to the Future Accommodation Project (FAP) team is a welcome opportunity to ensure the ‘light blue’ perspective on accommodation is represented at the highest levels. There may be differences in opinion between the Services but that is for the FAP team to take into account when coming up with an accommodation Strategy to suit the Armed Services of the future. As well as the report, read the comments made by those who completed the RAF FF Future Accommodation survey. They demonstrate the strength of feeling evoked by this subject...More information »

Last Day of our Competition to Win tickets for RIAT

Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see the action. The organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo have very kindly offered a pair of tickets to attend RIAT on Sunday 17th July 11, (worth £78). All you have to do is to find Bobby the Brave on one of the Federation website pages and answer the question he asks. Click on the link to send your answer, name and contact number. Closing date for the draw is 9am on Wed 13 Jul 11...More information »

Our Stories in RAF News - Falling Foul of the Great Divide

Dear Families Federation, I write to inform you (objectively) how our assignment from Scotland to England hindered us. While in Scotland, our son was referred to a paediatrician. A referral allowed us access to occupational therapy, speech therapy, a play specialist and a health visitor which was just what we needed and we were impressed. The paediatrician thought our son probably had autism. At about the same time, my husband was posted. My husband did request we stay in the Grampian region but was told, “There are NHS doctors wherever you are sent. ”After moving, all the Oxfordshire services placed us on waiting lists. We tried in vain to get him seen. There is no preference for RAF families, despite the policy letter suggesting as such, but they would not budge. The authorities stated the reports from Scotland were invalid. We found we were repeating the same information over and over again. I felt as if we were being treated with disdain and no compassion. It is stressful to move for any Service family, but for a special needs family, it is mind boggling...More information »

Our Stories in RAF News - I am Absolutely Petrified

The wife of a serviceman is petrified about what is going on. She worries that after a long commitment to the RAF her husband could lose his job. She worries that he may not even qualify for a full pension if he isn't allowed to reach his full-term exit point.  She fears the Government will change the allowances so we won't get the resettlement money they were counting on to get a mortgage after years of living in SFA. Click here for story

The 2010 RAF FF Annual Report

The 2010 RAF FF Annual Report is now available. Included are the top level results of the evidence gathered last year.www.raf-ff.org.uk

Dawn Goes Before the Defence Select Committee

Yesterday Dawn McCafferty, Chairman of the RAF Families Federation was invited to give evidence before the Defence Select Committee. The inquiry is the first in a series looking at the military covenant and the welfare support given to members of the Armed Forces including members of the Reserve Forces and veterans. Dawn spoke on behalf of RAF Serving personnel and their families. Following the session Dawn said: "It was interesting to see the Families Federations offered the first evidence session... By starting this Inquiry from the family’s perspective, the Committee is clearly committed to understanding the impact of either a death or a serious injury on the wider family... My key messages to the Inquiry included my observation that the RAF is clearly committed to delivering the best support it can to families facing such tragic, difficult and often life-changing circumstances...I welcomed the opportunity to contribute to this Inquiry and hope that the Committee will provide a focus on all aspects of post casualty care...More information »

Gearing up to Hit the Road

The RAF Families Federation is in ever-increasing demand to provide independent evidence on a wide range of family-related issues. To feed this requirement for independent evidence, the team are about to go out on the road around the RAF again, seeking evidence from family members, both serving and non-serving. Current plans include visits to: Henlow; Honington; Brize Norton; High Wycombe; Waddington, RAF personnel at Ramstein; and a unit in Scotland. Themes for this year’s evidence-gathering activities are: Future Accommodation; RAF Way of Life; and Impact of the SDSR. Workshops with RAF Youth and with Reservists will also continue this year. An exciting development for 2011 is our plan to launch our surveys on-line and, as well as those listed before, we intend to gather evidence on Childcare; Employment Opportunities for Non-Serving Family Members, and Definition of Family. We’d love to hear from you...More information »

Spring Issue of Envoy

The Spring Issue of Envoy should be on units or through your letter box shortly.  In this issue: RAF Manning talk Redundancy; Dr Grace Clifton discusses the education of Service children and one wife describes home 'reintergration' following a detachment...
Envoy, the quarterly magazine of the RAF Families Federation is bulk delivered to Stns/Units where there are RAF personnel. On some units they are delivered to Sections and SFA otherwise they are available from the HIVE.   
You can also view it online - Click Here

Our Stories in RAF News - Anger at CEA Review

Dear Families Federation, I am angry with the DASA Continuity of Education Allowance survey. I have been in receipt of CEA for seven years serving overseas. It was never our intent to put our children into boarding school. As a Serviceman I accept and can put up with being messed around, but I cannot be expected to gamble on something so important as family happiness and cohesion. Following our heads, not our hearts, we put our daughter in boarding school but what a decision it is to make. The real issue is that entering into CEA is a strategic decision for a family. Once entered into it has to be seen through otherwise the main purpose - stability in education - is lost. The DASA survey line of questioning implies much shorter-term options exist and pitches one dimensional issues against each other when the factors are far more complex, multi-dimensional and inter-related. The survey is biased. It needs to be debunked and an honest appraisal made of why CEA exists. Anything the RAF FF can do to bring this insidious threat to the Servicemen's commitment to the attention of policy makers would be greatly appreciated...More information »

RAF FF Under the Microscope?

Have you been in contact with the Federation over the last 18 months? If so, the RAF would like your view on how the RAF Families Federation performed and invite you to take part in the '2011 RAF Families Federation User Survey'.Click Here

Dawn Champions the Cause in the Heart of Government

Following Dawn's appearance before the House of Commons Armed Forces Bill Committee she gave an interview to BFBS Radio's Shirley Swain. In it Dawn explains why she and her fellow Chairs from the other two Families Federations were there and what she hoped to achieve for RAF families ...More information »

LIVE NOW! - Watch RAF FF Giving Evidence

Dawn McCafferty, Chairman of the RAF Families Federation is NOW live on Parliament Television preparing to give evidence to the House of Commons Armed Forces Bill Committee. Dawn's contribution will be broadcast at 12noon. The committee have been in session since 10.28am. Dawn's evidence is entirely based on views received by the RAF Families Federation from Serving RAF personnel and their family members - Your evidence...More information »

RAF Morale - RAF FF Speak Live on the BBC

In a live interview with Joanne Malin on BBC Radio, Dawn McCafferty, Chairman of the RAF Families Federation, gave the Federation's view on Wednesday's headline news. Dawn speaks about the Military Covenant, morale within the RAF and why it is that Service Personnel and their families should be given fair consideration because of the unique role they play in the defence of this country...More information »

Mass Irritation over CEA Survey

Following our story 'Beware CEA Survey' and the Army Families Federation press release this afternoon, there is much irritation about the CEA Survey. Who has been asked to complete it; Who has not; A lack of access; Irritation at the way the questions have been phrased; The questions that are being asked... We too consider it to have been been very badly handled. Dawn McCafferty the RAF Families Federation Chairman is meeting with Martin Fuller, who is leading the Ministerial Review into CEA next week, and will be feeding in all comments made by RAF personnel and family members. We would encourage anyone in light blue, serving or non-serving, to let us know what they feel about CEA Board as the more evidence we have, the better. But please do it soon as the first opportunity to show our dissatisfaction is next week...More information »

Allowances - Giving the Federation Line...

The shake up to the allowances paid to servicemen and women announced are designed to save more than a hundred million pounds from the MoD budget. Dawn McCafferty, Chairman of the RAF Families Federation, in an interview with Richard Hutchinson on BFBS Radio, gives her reaction to the changes and who they will hit the hardest...More information »

Our Stories in RAF News - I am Leaving and I am Just Not Prepared...

Dear Families Federation, I am about to leave the RAF at my 22-year point and have suddenly realised how badly prepared I am for the transition to civilian life. I am divorced and find myself with 64% of my pension allocated to my ex-wife, as well as the family home, which she kept when we separated. I live in the Block so have no home to go to. Although I have a new partner, she lives in Housing Association accommodation with her children and if I were to move in, this would impact on her entitlement to benefits, something I don’t wish to inflict on her. I have no job to go to although I am going on a series of training courses so hope that will help. At the moment I’m facing a very uncertain future and I wonder if you can help?...More information »

"Where it Hits, It Will Hurt"

Dawn McCafferty, Chairman of the RAF FF, said of yesterdays Allowances Review, "On the up side, in all honesty, not as draconian as we had feared but still a sharp intake of breath for some, particularly those who claim a combination of effected allowances, those in London, and those serving overseas on a permanent basis. But this is going to hit some harder than others and where it hits, it will hurt. Depending on individual circumstances, these cuts may well make the difference between a junior Serviceperson and his/her family 'just getting by' and tipping over into debt and financial crisis, particularly if they have children and the partner does not work. When combined with a 2-year pay freeze, the increase in VAT, soaring fuel prices, base closures and a forthcoming redundancy programme, these cuts will convince many Service personnel and their families that they are not valued and that their quality of life is being eroded to such a degree that a military career is no longer attractive...

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Our Stories in RAF News - The CSA is Prejudiced against Service Partners

Dear Families Federation, I am currently serving on exchange in the United States. I live here with my wife, her two children from a previous relationship and our baby. My wife's ex-partner was paying maintenance for his children, however, once we got to the USA he stopped paying. When my wife pursued this through the CSA, she was told that they would not assist because she was not a UK resident. She appealed, explaining again that she was in the US only because I am a Crown Servant. Following the appeal she was told that her residence with me was entirely voluntary and therefore the CSA would not take the case. To obtain the maintenance that her children are entitled to the CSA expect her to move back to UK, splitting up our family, to the detriment of us, the older children and our baby...More information »

Federation Chairman Gets on Her Bike

Follow me on this cycling Challenge as I bike from Vietnam to Cambodia! This breathtaking bike ride will take me from Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Two fascinating countries - one awesome Challenge! Please follow my progress as I endeavor to raise money for Ambergate Sports College in Grantham and Grantham Autism Information Network. My target is to raise £2,000 and I will personally cover the costs of my flights and accommodation so those sponsoring me do not feel they are not funding a freebie holiday. If you can support my efforts with a donation then any sum would be gratefully received... More information »