Armed Forces Covenant

Post date: Feb 03, 2020 3:41:10 PM

At the March 2019 meeting of the Council of Faiths a presentation was received on the Armed Forces Covenant and on the Army Reserve Units in the area. 

Johanna Hrycak, the Armed Forces Covenant Project Manager, began the presentation.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

All Local Authorities are required to sign the covenant and around 3,000 businesses have also done so.

The Covenant focuses on helping members of the armed forces community have the same access to government and commercial services and products as any other citizen.

This support is provided in a number of areas including:

            Education and family well-being (School places)

            Home owning

            Employment advice (Starting a new career)

            Access to Healthcare (waiting lists)

            Financial assistance (inexperience)

            Discount schemes

So, for example it could be getting a child a school place out of term time.

The Armed Forces Community includes:

•      Those serving

•      Those who have served

•      Reservists

•      Their Families (including divorced spouses)

•      The bereaved

•      Cadet Instructors/volunteers

Johanna works with local service charities.

The MK Dons have been very supportive and will be signing the Covenant at Half Time on the 6th April.

Work being done to link local veterans together through things like local breakfast clubs.

Local Faith Groups and the Armed Forces community

Army Chaplains tend to be Christian, but more soldiers are from non-Christian background, so need more non-Christian padres.

No one in Military is obliged to align with any faith, but more service personnel declare faith than general population - especially so when faced with deployment.

There are a number of ex-service organisations in MK.

678 Squadron Army Air Corps - Milton Keynes & Luton

Captain Bill Holland has been in the army for 38 years, the last 5 years in the Army Air Corps.

There are around 45-48 people in the unit. Everyone is different, but work together as a team.

Recruiting – everything is on line these days.

Very strict medicals. Need to be fit and to stay fit.

In Milton Keynes the Army Reserve has three units – Army Air Corps, The Rifles and the Intelligence Corps.

Commitment for a reservist is 27 days a year. A two week camp, weekends and a training evening.

Major Michael Hrycak - A Company, 7 Rifles, Army Reserve

Major Michael Hrycak is the OC (Officer Commanding) ‘A’ Coy, 7 Rifles, which is based in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Values & Standards of the British Army

Fighting power – application of lethal force.

• 1. Physical – people & equipment.

  2. Conception – plan.

  3. Moral – why we fight.

‘The will to win’.

CDRILS

C    Courage  -  physical & moral

D    Discipline  -  self discipline

R    Respect  -  respect for others

I      Integrity  -  truthful

L     Loyalty  -  sideways, up & down

S     Selfless commitment  -  Mission, Mates, Me.