Young ones

Nurturing under-fives is an important part of our Service communities. We look at a couple of local initiatives bringing younger children together… “CHAPLAINCY values every member of the community,” said S...

‘How I built my confidence’

Charlie Bell (15), who lives with his family in Catterick Garrison, shares his experience attending the 19-day Skills for Life Award residential course at The Outward Bound Trust’s Aberdovey Centre... A FE...

A Word From: Supportability overseas

OVER the last few months, AFF has been looking at how families are supported whilst posted overseas. Many of you contact us because you are unaware of what help is available, or because you feel that the assist...

Toddlers on their travels

Being posted overseas with young children can be a great adventure, but it can also have its drawbacks. Childcare provision and facilities for under-fives varies from location-to-location, so the key thing is t...

Covenant success: Distance working

AFTER many years of living and working in the UK, I don’t always see being French as my most defining character trait – although, I suppose, it has influenced the way I have dealt with things in the 20 years si...

Mind the gap

While it can be challenging for partners of Service personnel to return to work after a career gap, we meet the women proving that breaks in employment are not necessarily a bad thing… Emma Horseman Na...

Postbag: Solution needed for overseas voters

DURING June’s snap general election, many postal votes didn’t arrive at BFPO locations with enough time to be sent back and be counted. For many soldiers and families, proxy voting isn’t an option and many wor...

Finding a fair deal

With the mobile nature of Army life, you and your soldier can sometimes become accidental landlords if you have to rent out your property to undertake a posting elsewhere. Lt Col Penny Davies ALS (pictured abov...

A Postcard From Mons

FROM: Emma, soldier Stuart, Daisy (3), Sam (21 months) and Labrador Harvey WHERE: Mons, Belgium How long have you been an Army family? Six years. We have had postings in Germany, Aldershot, London and now S...