The chance to live in another country is an exciting opportunity but there’s a lot to think about before moving abroad on an overseas assignment. Jill Misson reports…
“Being able to experience a country and culture that is completely different to your own is a fabulous learning experience,” says AFF’s Head of Policy Rachel Smith.
Army spouse Keeleigh agrees: “I would never have visited Germany or Belgium if it wasn’t for our postings and now both have a special place in our hearts.” The weather may be better than the UK too. Louise, a spouse living in Cyprus, says: “We love it here! Blue skies and sunshine do wonders for your mood.”
However, more families are deciding against an overseas posting for various reasons including education, employment and financial concerns.
Around 5,700 armed forces personnel are stationed overseas, according to UK Defence statistics up to April 2024. While the majority (66 per cent) were posted within Europe, other key regions include North America, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Research is key
AFF has seen an increase in families approaching its Overseas team earlier, but many don’t start their research until after accepting an assignment. Overseas Manager Esther Thomas says: “Start early and think about what stage of life family members will be at and how this may impact them, both while you are away and when you are assigned back to the UK or onto another overseas location.
“It’s never too late to say no to an overseas assignment or to consider a temporary married unaccompanied period if the service person needs to go for career development.”
Sourcing schooling
Finding out whether appropriate schooling is available is a key concern for parents. Anna Hutchinson, AFF Education and Childcare Specialist, says: “We always advise the service person to contact the Overseas Education Supportability Team with any questions before accepting an assignment to check the suitability of a location.”
The team also co-ordinates the educational supportability assessment process for children with special educational needs and children doing elective home education. Defence Children Services (DCS) runs 21 schools and early years settings overseas, but in many locations children attend local state schools, independent schools or international schools.
Army spouse Rebecca took her children out of UK schooling for a posting in the US. She says: “It was nerve-wracking trying to work out whether we had made the right choice, but it turned out to be the best thing we have done, and they have flourished. They made friends wherever they went, saw things we had only dreamt of at their age, and have returned more confident, social and adventurous.”
Rebecca encouraged home learning using resources such as BBC Bitesize and moved her children up a grade so that they were in line with the British curriculum. She says: “It meant they were in a class with children a year older, but they did brilliantly.”
Home in on health
It’s vital to ensure the healthcare needs of your family can be met in the overseas location. Keeleigh, who was pregnant with twins in Germany, says: “I had severe complications during pregnancy, which was very scary as a young newlywed overseas. But we were fortunate that the healthcare was excellent and the regiment was supportive, so both myself and the babies were well looked after.”
Countries have different confinement policies so this must be considered if the non-serving partner is expecting a baby or you’re thinking about starting a family.
Housing differences
Every location has a different housing offer and how to apply can vary too. AFF Housing Specialist Cat Calder says: “The rule of thumb for overseas housing is that you only get offered one option with no choice. Where Service Family Accommodation (SFA) is available in the permanent joint operating bases you may find photos and floorplans of generic options. However, in other more remote locations, which rely on locally hired accommodation, this may not be possible because they operate on a one-in one-out basis with few voids so options may not be known until the last minute.”
A pilot scheme in Cyprus and the Falklands giving couples in established long-term relationships entitlement to SFA has been well-received. But a lack of awareness that this accommodation offer is not available in all overseas locations has caused some last-minute issues with potential postings.
Cat says: “Since its launch in January 2024, the pilot has provided valuable insights and personal stories showing just how life-changing this initiative has been for participants. Due to its success, the pilot has been extended until March 2027 and will include BATUS (Canada) and some Global Defence Network sites.”
Career concerns
Many spouses and partners are concerned about how an overseas posting will affect their career. Rachel Smith says: “The AFF Spouse and Partner Employment survey in 2024 showed that 61 per cent of respondents looking for employment overseas were unable to gain employment, compared with the UK figure at 20 per cent. This means that going overseas needs careful consideration, especially if the non-serving partner or spouse earns more. There are also unique taxation and eligibility criteria for each country, which could make it difficult to gain employment for spouses and partners.”
Lucy and her husband had a posting in the USA as a couple, but they are now going back as a family of five. She says: “The positive part of this assignment compared to our previous time is that I am allowed to work, although I can’t apply for my work permit until I’m in-country. Luckily, I have a social security number already, which will speed up the process. HMRC is helpful when it comes to tax status and where you have to pay taxes, so my advice would be to give them a call ahead of time.”
Like many families planning for an overseas posting, Lucy has been frustrated by the process. She says: “Spouses are largely still excluded from any of the actual nuts and bolts of making things happen, which has meant a lot of extra admin for my husband, which it would have been nice to share.”
Her solution was to book a flight at her own expense to get answers to some key questions. She explains: “I could walk around neighbourhoods, visit schools and ask questions directly. My advice to anyone in a similar situation would be to do the same thing if you’re in a position to afford it. It brings the benefit of being able to talk to the kids about what it’s going to be like and prepare them emotionally for what is a pretty big upheaval.” Lucy also recommends joining a local Facebook group so you can ask questions.
To enable army families to make informed decisions about whether to accept an overseas assignment and to have the best possible experience, AFF works with the chain of command, other stakeholders and organisations to ensure information provided about overseas locations is relevant and up to date.
Overseas projects
A £500,000 grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has been awarded to AFF to deliver a portfolio of projects, in partnership with the Naval Families Federation and the RAF Families Federation, that meet the specific needs of serving personnel and their families before, during and after an overseas assignment. This follows overwhelming evidence from a public consultation by the trust that serving personnel and families overseas had unique needs that were not being met, and as a result were suffering disadvantage.
A recent decision by the MOD to provide the overseas rate of Disturbance Allowance for those coming back from overseas postings has been welcomed by AFF. Rachel explains: “Families have been raising their concerns to us over a number of years about the increased costs they have been facing when returning to the UK.”
Alice and her husband are beginning their second posting in Brunei but this time they have a toddler in tow. She says: “The first time I was new to army life and it took me a while to get used to such a different culture and climate, as well as being so far from family and friends. But by the time we left we were really sad to say goodbye.
“Going to community events or groups, even when it felt a bit out of my comfort zone, helped with getting to know people and feeling more at home. This time I want to make the most of it from the get-go, because there is so much to enjoy and it’s an adventure we might not get to experience again.”