tread carefully
As a parent with children in Boarding School I read the attached article and am inevitably concerned about what the future will bring. My story is simple:
- 4 years ago my wife and I finally committed ourselves beyond my 38yr point. I would remain in the RAF as long as the MOD wants and subject to family harmony.
- The next challenge was to satisfy family harmony; we saw 3 options available to us (others may see more or less)
1. Move our family around as I get posted.
2. Settle my family in one location and commute for the remainder of my career.
3. Give my children stability of education whilst the family remain mobile during posting.
Our children were consulted and supported option 3 having already moved school 3 times within 3 years before they were 10. My wife and I did not want to spend potentially the best part of 17+ years seperated during the week or continually move our children from school to school (and during term time due to DHA regulations limiting the right to retain SFA until the end of the school year). We therefore chose option 3 and have not looked back since. The children are going back to school, today for the star of what will be their 5th year in the same school, with the same friends and teachers. My wife, children and I have lived together wherever I have been posted.
Our Armed Forces have been undergoing a steady reconfiguring towards expeditionary operations for several years now. Couple this change with downsizing and an increased committment to deployed operations, every Serviceman or Servicewoman can now expect to be deployed overseas - in the short term this may be in excess of the harmony guidelines. The stability we have experienced over the past 4 years has been a fundamental part of my ability to focus on my career and, on the flip side, what the Service gets out of me.
Over this period I have been posted 4 times and on all occasions a house move was required. If we had chosen option 1 our children would have had a further 4 school moves on top of the 3 they had already experienced.
What would we have done without access to CEA? We wouldn't have chosen option 1 - that I can say for certain. We would have been left with the option of commuting. In the short term we would have coped. However, I can say with some considerable certainty that an additional option would come into consideration - leaving the Service to live with my family.
I am quietly confident that the hierarchy within the Forces understand the fundamental retention factor CEA brings. From my point of view a review would be welcome if the remit was to target the allowance on those who are truly mobile (both within the UK and overseas). I would suggest that to reduce the amount or remove it would impact on the retention of high calibre committed Servicemen/women willing to give their career to the Armed Forces. The MOD will be aware of the impact and accept the consequences.
Q -SuperMOBs/Garrisons will eliminate the need for CEA as families will settle in that area? I believe this is a flawed argument as mobility will be required as careers progress and children reach teh age where educational stability is a strong family requirement. JSF will be based in Lossie, Typhoon in Leuchars and CGY. The ISTAR fleet at WAD and the AT/AAR fleet at BZN. All (bar BZN) are not within commutable distance to MOD. The choice of HWY as the future Centre of gravity for the RAF puts HQ postings outside commuting distance etc etc PJHQ, JFACC, CAOC9, Joint posts in Land, Div HQ, Fleet
I hope this review is undertaken without a preconceived outcome and supports continued family stability for those of us committed to the Services and who want to live with their spouses more than at the weekend.
CEA for those who are truly mobile.
CEA for boarders.
Last edited by 99redballoons; 30th Aug 2006 at 09:38.
Reason: Changing colour and reflecting previous unseen reply