Latest news with #veterans
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veterans railcards could extend to family in new ‘legal duty' for armed forces
Families of veterans could receive cut-price train fares of their own as part of proposals to strengthen the UK's military covenant being considered by ministers, it is understood. Eligibility for the special railcard, which provides a discount of one third on most tickets, could be extended under plans to offer more support to the armed forces community. Under existing rules, spouses of veterans can be offered concessions when travelling as a companion to the cardholder, but cannot use benefits independently. It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed plans to place a 'legal duty' on all Government departments to consider the needs of military personnel and their families when making policy. Number 10 said more details of the measure would be set out in due course, but could include initiatives such as extending travel benefits to the families of veterans and the bereaved. It is understood that one proposal being considered is the extension of the veterans railcard to family members, though no decisions have been made. Sir Keir earlier met trainee pilots and their families as he visited RAF Valley on Anglesey in North Wales, to mark Armed Forces Day. He said: 'Across the country and around the world, our service personnel and their families make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and protect our freedom and our way of life. 'When I became Prime Minister, I made a promise to serve those who have served us. 'Through the new Armed Forces Covenant, we are delivering on that promise, ensuring our service personnel, veterans and their families are treated with the respect they deserve, that is our duty. 'Our Armed Forces Covenant will put our armed forces community at the very heart of government decision-making. 'Their courage, duty, and sacrifice are the foundation of our national values, and they deserve nothing less.' Labour pledged in its manifesto to fully implement the Armed Forces Covenant, which supports the military community through a range of initiatives and grants. Under the new legislation all areas of Government will for the first time have to have 'due regard' in decision-making for the unique circumstances and position of the armed forces community, Downing Street said. Currently this is only legally required in areas of housing, healthcare and education at local level, meaning it does not apply to central Government. The extension will cover policy areas including employment, immigration, welfare, transport, pensions, childcare and criminal justice. The Government aims to make the changes in the next Armed Forces Bill, one of which is required every five years. The last Bill was passed in 2021. It comes ahead more than 200 events expected to take place across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day. The town of Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire will host this year's annual national event, and is expected to welcome 200,000 visitors. It will feature a military parade with personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and the RAF's Red Arrows, including music from the British Army Band Catterick and the Band of the Coldstream Guards. A flypast by Chinook helicopters and historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take place above the town's beaches, as well as a fireworks display and a concert by military musicians. Defence Secretary John Healey, who will attend the celebrations, said: 'On Armed Forces Day the nation unites to thank our armed forces: our service personnel, our reservists, our veterans and our cadets. 'This is the day we celebrate all they do, in ordinary and extraordinary ways, to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. 'We're matching our words with actions, committing an extra £1.5 billion to fix forces' family housing this parliament, the largest pay rise in over 20 years for personnel, and bringing the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. 'Our government's plan for change is renewing the nation's contract with those who serve.' The Ministry of Defence has also announced that the bidding process for next year's Armed Forces Day national event will open next week on Tuesday. Local authorities can apply for up to £50,000 in funding to host the celebrations.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
William and Harry's former private secretary: 'Protect our courageous SAS soldiers or we will lose them forever'
Last summer I went back to Hereford for the funeral of a friend from 30 years ago. He had died climbing, which is what he loved most, apart from his family, his friends and his country. Other than a mesmerising twinkle in the eye and dark good looks, he didn't stand out as anything special on a crowded street. For he was a humble man: Kind, selfless and quietly confident. He had a drive within him to help others, particularly the vulnerable, the picked-upon and those living in fear of their lives. Normal traits, in fact, for a soldier of the Special Air Service. So much has been written about the SAS, so many films made, so many reality-TV botch-ups of our actions and even our selection processes. Apart from one or two post-war accounts written by early veterans, I recognise none of the recent fictional stereotypes in my friend the climber or anyone else I came across in my eight years in the regiment. At the wake after the funeral in Hereford, the regiment's home, I was buttonholed by George Simm, my Squadron Sergeant Major, Regimental Sergeant Major and benevolent scourge. Almost all the old friends I met with him were being persecuted for their brave actions in Northern Ireland many decades ago. They were phlegmatic, facing the storm as they've faced it before, but their courage could not conceal the sense of betrayal they felt. I left angry. It is an abhorrent injustice. Though bound by the SAS strict code of discretion, I can at least use the four unchanging principles of our founder David Stirling to tell you the reality of what I saw during my time. First, the principle that seemed so effortless to everyone but me (though I hope others may have felt the same): 'The unrelenting pursuit of excellence.' I have never known – nor will I again – such consummate professionalism as in the SAS. Within its ranks are some of the finest soldiers in the world, jacks-of-all-trades who have proved they can meet any threat – except perhaps the one they now face from lawfare, the threat from within. Next came 'the highest standards of self-discipline'. Physical and organisational, but especially moral. An oft-quoted line is that we would never transgress morally on operations because to do so would be to lower ourselves to the base level of our enemies, blowing our credibility and decimating our ability to achieve our mission. While this may be true, it is secondary. What guides SAS soldiers is the urge to do right by the innocent folk we have been sent to protect – as in Northern Ireland, where the SAS arrested more terrorists than they ever killed – and to do right in the eyes of our comrades and the British people. That might sound overly idealistic, pompous even, but it is how many of us felt. Some of us in the regiment did not even vote in general elections. This was not idleness and certainly not some petulant statement. It was because we had implicit faith in our system of parliamentary democracy, and in what Britain stood for in the world. To have voted would, in some way, have compromised that. We were there to do the will of the Government – any government – and not take party-political sides. That, of course, was when we believed the Government had our backs. Stirling insisted upon 'a classless but not a rank-less society', based on pure merit and no social preferment. We all did the same selection – officers and men – which meant that we had complete faith in one another. To reap the benefits of an egalitarian structure such as the SAS, as with any other successful human enterprise, still requires leadership and a rank structure. But, as a commander in the regiment, what I learnt very early on was that I was not always the leader. To have had me telling the climber what to do on a cliff-face would have been, literally, sheer lunacy. He was the leader then... and so on. Finally, Stirling recognised that hubris was the surest route to ruin. So, his quartet closes with a call for 'humility and humour'. Recognising that success in the past does not guarantee success for the future is often the most difficult of the principles to obey. But it is perhaps the most critical. The urgency with which SAS soldiers fought the temptation to be complacent and strove to remain ahead of our country's enemies simply astounded me. It still does. While an unforgivable conceit, I am going to add a fifth principle: 'Decency'. Three of my children have SAS god-fathers. They weren't picked for their extraordinary skills – hardly transferable – but because the moral compass of each is welded at true north. Enough said. It seems to me that the British have a decision to make. Either we move to protect our SAS soldiers – as they have protected us – or we do nothing and lose the SAS. In capability and character, this is a strategic asset that no other country has and which – any day now – the British people might sorely need. This is why I wholeheartedly support the Daily Mail's campaign to protect our veterans.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Ex-royal aide blasts betrayal of SAS heroes - former Special Forces officer backs Mail's campaign to protect Northern Ireland veterans from legal witch hunts
A former royal aide and SAS officer has backed the Mail's campaign to protect Northern Ireland veterans from legal witch hunts. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a godfather to Prince George, joined the call for an end to so-called lawfare that dates back to the Troubles. This week, the Mail launched the Stop The SAS Betrayal campaign to protect troops from being hounded by the threat of legal action decades after they served. This newspaper is demanding that ministers reverse their bid to repeal clauses in the Legacy Act that provide protections for Northern Ireland veterans, or produce a proper alternative. At the centre of the campaign is a case involving 12 SAS soldiers whose killing of four IRA terrorists in 1992 has been found 'unlawful' by a coroner. They could face murder charges. Last night, a petition backing the soldiers had gained more than 155,000 signatures. A parliamentary debate on the issue is scheduled for July 14. Mr Lowther-Pinkerton, a former SAS squadron commander and principal private secretary to Princes William and Harry, and latterly the Duchess of Cambridge, said such cases put the regiment's future in jeopardy. He added: 'This is an abhorrent injustice. Though bound by the SAS strict code of discretion, I know from my experience SAS soldiers have proved they can meet any threat – except, perhaps, the one they face from lawfare. 'It seems to me the British have a decision to make. Either they move to protect their SAS soldiers – as they have protected them – or they do nothing and lose the SAS. 'In capability and character, this is a strategic asset no other country has and which – any day now – the British people might sorely need. 'This is why I wholeheartedly support the Daily Mail's campaign to protect our veterans.' Mr Lowther-Pinkerton, who rarely speaks publicly due to his previous royal roles, has joined forces with other SAS commanders and MPs such as Sir David Davis and Mark Francois, as well as former veterans minister Johnny Mercer. The father-of-four was a British Army officer for 20 years, serving in Northern Ireland, the Balkans and Iraq. His first Royal appointment was as an equerry to the Queen Mother from 1984 to 1986. His intervention came as the Prime Minister's veterans' tsar branded plans to amend the Legacy Act 'immoral' and 'two-tier justice'. David Johnstone, the Veterans' Commissioner for Northern Ireland, said up to 70 former soldiers could be forced into the dock as a result. He told The Daily Telegraph: 'It's lopsided, it's two-tier justice, and if the Government thinks that they can reverse this and there not be push-back from veterans, well, I think they're in for a surprise, because veterans are just not going to stand for it. 'The pressure is on that this Government should not make reversals that will put soldiers in the dock for doing their jobs. 'The then-Labour government came to the society in Northern Ireland, and said, 'Look, in order to have peace, you must accept terrorists being let out of jail… royal pardons, effective amnesty for terrorists'. 'Then there was the decommissioning of weapons, which meant that the evidence that could have put terrorists in prison was destroyed. So society was asked to accept all of those things. 'And yet, 27 years on, we have this ongoing vexatious lawfare which is targeting and demonising those who wore the uniform.' The Mail can also reveal that SAS veterans facing a possible criminal probe over their killing of four IRA terrorists in February 1992 are to stage a re-enactment. The reconstruction of events at Clonoe, County Tyrone, is part of a bid by the Ministry of Defence to instigate a judicial review of the verdict at Northern Ireland Coroner's Court and have the ruling overturned. Coroner Mr Justice Humphreys found the soldiers' use of force was excessive, even though the terrorists had a heavy machine gun, a medium machine gun and AK47 assault rifles. Peter Clancy, Kevin Barry O'Donnell and Sean O 'Farrell (pictured left to right) were shot dead by SAS soldiers in 1992. They were all members of the IRA and had used a machine gun mounted on a lorry to shoot up a police station Former SAS Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) George Simm said: 'The reconstruction aims to provide a true account of what happened to balance the judge's version of events. 'The team as a whole are clear in their minds the IRA fired first. Some of the soldiers observed muzzle flashes through their night sights. 'There are also accounts of thumps into the ground alongside where they were hiding. 'Forensics say there were marks on the bushes and branches. And, one of the team got hit in the face. There was no 'subject-matter expert' [expert witness] at the hearing as the judge assumed his version of events was correct. 'He gave the appearance of choosing evidence to suit his narrative, rather than looking at the evidence objectively.' Following the coroner's decision earlier this year, files have been passed to Northern Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions, which could lead to some of the SAS veterans being charged. The Legacy Act was introduced by then veterans minister Mr Mercer in 2023 to stop Troubles veterans being prosecuted decades after the conflict. Labour's manifesto last year included a pledge to repeal it. British soldiers were said to be constantly looking over their shoulders while based in Northern Ireland and that it was an 'extremely dangerous place'. Pictured is a British Paratrooper detaining a youth during riots on Bloody Sunday in 1972 The Act was found to breach the European Convention on Human Rights, which places an investigative duty on the state where its agents may have caused death or injury. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has defended the move, telling the Mail that any government would have to repeal unlawful legislation. He said the Government was 'engaging with veterans and all interested parties over future legislation, and we will ensure there are far better protections in place'. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that it had lodged an application seeking permission to judicially review the coroner's recent findings and verdict in the Clonoe inquest'. A defence source said: 'We consider that the findings and verdict do not properly reflect the context of the incident nor the challenging circumstances in which members of the Armed Forces served in Northern Ireland. 'The MoD is funding the veterans in question to seek judicial review and providing them with welfare support.'
Geek Wire
15 hours ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Tech Vets: Christopher Pavel connects innovators to the military problems they can help solve
Christopher Pavel, deputy director at Pacific Northwest Mission Acceleration Center. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Pavel) [Editor's note: 'Tech Vets: Profiles in Leadership and Innovation,' is a GeekWire series showcasing U.S. military veterans leading companies within the Pacific Northwest tech industry. The series explores how military experience fosters leadership, resilience, and innovation in tech.] While describing the talent in his office at Pacific Northwest Mission Acceleration Center (PNW MAC), Christopher Pavel rattled off a lineup of former military members that sounded like a team he could go to war with: Former Navy C130 crew member. Marine Corps helicopter commander. Tank crew member and purple heart recipient. Marine Forces Special Operations Command amphibious recon member. As deputy director of PNW MAC, Pavel's not headed to a battlefield, but he's fighting nonetheless — for the military and for companies innovating on its behalf. 'This team is available to everybody in this community to translate defense needs and industry tech and put them together,' he said of PNW MAC. 'Anybody can come to us and use our service. We're literally here to support the defense ecosystem in the greater Pacific Northwest. We're lucky to do it.' Renton, Wash.-based PNW MAC helps innovators with mentorship and strategic connections to military partners. By better understanding operational needs and aligning technology with defense priorities, companies are able to accelerate viable deployment opportunities. Pavel joined PNW MAC last year in September after a more than two decades of experience in the U.S. Air Force and tech sector. Originally from the Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington, Pavel joined the Air Force in 2002, viewing it as a way to travel the world. He landed just eight hours away from his hometown at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. 'I just basically moved next door,' he laughed. 'But everywhere I've been, it's been a little mini-adventure and a good experience.' Pavel served for about a decade in the Air Force Security Forces, helping secure nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles at Malmstrom before transitioning to a job as an antiterrorism advisor. That's where he started piecing together how industry could be leveraged to solve complex military problems. 'That was the name of the game,' Pavel said. 'Finding issues or problems associated with whatever base we would do an assessment on, and then finding products in industry that could be leveraged and put on contract to solve it. I did a lot of matchmaking, even back in my early days.' Christopher Pavel in uniform and on the field before a Seahawks game at Lumen Field in Seattle. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Pavel) After his active duty service, Pavel transitioned to the Montana Air National Guard and crossed over to a combat engineering squadron where he eventually trained to be a cyber operator. His career eventually brought him back to Washington, working in a cyber role for the Western Air Defense Sector at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. It was here that he laid the groundwork for his current job. Pavel helped lead an innovation program for the Washington State Air National Guard that served all 41 commanders across the state. The program raised a $17 million innovation portfolio and launched 28 projects — many of them brought to fruition through collaboration with PNW MAC. As he was transitioning out of the military, PNW MAC made perfect sense. 'I basically went from doing the job in uniform to doing the exact same job out of uniform,' Pavel said. The Pacific Northwest, with its robust tech industry and numerous military installations, offers a fertile ground for defense innovation. There are multiple military tech startups on the rise, such as Overland AI and EdgeRunner AI, both ranked in the GeekWire 200. And new reports suggest tech's on-again, off-again cycle of engagement with the military is heating up again. PNW MAC offers a range of services, including two tech accelerators: an international one called NATO DIANA and an in-house Defense Technology Accelerator. They also manage contracts specifically for the Navy and other branches of service, acting as 'DoD matchmaker.' The team at PNW MAC is comprised almost entirely of veterans with diverse military backgrounds who possess invaluable firsthand knowledge and know what works in the field. 'The DoD is kind of funny,' Pavel said. 'You have this really tradition-based organization, but you're still needing to change and accelerate and innovate to meet the demands of emerging threats. So being able to be on both sides has been super important. To understand the hurdles around tech translation is gold.'
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire RAF veteran urges people to seek early help for PTSD
An RAF veteran is urging people to seek help for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as early as White served in Afghanistan in 2011 as a communications engineer, and part of his role involved monitoring video and images of dead soldiers and 38-year-old said he was "effectively watching people lose their lives in horrific ways", and left the armed forces in 2017 after a diagnosis of PTSD and White, who lives in Newport in Shropshire, said it was "quite common" for people not to get help for the mental health condition until "decades" after. Originally from Billingham in Teesside, Mr White joined the RAF in returning to the UK following service in Afghanistan, he said he "was feeling incredibly low, I was angry, I was losing sleep, I was having horrific memories of what had happened"."It kind of ruined a lot of different aspects of my life." Mr White said when he became a father in 2021, he found it "really difficult.""When my son cried and screamed as kids will do, that would cause me to have flashbacks and see things from my past that were really troubling and upsetting," he said."There were times where I came quite close to not being here anymore." According to charity Combat Stress, which provides treatment and support for UK veterans, on average it takes people 13 years between leaving the armed forces and seeking their help for mental health issues. The mental health organisation said the majority of those they helped were veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr White is also keen to emphasise that it is not just an issue facing veterans, describing PTSD as "quite insidious.""When I talk about my symptoms, they sound obvious that something is wrong," he said."But actually, they're so sneaky and manage to weave themselves into the fabric of your life that by the time you get to the level of where I was, to you, it seems very normal." Now, he is urging people to get help and support - either from charities like Combat Stress and Samaritans, or by going to their GP."The sooner we can say 'hang on a second, I went through this, I don't know if it's causing issues, but I should talk to someone about this,' that would be great," he said."As brutal and as impossible as it can feel sometimes, please don't give up."If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story you can visit the BBC Action Line for support. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
