NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008 33
News and information for serving personnel
That was
what was in
it for you
AS PART of MOD Diversity Week,
Donations
the RN’s Equality and Diversity
teams joined forces to organise
a drop-in event at Portsmouth will avoid
Naval Base.
The aim of the day was to
raise general awareness about a
range of diversity topics including
festive
promoting equality of opportunity,
the importance of self-declaration
on HRMS, the availability of staff parcel rush
networks and diversity groups and
to promote the ‘disability toolkit
MEMBERS of the public who
for line managers’.
send Christmas gifts to unnamed
The theme of the event was
British Service personnel overseas
What’s in it for me?
are being urged by the MOD this
More than 140 people came
year to donate money to military
through the doors to seek the
charities instead.
answer to that question, and
Every Christmas the public
were able to talk to staff from or
● A videograb from the latest 2-6
donate gifts for those serving
representing the Pay Personnel
DVD – a Special Families edition
overseas, but the large number
and Pensions Agency, Naval
of packages can cause problems
Personal Family Services, HIVE,
for friends and families sending
child-care vouchers, unions and
cards and gifts to loved ones,
DbLearning.
Latest DVD focuses
and even challenge operational
Occupational health officers
effectiveness and safety.
conducted blood pressure tests on
The MOD has introduced
naval base personnel in support
new controls on post after last
of the current Know Your Numbers
year’s festive period when, in the
campaign, while other groups gave
two months before Christmas,
advice on healthy living and work-
more than 21,000 sacks of mail,
life balance.
weighing over 170 tonnes, were
on the families
sent to Afghanistan alone.
New link to
The majority of the mail was
parcels generously donated to
unnamed British personnel.
Civvy Street
Such an enormous surge in the
volume of post puts a strain on the
supply chain, diverting effort from
SAILORS will be given the
making sure that essential combat
opportunity to demonstrate to
THE latest 2-6 DVD – the
thinks about our families, current via the RN Intranet at the Fleet
supplies such as ammunition,
civilian managers the business
operations and the future. Internal Communication Hub at
medical supplies, food and
skills which they employ in their
annual Special Families
In amongst all this, the regular http://royalnavy.defence.mod.
equipment reach the front line.
Service careers.
Edition – will hit the streets
On Ops feature and Newsbelt uk/fleetcc/IC%20hub.htm
As much of this post
A new partnership between
shortly and will form part of
provide you with an update on If you have a message that you
must reach its destination
the MOD and the Chartered
your next Divisional Meeting.
what the Naval Service is doing would like to send to the RN or
by helicopter, particularly in
Management Institute will give
The programme features an
globally – and includes information would like to feature in the 2-6
Afghanistan, extra flights mean
up to 6,000 Royal Navy and RAF
extended article on the Service
that could possibly save you some DVD Your Shout section, contact
extra danger for pilots and crews.
personnel each year access to
Command and Staff Paper –
money. Lt Cdr Gregor Birse at Gregor.
For these reasons, the MOD,
qualifications and courses which
effectively the Government’s
Outside of Divisional Meetings, birse922@mod.uk, telephone
in partnership with British Forces
are recognised and sought by
aspiration of how Service families
employers on Civvy Street.
should be looked after in the
you can view this DVD and archived 93832 8809 (023 9262 8809), or
Post Office (BFPO), is limiting
A similar scheme is already in
future.
copies via the RN Community WO1(AWT) Baz Cooke at barrie.
the free postal system only to
friends and families, with mail
operation with the Army.
Also in the DVD:
website (www.rncom.mod.uk) cooke731@mod.uk, telephone
only being accepted if addressed
Courses will cover more than
We catch up with Naval Families
or www.nff.org.uk, and also 93832 8821 (023 9262 8821).
to a named person.
30 areas of training, ranging
during HMS Gloucester’s Families Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson,
from change management and
Day and see how the men and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff
team leadership to operational
women of the Fighting G view (Personnel), said: “The generosity
management.
what is important to them and New ‘Corps colonel’ and support of the British public
It means that elements of the
their nearest and dearest; has been outstanding and it
RN’s Initial Officer Training and
We hear from a Naval wife means a huge amount to all those
NCO management and leadership
who had to move her family from
serving in our Armed Forces.
training will be linked to national
Derby to Portsmouth whilst her
“We are hugely grateful for
partner was deployed in Iraq;
for Silent Service
standards which are met by the all the public support for our
UK’s civilian population.
The Naval Families Federation
A NEW post has been set up to
Servicemen and women, but
Assessment will be through
introduce themselves and tell how
address not only the recruiting
because of the great response,
work-based assignments, and will
they can be of benefit to you;
issues that currently beset the
we urge people to donate to
span NVQs through to Diplomas
Beijing gold medallist Lt Peter
Submarine Service but also the
alternative organisations to
in Strategic Management and
Reed reveals what it is like to be
issues of retention and ethos.
minimise the impact of Christmas
Leadership, equivalent to post-
an Olympic champion;
Those in the Submarine Service
mail surges.
graduate degrees.
CINCFLEET says what he
will know their new ‘Corps colonel’
“When on operations, the
– Cdr Piers Barker. Those outside
receipt of news from home, a
will see much of him as he visits
letter from your wife or children,
the recruiting authorities who will
is a huge boost to morale, but
aid his team in its quest.
unfortunately, this can be delayed
The new role was mooted in
by the large volume of mail
2007, when it was decided that generously donated.”
a dedicated Submarine Service New controls will continue
Commander was required to act to allow free post to the
as a focal point for the recruiting friends and family of those
effort and to address critical serving on operations overseas
shortfalls of submarine recruits. whilst maintaining operational
Cdr Barker will also deliver effectiveness.
fundamental ‘seed corn’ activity Members of the public who
and set the conditions for wish to show their support,
recruiting the “follow-on SSBN but who do not have someone
manpower bulge”. specific to whom they can send a
This focal point and recruiting parcel, are encouraged to donate
● A detail of the watercolour of HMS Devonshire in 1929
initiative has already been to a range of charities including
Scourge of the Atlantis
successful when adopted by the UK4U Thanks!, which provides
● Cdr Barker presents a new RN/Submarine Service-sponsored
RM and FAA, who appointed
strip to the Tullochan Tigers, a girls’ team sponsored by CNR, who
a Christmas parcel for every
officers at SO1 level to act as
go into schools to coach and teach confi dence, and also provide
Serviceman and woman serving
Corps colonels, and specifically,
A WATERCOLOUR by Frank Devonshire she had sunk or
help and support at the Erskine Hospital
overseas on Christmas Day, the
to turn around critical manpower RBL, PoppyScotland, SSAFA,
Wood of cruiser HMS Devonshire captured more than 145,000 tons shortages in their respective arms. period of recruiting decline. Service and to be the first in post. Seafarers UK, RNBT and Help
in 1929 is Trophy no 10773. of Allied merchantmen. Cdr Barker said: “This is not So far the effort has been split “The Submarine Service faces for Heroes.
The painting was presented to Devonshire held back until the something that can be turned along the Humber-Mersey line, a number of challenges both Mail arrangements for families
the ship by Mrs Rawlings, the wife Atlantis’ cover story was proved around overnight but requires a with WO Mould taking the south now and in the future, that by and friends are unaffected.
of the ship’s first captain. to be false, at which point she campaign of co-ordinated activity and Cdr Barker looking north as teamwork, application and action, Packages up to 2kg may be sent
On November 22 1941 was sunk. to ensure the scarce resources at far as Shetland. can and will be overcome. free of charge at any time through
Devonshire sighted the German Survivors were picked up our disposal are used to maximum CPO Swindells has fulfilled the “The drumbeat of the Astute the Royal Mail and BFPO to
Kriegsmarine raider Schiff 16 – by U-boat and transferred to a effect. There is much to do.” role of the submarine subject matter class, the requirement to recruit named personnel in eligible ships
better known as Atlantis – in the supply ship – which was promptly WO Colin Mould, the Warfare expert within CNR’s HQ and has for the Trident successor as well and theatres.
South Atlantic. sunk by Devonshire’s sister HMS Ratings Branch Manager, and started a number of initiatives as maintaining the manpower for
She was one of a flotilla of Dorsetshire. CPO (ET)(ME) Jonathon within the communities from which our current submarine classes, is
merchant ships equipped as Survivors were picked up (in Swindells, Captain Naval the Navy aims to recruit, enhancing not to be underestimated.
auxiliary cruisers to prey on some cases for a second time) Recruiting’s specialist Submarine the visibility of the RN and the “My remit of addressing the
Allied vessels, using disguised by U-boats, and after a 5,000- Recruiter (who will be relieved Submarine Service. long-term recruiting, retention and
superstructure to enhance the mile journey they were landed in this month when he returns to sea Cdr Barker said: “I am very ethos issues in order to man a
element of surprise. German-occupied French ports in HMS Vengeance), are working proud to have taken up the role of sustainable and modern Submarine
By the time Atlantis encountered on the Bay of Biscay. with Cdr Barker to turn around a Corps colonel for the Submarine Service is a task that I relish.”
News and information for serving personnel
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