The Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2013

Abstract: The Armed Forces Covenant is a big commitment in more ways than one. It is a Covenant between the Armed Forces Community, the Government and the Nation as a whole – everybody has a part to play. And its enduring nature means that honouring the Covenant is an ongoing process, not an event. The Covenant is the mechanism by which we aim to reinforce the bond of trust and mutual respect between the Armed Forces and society. By working to ensure that no serving or former Armed Forces personnel, or their families, are disadvantaged for the enormous sacrifices they make for their country, we seek to ensure that they are recognised as valuable members of society and that they are able to go from strength to strength in the vital and often dangerous role they undertake on our behalf. This means that honouring the Covenant is not just a matter for the Ministry of Defence. It is a genuinely cross-Government endeavour and, since the Armed Forces Act was passed in 2011 and the principles of the Covenant were enshrined in law, we have taken a huge range of steps – big and small – to honour the debt to our troops. The work is also being taken forward at a local level and through the excellent work of the Devolved Administrations.