On this page you can find our regularly published news articles, providing digestible updates and insights about current research, evidence gaps, topics of importance, and experts across the Armed Forces community sector. We publish three types of news article. News Features provide overviews and synopses of available evidence on topical areas of importance. Research Spotlights provide lay summaries of recently published research and evidence. Meet the Expert articles introduce experts working across the Armed Forces community in research, policy, or practice.
New research from Cranfield University, led by Dr Robert Allen, draws on a large sample of medically diagnosed Neurodivergent Veterans (NDVs) to determine how the recruitment processes and Human Resou…
In July 2021, the Atherton Report [1]– officially titled “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life” – was published by the House of Commons …
Over the past year, we conducted the Centre’s first piece of primary research, the OUTCOMES study [1], exploring the onward value and perceived benefits of Serving in the military.
Sharing new evide…
Recent research1 from the ADVANCE study explored sleep health and found that patterns of symptoms indicative of moderate-severe sleep problems were more likely to be reported by UK personnel who susta…
In recent years, emerging evidence has highlighted that those who leave the Armed Forces prior to completing the minimum term of their contract (i.e., under four years) – known as Early Service Leav…
Identity is central to how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. Among those who serve in the Armed Forces, this sense of self is often strongly linked to the unique factors of Service l…
Alcohol Awareness Week ran from July 3rd to July 7th 2023 in the UK, offering an opportunity to think and talk openly about alcohol harm across different communities. During this week, we shared key e…
October marked a busy month for the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community, funded by FiMT, with members of the team contributing to several international Armed Forces community events. Ce…
A new research paper by Jan Grimell, Umeå University, Sweden [1], reports on the important findings of a novel 10-year longitudinal interview study focused on understanding the role of military ident…
A new independent report from Robert Gordon University commissioned in 2022 by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) explores the potential of improving ex-Servicewomen's access to support service…
From 1967 to 2000, a policy banned LGBT people from joining or continuing Service in the UK Armed Forces. Anyone suspected of being LGBT could be subjected to invasive investigations and discharge fro…
The past month of February was Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and other orientations (LGBT+) History Month and here at the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community we have been explorin…
Women have a long and proud tradition of serving in the UK Armed Forces (AF). Over the years, opportunities for women in the UK AF have expanded, with all combat roles open to them since 2018. The UK …
Welcome to a special edition of 'Meet the Expert', our series bringing you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policymakers, and service providers. This special edition features a Ph…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our series bringing you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspirations for pr…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our series bringing you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspirations for pr…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our news series that brings you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers, and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspiratio…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our series bringing you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspirations for pr…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our new series bringing you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspirations fo…
Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our news series that brings you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers, and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspiratio…
Anger is the elephant in the room when it comes to understanding the mental health of Service members and ex-Service members. Such is the premise of a new editorial published in the Journal of Anxiety…
A new study (“Suicide after leaving the UK Armed Forces 1996–2018: a cohort study”) by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH), based at The University…
Welcome to ‘New Study Spotlight’, where we interview researchers about their new studies to raise awareness and keep you up to date with current research focused on the Armed Forces community. Rea…
Welcome to 'New Study Spotlight', where we interview researchers about their new studies to raise awareness and keep you up to date with current research focused on the Armed Forces community. Read on…
Welcome to ‘New Study Spotlight’, where we interview researchers about their new studies to raise awareness and keep you up to date with current research focused on the Armed Forces community. Rea…
For the first time in its history, the most recent Census asked individuals to record whether they had ever served in the UK Armed Forces. Of the 1.85 million ex-Armed Forces respondents, older Vetera…
Until recently, only limited research, policy, and practical attention had been paid to the experiences and support needs of ex-Servicewomen. In the past six months, however, we have seen three exciti…
Approximately 15,000 individuals leave the Armed Forces each year, with most undergoing a positive transition. However, a minority of ex-Service personnel face adverse outcomes, including unemploym…
In March 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) launched an independent review of veteran welfare services overseen by the UK government. The review aimed to ev…
The Invictus Games, an international adaptive sport competition for wounded, injured and/or sick military members and Veterans is returning to the UK in 2027. The Invictus Games provide a chance fo…
Background Social care in the UK has long been considered the poor relation of NHS-provided healthcare, comparatively neglected in terms of the attention, priority, and state funding it receives [1], …
