How COBSEO works

COBSEO is a membership organisation of about 70 organisations and over 60 regimental associations.

AGM

Each October COBSEO holds its AGM, to which all members are invited. In addition invitations are extended to the Veterans Minister and senior military officers and officials from the Ministry of Defence. The COBSEO objectives for the current year are reported on and new objectives agreed for the forthcoming year

Secretary

The Secretary keeps all member organisations informed about matters that may be of interest to or affect them, through the COBSEO Bulletin that is available to member organisations (4 per year) and regularly through the COBSEO website.

Executive Committee

In addition to the AGM, the COBSEO Executive Committee meets four times a year to discuss relevant issues and agree a common policy, when this is appropriate. These meetings also provide opportunities for Directors to keep each other informed about plans and developments in their own organisations as they affect the Service and Ex-Service communities as a whole.

As the Chief Executives or equivalents of their own organisations, the Directors of COBSEO are often asked to take the lead in matters affecting COBSEO, over which they have direct authority, control or influence.

The Chairman of COBSEO meets the Minister for Veterans regularly and is consulted by the Veterans Policy Unit on important issues affecting veterans. [This does not conflict with the direct access to the Minister and his staff enjoyed by individual Chief Executives - it reinforces the effect.]

Directors of COBSEO feature in the following policy making bodies:

  • The Veterans Task Force - chaired by the Minister for Veterans
  • The Veterans Forum - chaired by the Minister for Veterans
  • The Veterans Executive Steering Group - chaired by the Defence Services Secretary
  • MOD Ceremonial & Events Advisory Group
  • SPVA Owners Advisory Board
  • SPVA Central Advisory Committee
  • SPVA Customer Advisory Group
  • All Veterans Initiative Workstreams
  • All Projects within the Workstreams

Within its constitution, the Executive Committee of COBSEO is empowered to co-opt specialist knowledge or opinion to further its objectives.