The UK’s Naval Support Facility (UKNSF) in Bahrain now has its own radio station, as Forces Radio BFBS Middle East goes on air for the first time across the base this morning.
The station will broadcast live from Bahrain for six hours on weekdays from 6am -12 noon (local time) and from 6am-9am on Saturdays. The Breakfast Show will also be heard across the station’s extensive UK network during an early slot.
Read moreFormer RAF Flight Engineer and Air Gunner, Doug Waghorn, will be taking part in the upcoming Worthing 10k road race, as part of local charity, Care for Veterans’ Fantastic Fifty running team.
The charity has recruited more than 50 runners to join its team for the 10km route along Worthing seafront on Sunday 3 June, to help raise vital funds.
Care for Veterans, based at Boundary Road, Worthing, provides residential nursing care, rehabilitation, respite and end of life care to physically disabled ex-Service personnel and their family members.
Read moreSix blind veterans from East Anglia have been taking to the waves and learning a new skill during a sailing taster day, provided by Blind Veterans UK and The East Anglian Sailing Trust.
Through the use of audio navigation units, tactile charts and Discovery Pens, the vision-impaired ex-Service men were able to fully partake in the exciting day of sailing in Levington, near Ipswich.
The blind veterans, who hail from Ipswich, Colchester, Ely and Southwold, fulfilled a variety of roles on the yacht, including: navigator, helmsman, mainsheet trimmer and grinder.
Read moreCall to arms to help Armed Forces community access housing support as soon as possible
THE ROYAL British Legion is today calling on Service leavers and veterans to ‘get help early’ as they adjust to civilian life.
Not everyone struggles with the transition and, for many, difficulties with housing might not occur for many years after Service. Issues often arise due to unforeseen circumstances such as relationship breakdowns or financial complications however, the transient nature of Service life, confusion over how to access support services, and often a reticence to ask for help, can cause a unique set of challenges for the Armed Forces community.
Read moreAntony was forced to leave the Royal Marines for health reasons, but an OA career consultation provided the turning point he needed to find new employment.
Shortly after joining the Royal Marines, Antony Thompson was deployed to Afghanistan in January 2009. He later served in intelligence roles, and then in 2013 was selected for officer training. Unfortunately, he was injured on the course, forcing him to take administrative roles for two years as a Lieutenant, before receiving a medical discharge in April 2017.
Read moreThe OA is calling on local businesses across the North of England to attend its Veteran Work Northern Showcase event, which takes place Thursday 14th June at Virgin Money, Jubilee House, in Newcastle.
Whilst 71% of medium and large organisations say they would consider employing veterans, only 39% would consider employing someone with no industry experience. Employers are potentially missing a trick by not tapping into this talent pool and the benefits veterans bring to the workplace – whatever its size.
Read more30th Inter-Services Triathlon brings top athletes together to compete for the coveted Team Cup.
Organised this year by the Royal Navy Triathlon Association, the Army, Navy and RAF will compete at the annual event, taking place on 25th July 2018. There are individual and team categories, including Male, Female and Veteran. In addition, the Fire, Police and Prison Service will each enter guest teams.
Read moreThe Royal Navy Women’s Cricket Club (RNWCC) was runner-up in its first tournament of the year.
The cricket team, sponsored by the OA, recently competed in the Watsonian Cricket Festival, in Edinburgh. The friendly competition was the first outdoor cricket fixture this season for all clubs involved. The weather was unusually fine, and it was claimed to be one of the biggest ladies’ sporting events in Scotland for the year so far. The team got through to the final but lost to the Army.
Read moreWith over 70% of jobs coming from networking, its importance can’t be denied and at the Officers’ Association we encourage people to take the opportunity to network, gain knowledge and build long term connections.
In this webinar Sophia Koniarska, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at The Officers’ Association, will explore the importance of networking, what to expect, how to approach it and the benefits of maintaining a network throughout your career.
Read moreJohn Mayhead served in Iraq in 2005 as a company commander in the Coldstream Guards. In the years that followed, he developed PTSD which led into chronic depression and anxiety. This is his story of illness and eventual recovery, leading to his place in this year’s Walk of America.
Strangely, it wasn’t the obvious trauma that most affected me. The horrors of war – luck separating the unscathed and the maimed, dead friends, wounded children – these are the awful reality of combat but one that my Army training had prepared me for since the day, aged 19, I had joined.
Read more
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here
