Today is Armed Forces Day 27.06.15

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Today is Armed Forces Day 27.06.15

The object of this day is to raise public awareness and show national support for the contribution made to our country by those who serve in the Armed Forces. It is not only a tribute to current serving members but also a time to remember and pay tribute to the service men and women of the past and service families.

The National Event is taking place in Guildford this weekend, and there are numerous other events taking place up and down the country.

Jon Cruddas MP commented: "Saturday 27th June marks Armed Forces Day and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all our service personnel around the world who do a fantastic job on our behalf. My thoughts are also with the families of our Armed Forces who go through an immense amount of stress and worry while their loved ones are away."

Barking and Dagenham has a long history of championing the Armed Forces, recognising the huge commitments they make.

Streets named after fallen heroes

Our local authority proudly promotes this scheme, creating lasting recognition for fallen soldiers. The project has proved to be a poignant way of demonstrating the community's admiration for those who serve and the value the whole country places on their courage and patriotism. On each occasion Barking and Dagenham consult bereaved families and also offer the chance to have an opening ceremony, to which community members, service charities and members of the military are invited.

Armed Forces Covenant

Back in 2013 the local Council along with others across the country introduced the ?Veterans Champion' initiative which is a specific position dedicated to help provide ex-service men and women with a smooth transition from military to civilian life. This led to a signed community covenant to address the disadvantages that the armed forces community may face in comparison to other citizens, and to recognise sacrifices made.

Jon commented: "Initiatives such as this underline our country's respect and goodwill towards the Armed Services. It is wrong that someone who has served in our forces is expected to join the back of the queue at the local job centre; and in many cases return from serving the country to find themselves homeless. This is not about special treatment but overcoming barriers to provide a level playing field for service people. I think Armed Forces Day is the perfect opportunity to highlight this."

You can find out more about the work our armed forces are involved in via the Ministry of Defence website: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Home/

To learn more about National Armed Forces Day and how to get involved in future events follow this link: http://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/