HOUSING
Service should give us staying power MY WIFE has recently been offered a place to study midwifery at a university near to my current posting. The only way we can make this work is by retaining our quarter. I am due to be posted at roughly the same time she starts her course. I know that JSP 464 doesn’t work in my favour here but I think it is of note that there is no reference to support for partners in attaining degreelevel qualifications. I expect to move every two years and as a degree course is typically three years, it would be very difficult for my wife to study midwifery whilst I remain in the Army. We have never asked for much from the system and I feel that enabling a spouse to study at a higher level should be considered in the JSP. My wife receives communication from
numerous sources indicating how much she is valued, but at the first instance of requiring some tangible support from the system she is let down. Getting accepted on a midwifery course is no mean feat and even if she were to apply next year, her place could not be guaranteed. I accept that military families are expected to make sacrifices, but in this instance my wife is essentially being told not to contribute to society and remain at home. Alternatively, I will have to leave the Service. Name and address supplied Response from PersCap: The provision of subsidised Service accommodation is in part in recognition of the inherently mobile lifestyle, with Service personnel and families frequently facing
My wife is essentially being told not to contribute to society and remain at home. 66 Army&You autumn 2016
difficult decisions in respect of lifestyle choices. However, many married personnel will at some point during their career choose stability over mobility, electing to settle in a location that best meets their needs. Forces Help to Buy and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme are both MOD policies that support this. Looking forward, the Chief of Defence Personnel is committed to greater domestic stability, with the New Employment Model expected to deliver longer assignments and subsequent promotions in unit. The policy governing accommodation is under review as part of the development of the Future Accommodation Model. This emerging policy aims to change the way in which accommodation is provided and paid for, both in the UK and abroad, supporting broader choice irrespective of age, rank or relationship status. So, whilst this does not solve your issue in the short-
term, it provides reassurance that the MOD is seeking to make policy relevant to the needs of current and future soldiers. From your letter it is not known when you were assigned to your current location, or if your career manager is able to facilitate an assignment to enable you to remain in the same location. However, your wife’s decision to apply for and commence a training course in the vicinity of your duty station when your future availability date is imminent does create a challenge for you; I presume that you have investigated if your wife’s degree course can be transferred to a different university. The Army Housing Colonel will always consider a case for retention so that a course can be completed on provision of supporting evidence, which must be compelling. Unfortunately, based on the detail contained in your letter, I do not believe yours is.
@ArmyandYou