Britain has a 'duty of care' to its armed forces. This began as an unspoken pact between society and the military and was formally codified as a 'covenant' in 2000.
Military covenant
Military covenant
Military covenant
Britain has a 'duty of care' to its armed forces. This began as an unspoken pact between society and the military, possibly originating as far back as Henry VIII's reign. The pact was formally codified as a 'covenant' in 2000. It is not a law but is reinforced by custom and convention.
The covenant only officially applies to the army, but its core principles are taken to extend to the air force and navy too.
Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the Nation. In putting the needs of the Nation and the Army before their own, they forego some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces.
In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service.
In the same way the unique nature of military land operations means that the Army differs from all other institutions, and must be sustained and provided for accordingly by the Nation.
This mutual obligation forms the Military Covenant between the Nation, the Army and each individual soldier; an unbreakable common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility which has sustained the Army throughout its history. It has perhaps its greatest manifestation in the annual commemoration of Armistice Day, when the Nation keeps covenant with those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in action.
Army Doctrine Publication Volume 5
The 'duty of care' to troops includes paying towards healthcare, which can be physical care for injuries or mental support for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other problems. The Ministry of Defence also provides support for bereaved families.
The law gives the government 'combat immunity', which prevents soldiers from claiming compensation for injuries they received in combat except under official compensation schemes. Because soldiers cannot take the Crown to a civil court, the covenant is viewed as important in protecting soldiers' rights to compensation.
Is the covenant being honoured?
The annual Remembrance Sunday, organised by the Royal British Legion, honours British troops
The Royal British Legion is a charity that provides support to members of the armed forces and their families and organises the annual Remembrance Day. In 2007 the Legion complained that the British government was not honouring the military covenant, and that troops were not being supported after returning from conflict.
Their first criticism concerned the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme introduced in 2005, which, the Legion said, made it harder for soldiers to receive compensation. The Legion also made recommendations to improve the financial support and health monitoring given to personnel on active service and accommodation for their families while visiting them, the level of access veterans had to healthcare, a backlog of inquests into soldiers' deaths and the level of advice, support and representation given to bereaved families.
The Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth responded to the campaign: "There are areas where we have already made significant progress, but we acknowledge that we must do more. These areas include mental healthcare for veterans, compensation, inquests and accommodation." He said that "fulfilling our part of the deal is not always easy and takes both time and money."
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