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Female Veterans Made ‘Visible’ by new Transformational Programme Which Will Provide Ambitious Toolkit to Support Servicewomen from the Royal Navy, Army and RAF

March 19th, 2023

“When people hear ‘veteran’ they think of an elderly gentleman wearing medals. But what about our servicewomen? Women have been invisible for too long, and we now know the far-reaching impact this is having.”

Colonel (Retd) Alison Brown OBE, Chair of the Cobseo Female Veterans’ Cluster, and Life Vice President of the WRAC Association

[LONDON] The invisible cohort of female veterans will finally be brought into view, thanks to a new programme designed to deliver long-term, systemic change at veteran-facing organisations such as healthcare services, care homes and charities. The news follows research including a 2021 report by Cosbeo and NHS England showing that female veterans are significantly less likely to identify with the term ‘veteran’ than their male counterparts.

The Female Veterans Transformation Programme will be managed by the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) Association and Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities) to reduce barriers to women who have served, by working collaboratively across the Armed Forces charity sector. The project will be funded by a £300,000 grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

DELIVERING NECESSARY CHANGE VIA A TRAINING TOOLKIT

The announcement follows extensive research into the experience of female veterans who have left the Armed Forces which shows an estimated 53% of female veterans feel their needs are not adequately met by current veteran services, as confirmed by Sarah Atherton MP in a 2021 report. The Female Veteran Transformation Programme plans to set foundations for future generations of female veterans across the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force by developing a toolkit to tackle key themes including: physical and mental healthcare, financial advice, care provisions, employment services and combating loneliness. In the words of Colonel (Retd) Alison Brown OBE, who is Chair of the Cobseo Female Veterans’ Cluster Group, and Life Vice President of the WRAC Association: “We will translate our strong understanding of the female veteran cohort to ensure that the particular needs of female veterans are firmly embedded in the design and delivery of support services, diluting and, in time, removing the many barriers to access now identified through published research.”

PREPARING GROUND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

£300,000 in funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s Transformational Grants programme will allow Cobseo’s Female Veterans’ Cluster Group to set foundations for future generations of servicewomen – by collaborating with veteran-facing organisations (such as health services, care providers and charities) to provide tailored guidance on how to support newly transitioned female veterans as well as their older counterparts. Nick Pope, Chair of Cobseo, voices his delight: “This funding is a very positive step forward in developing sustainable and targeted support for all female Veterans. The research commissioned by Cobseo’s Female Veterans Cluster, and undertaken by the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI) at Anglia Ruskin University to examine women’s overall experiences in the UK Armed Forces in June 2021, made a range of recommendations on how to improve life for women during and after military service, and this funding enables us to work collaboratively across the Armed Forces Charity sector to take significant action towards making real lasting and change.”

Anna Wright, Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, shares her thoughts on the newly-awarded Transformation Grant: “We are excited by the potential for systemic change, addressing some very difficult challenges for the Armed Forces community. It is inspiring to see the level of in-depth knowledge, experience and expertise shown by those who’ve received funding. We look forward to seeing the impact that this funding will have and hope that it will prove to be truly transformational.”

ADDRESSING UNDER-REPRESENTATION

The Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has recently highlighted the need for improved provisions for female veterans: “Making this country the best place in the world to be a veteran shouldn’t just be something we say, but something we do. In order to deliver this ambition, it’s vital that we listen to women veterans, celebrate their successes, and deliver the support they need.”

Paula Rogers, CEO of the WRAC Association, explains: “This AFCT funding allows the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association, in partnership with the Cobseo Female Veterans’ Cluster Group, to take forward this much-needed work to design and sustain the provision of support services for all female veterans. We are proud to be spearheading this work for female veterans across the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force and will work to deliver long term systematic change with benefits reaching our elderly war-service veterans through to those leaving their service career in years to come.”

Posted in For the Ladies, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Female Veterans Made ‘Visible’ by new Transformational Programme Which Will Provide Ambitious Toolkit to Support Servicewomen from the Royal Navy, Army and RAF

Tasmanian Tiger Introduces the TT Patch Album for Easy Storage and Display

March 18th, 2023

With six hook & loop double-sided fabric pages, never lose or misplace a patch again.

Knoxville, Tenn. (March 2023) – Tasmanian Tiger®, a tactical nylon line of products distributed exclusively for the US market by Proforce Equipment, Inc., is pleased to introduce the TT Patch Album. The stylish and functional album is designed to store and showcase patches collected by tactical operators, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors alike.

“We are thrilled to offer our customers the TT Patch Album,” commented Richard Lewis, President and CEO of Proforce Equipment, Inc. “It provides a convenient and organized way to store and display patches that represent their experiences and accomplishments.”

The TT Patch Album is a three-ring fabric-covered hard binder with elastic cord style closure featuring an embroidered Tasmanian Tiger logo on the front cover with a 10 x 4 hook & loop for a large patch. The inside cover has a 10.75 x 4 in. loop for a patch, three pen pockets, and a 7 x 5 in. clear pocket for additional storage. The interior includes six hook & loop double-sided fabric pages with three-ring grommets to securely attach patches. The album also features a two-inch covered spine with a top O-ring for hanging.

“Whether you’re a tactical operator, outdoor enthusiast, or collector, the TT Patch Album is a great way to showcase your collection and keep it organized,” added Lewis.

The TT Patch Album weighs 1.98 lbs. and measures 11 x 12.5 x 2 in. It is made from Cordura® 700 denier and is available in Black for an MSRP of $64.95.

The TT Patch Album is now available for purchase through TT authorized dealers.

Click to see Vol. 3 of the Tasmanian Tiger digital catalog here. Find a local dealer here for any of the exciting Tasmanian Tiger products.

Stay in the conversation by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. All sales inquiries can be directed to tt@tasmaniantigerusa.com.

Posted in Morale, Press Release | 2 Comments »

Financial Instructions for Survivors of Deceased Veterans

March 18th, 2023

We recently had a death in the family and we’ve had to deal with DFAS and the VA so I thought it would be worth posting again.

If you are retired military (or DoD/USG Civilian), please save this and pass it to your family so they know what to do with your retired pay, SBP, VA, DEERS, VGLI and Social Security when you pass.

Retired pay ends when the retiree dies. Survivors must promptly report a retiree’s death to help avoid delays and possible financial hardship to surviving annuitant beneficiaries, family members or executors who will be required to reimburse any retired pay overpayments.

Please follow the steps below to report the death of a military retiree:

Step 1 – Notify the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Casualty Care Team at 1-800-321-1080. Please have the retiree’s Social Security Number and the date of death when you call.

Upon notification, DFAS will begin to close out the pay account to prevent any overpayments.

Step 2 – Contact your financial institution and inform them of the death of the retiree.

Step 3 – Within 7-10 business days of reporting the death to DFAS, you should receive a condolence letter.

If the member is due arrears of pay you will also receive a Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Service (SF 1174).

If the decedent was enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan or the Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan, you should also receive an Annuity Care Package for completion and return.

Step 4 – Complete the SF 1174 you received with your condolence letter and return with a copy of the retiree’s Death Certificate that reflects cause of death to:

DFAS U.S. Military Retired Pay

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

U.S. Military Retired Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1200

If you need assistance completing your claim form please contact the DFAS call center at 800-321-1080.

Contact List: In addition to notifying DFAS, you should also notify the following agencies/departments as soon as possible:

* Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.

* Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System at 800-538-9552.

* Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at 800-827-1000 for military retirees receiving disability compensation.

* Office of Personnel Management at 888-767-6738 if the member was a current or retired federal civilian employee.

* VA at 800-669-8477 for retirees enrolled in a VA-sponsored life insurance policy, such as National Service Life Insurance.

* Office of Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance at 800-419-1473 for retirees enrolled in Veteran’s Group Life Insurance.

Information provided by CSM Jeff Mellinger (USA, Ret)

Posted in Veterans | 2 Comments »

Air Force Announces Future Operating Concept

March 18th, 2023

AURORA, Colo. (AFNS) —

The Air Force chief of staff announced March 7 a key component in how Airmen will Accelerate Change or Lose by successfully delivering airpower to deter and, if necessary, prevail.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. announced at the 2023 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, he signed the Air Force Future Operating Concept to ensure long-range planning is intentionally linked to the Joint Warfighting Concept.

The new presentation of Airmen’s unique contributions to the Joint Force, allies and partners prioritizes conducting the service’s five core functions: Air Superiority; Global Strike; Rapid Global Mobility; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; and Command and Control.

“Without the integrated capabilities of the United States Air Force, Joint Force opportunities are infrequent, fleeting and costly,” Brown said. “Future conflicts will be contested and complex.”

The new operating concept supports the National Defense Strategy through the convergence of the Air Force Force Generation deployment model, the Department of the Air Force’s Operational Imperatives, the Air Force Chief of Staff’s Action Orders, Accelerate Change or Lose and ways in which Multi-Capable Airmen will be trained to operate in future contested environments practicing Agile Combat Employment.

The Air Force Future Operating Concept presents six operational fights that Airmen must win simultaneously and can do so by being empowered to make decisions under a doctrine and culture of mission command.

“Trained appropriately, Airmen do not have to wait for orders from higher headquarters to make bold decisions and take advantage of fleeting opportunities,” said Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote, Air Force Futures director.

Airmen must be able to prevail in these six key fights as they apply airpower in the defense of allies, partners and national interests: the fight to compete with or deter, the fight to get into theater, the fight to get airborne, the fight for air superiority, the fight to deny adversary objectives, and the fight to sustain ourselves, our allies and partners in competition and conflict.

During his symposium keynote, Brown reinforced the Air Force Future Operating Concept will only be successful if Airmen across the force are trusted and empowered to execute what the nation has asked them to do.

“We will not be able to execute the Air Force Future Operating Concept without mission command. It takes practice and intentional development,” Brown said to an audience of Air Force leaders. “You must brief mission command, you must train mission command, you must exercise mission command and you must debrief mission command. Mission command is essential to winning … In order to execute at a high standard, we can’t play for second place; we need to play to win.”

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Profession of Arms | 2 Comments »

RAMP-C DoD Program Successfully Prototyping Microelectronics

March 17th, 2023

The Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) OTA, powered by NSTXL, is managing multiple programs for the Department of Defense (DoD) that are advancing specific microelectronics capabilities. The Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes – Commercial (RAMP-C) project was created by the DoD in January 2021 through the S2MARTS OTA vehicle to find partners for reshoring microelectronic fabrication and was originally awarded to two prime contractors – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Intel Technologies – with multiple subcontractors in August of 2021. Since the original award, multiple additional phases have been implemented to this project due to its success in delivering prototypes to the DoD in initial phases.

This program is critical in ensuring the DoD has assured access to the next generation of leading-edge (<7nm) semiconductor design and manufacturing. These chips will be intricately complex, enabling huge system performance increases, while decreasing size, weight, and power (SWaP), critical for many of the DoD modernization priorities. RAMP-C’s objective is to enable DoD assured access to leading-edge semiconductor technology through U.S. located sources of custom and dual-use leading edge integrated circuits. This will enable implementation of complex, computation intensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms for DoD AI, Electronic Warfare (EW), Radar and Autonomy applications. It will also facilitate use of integrated robust cyber-security methods, cryptography and authentication in DoD hardware and utilization of the complex computational capability required for 5G Radio access network (RAN) and Internet of Things (IoT) systems.

Currently, most domestic semiconductor companies are fabless, meaning they design and sell integrated circuits by outsourcing their fabrication to offshore foundries. With many of the cutting-edge innovators surrounding microelectronics located in America, the DoD sought to close the long-standing tradition of outsourcing this production. The RAMP-C opportunity was developed to bolster the U.S. microelectronics industrial base and encourage semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

RAMP-C is complimented by two other programs launched by the Office of Under Secretary Defense Research & Engineering (OUSD R&E) to promote U.S. chip manufacturing including, Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes using Advanced Commercial Capabilities (RAMP) and digital State of the Art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging (SHIP). S2MARTS is also managing the Microelectronics Commons program, a CHIPS and Science Act-funded national network for onshore, microelectronics hardware prototyping, lab-to-fab transition of semiconductor technologies and semiconductor workforce training. All four programs will bring more access to advanced capabilities in U.S. facilities while improving the integrity and confidentiality of intellectual property (IP) of commercial and DoD designs by using Quantifiable Assurance methods.

Posted in Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on RAMP-C DoD Program Successfully Prototyping Microelectronics

Upfitter Suspenders

March 17th, 2023

I recently ran across Upfitter Suspenders and thought they were worth a share as so many folks like to wear suspenders with their uniforms.

The three point design clips into your belt loops. While are not adjustable at the front and you must measure yourself and order the proper size, the rear adjustment allows sizing up to two sizes down. If you order a Large, for instance, the strap is adjusted to size Large when they arrive, but it may be tightened down to Medium or Small as well. Available in a variety of colors.

hikersco.com

Posted in Clothing | Comments Off on Upfitter Suspenders

NASA Unveils Next Generation Spacesuit

March 17th, 2023

A spacesuit prototype of what NASA Astronauts, including the first woman, plan to wear on the surface of the Moon during the agency’s NASA Artemis III mission was revealed today by Axiom Space.

The Artemis III spacesuit, the AxEMU, is showcased in a dark gray cover material, but the final version will likely be all-white when worn by NASA astronauts on the Moon’s surface, to help keep the astronauts safe and cool while working in the harsh environment of space.

NASA selected Axiom Space to deliver a moonwalking system to land the first astronauts near the lunar South Pole. By working with commercial partners, NASA is enabling a growing space economy that leverages industry capabilities and NASA’s expertise to provide spacewalk and moonwalk services as safely, effectively, and efficiently as possible.

New spacesuits allow humans to explore the lunar surface and advance our capability for human exploration in space. Under Artemis, new exploration spacesuits and other human surface mobility systems, along with the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion Spacecraft, Exploration Ground Systems facilities, Gateway lunar space station, and human landing systems, will enable NASA to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there for scientific discovery. This experience prepares us for the next giant leap: sending astronauts to Mars.

– Johnson Space Center

Posted in Guest Post, Space | 14 Comments »

SOFWERX – Maritime Capable Tethered UAS Assessment Event

March 17th, 2023

SOFWERX, in collaboration with SOF Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) Program Executive Office Special Reconnaissance (PEO-SR), will host an Assessment Event (AE) 15-19 May, 2023 to identify solutions for a small tethered Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) that can operate in both land and saltwater maritime environments for intelligence gathering, surveillance and communications. The system must have some built in capability for full motion video, but also enable the hosting of modular payloads to perform additional functions.

The tethered UAS should be capable of operating in a static or moving configuration while performing force protection and intelligence gathering functions. The tethered UAS should provide a basic full motion video capability, but also be adaptable to carry a variety of payloads.

This assessment solicits white papers to describe off-the-shelf tethered UAS. The most promising candidates will be invited to demonstrate some performance attributes with vendor provided equipment and operators. The demonstration will occur at a remote site with representatives from USSOCOM. A stipend will be provided to defray the costs of travel and shipping to the demonstration site.

Interested parties must submit NLT 09 April 2023 11:59 PM ET.

Visit events.sofwerx.org/uas for more information.

Posted in Maritime, SOF, UAS | Comments Off on SOFWERX – Maritime Capable Tethered UAS Assessment Event