Page 7 - The Sandbag Times Issue No:58

NEWS

Johnny Mercer MP appointed Minister of Veterans

Story: Plymouth Live Image: Greg Martin

Plymouth Moor View MP the MOD and the Cabinet
Johnny Mercer has been ap- Office - and the Cabinet-at-
pointed Minister for Veterans tending paymaster general
of the Royal Navy, Army and Oliver Dowden.
RAF - and will head-up a new
Government department ded- Mr Mercer, a former captain
icated to the issues they face. in the British Army, will be
asked to focus on ending the
The new Office of Veterans’ legal pursuit of former service
Affairs will sit inside the Cab- personnel, amid anger in the
inet Office and will be jointly Conservative party over the
run by Mr Mercer - who is treatment of those who served
now a Parliamentary Un- during Northern Ireland’s
der-Secretary of State in both Troubles.

MOD Announces Pay Rise For The Armed Forces

Story: Forces.net

The Defence Secretary has announced Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: I’m pleased we have accepted the pay
an above-inflation, 2.9% pay rise for the review body’s recommendation for an
Armed Forces. “No soldier, sailor, airman or woman above-inflation rise this year.
should be asked to serve our country and
It will be implemented in September’s not be properly rewarded, which is why More here...
salaries and backdated to 1 April 2019.

The lowest-paid soldiers, sailors and
airmen and women will receive a 6%
increase to bring them in line with the
living wage.

This increase means that after basic
training, new and junior personnel will
receive an annual salary of £20,000 a year.

For the ‘average’ salary of personnel (at
Corporal level), the pay rise represents an
annual increase of £995.

The starting salary for an officer will see
an annual increase of £769.
Army rejects call for mental health checks

Story: BBC News: By Andrew Hosken

The British Army has Sir Nick Carter, head of December 2012, while
rejected calls for man- the armed forces, said the coroner recorded
datory mental health screening was “potential- a verdict of suicide on
screening for serving ly harmful”. the death of Rifleman
soldiers, the BBC has Darren Mitchell, 20 - less
learned. Human rights charity than three months later -
Liberty, which repre- in February 2013.
Regular screening was sents the mothers of the
recommended by a coro- soldiers, said it was con- Both men were serving
ner following an inquest cerned by the decision. with the 2nd Battalion
into the deaths of two in- The Rifles and had
fantrymen found hanged An inquest this year previously been in active
in the same Northern found that Corporal service in Afghanistan.
Ireland barracks. But James Ross, 30, died
in a leaked letter, Gen an accidental death in Read more here...

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 07 |