The Council on Geostrategy has pledged its commitment to those who serve or have served in His Majesty’s (HM) Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. We join more than 5,500 individuals and organisations in expressing our recognition of the invaluable contributions made by HM Armed Forces in ensuring the United Kingdom remains safe and prosperous.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An Enduring Covenant Between
The People of the United Kingdom
His Majesty’s Government
– and –
All those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown
And their Families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment. Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most, such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Covenant
1.1 We, the Council on Geostrategy, will endeavour to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant:
- Members of the Armed Forces Community should not face disadvantages arising from their service in the provision of public and commercial services;
- In some circumstances special provision may be justified, especially for those who have given the most, such as the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment
2.1 We recognise the contribution that Service personnel, reservists, veterans, the cadet movement and military families make to our organisation, our community and to the country. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant by:
- Promoting the Armed Forces: Through our research and activities, we will continue to highlight the importance of our Armed Forces to our security and prosperity and to the open international order;
- Communications, engagement and outreach: We will continuously support and promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces Day/Week, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities through our social media channels.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Armed Forces Community and our clients on how we are doing.