Suffolk Military Covenant: Aims of the Armed Forces Covenant

Suffolk’s Council Leader’s signed the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of their respective communities in October 2012.

An updated version, which reflected the engagement, learning, legislation, and delivery that has taken place since then, was signed in November 2025.

Many other organisations have done so too.

This enduring pledge is based upon the three principles in that we:

• Recognise the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the UK Armed Forces;
• That it is desirable to remove disadvantages arising for service people from membership, or former membership, of the UK Armed Forces; and
• The principle that special provision for Service People may be justified by the effect on such people of membership, or former membership, of the UK Armed Forces.

Confused About The Armed Forces Covenant?

With the help of the Army Families Federation, The Naval Families Federation and the Royal Air Force Families Federation, some of the most frequently asked questions have been put to Helen Helliwell, of the Ministry of Defence Covenant Team. In this series of videos, Helen answers whether some of these frequently held thoughts about the Covenant are fact, or fiction. View these videos on the Forces.net website.

The video below provides an overview of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Learn about the Armed Forces community?

NHS England: Service Children and Families factsheet: The role of Health Visitors and School Nurses.

Introduction to the Armed Forces Community for healthcare professionals: The Westminster Centre for Research in Veterans at the University of Chester has produced a programme comprising six videos to educate nurses and healthcare practitioners to deliver optimum care to military veterans and their families through an understanding and insight into the Armed Forces Community.

The Office for Veterans Affairs has produced a factsheet: 10 things to know about a veteran.