British Army - News & Updates

Welcome to the first Army LGBT Newsletter of 2012. As ever in the British Army 2011 proved to be a busy year for all with operations continuing as normal, a summer of public duties (including the ceremonial glamour including the Royal Wedding). And all this on top of the usual work/play routine with the background rumble of redundancies to contend with.

As always the LGBT community has gotten stuck into whatever challenges the Army has to offer. On 2 Dec 11 the first Army LGBT conference was held at St Hugh’s College, part of the University of Oxford. Holding the event at this age-old educational establishment allowed to get away from the usual Chain of Command in order to concentrate on the matters up for discussion.

The conference was well attended, with over 55 delegates from across the LGBT community, and from up and down the rank structure. AD Employment, Col Lindsay MacDuff (former CO of the Black Watch), talked about Army Policy and how it should link to real life experiences. Col MacDuff's sensitivity and support for the Forum was warmly welcomed and is of course a positive step forward for the work the Forum aims to achieve.

Those who attended the conference heard a number of interesting presentations and took part in a number of breakout sessions. The Forum is now working on the results of the sessions and preparing an action plan for the year ahead. These plans were discussed in a Forum committee meeting held at Army HQ on 14 Jan, the results of which will be published soon as a set of minutes.

It is the Army’s turn to organise the MOD Quad service (the 3 armed services and the MOD civil service) LGBT conference this year. More details to follow.

So to all, I hope you enjoy and gain interest from what you read and from everyone on the Committee I wish you a very happy 2012.

Tom Dwyer.