Today’s defence related news includes coverage of Captain Dean Sprouting and pensions for military spouses.
Captain Dean Sprouting
The death of Captain Dean Sprouting in Iraq is covered in several newspapers including The Times, The Sun, The Daily Record, The Scotsman, The Press & Journal, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and The Glasgow Herald. The coverage states that that he died at a base in Iraq where UK forces are operating as part of the mission against Daesh, but that it was not caused by enemy fire.
Lt Col Rob Hedderwick, Commanding Officer, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, said:
It is hard to do justice to a man such as Dean Sprouting with simple words. In no time at all he had become an indispensable part of the battalion, not only for his professional expertise but also for his compassionate manner and camaraderie. His intelligence and sharp wit was apparent from the outset; there was an ever-present twinkle in his eye and he would gladly admit that his youth had been full of adventure.
Dean was simply one of those people whose infectious humour and enthusiasm drew others to him. His professional knowledge was second to none and his sage advice already something I had come to rely on. His loss is keenly felt by us all and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children whom I know he cherished more than anything else in this world. I am hugely proud and thankful to have known him. He was a very good man.
You can read Captain Dean Sprouting’s eulogy here.
Military wives hit out at pension changes that leave them shortchanged
The I reports on state pension rules affecting military spouses.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said:
We owe our armed forces a great debt of gratitude and provide a range of support through the Armed Forces Covenant including through credits towards the State Pension when they have supported their partner overseas.
Over 3,700 applications have been made in the past year and we would encourage anyone who thinks they might be eligible to check online at gov.uk.
Image of the day
773434867-20180203T060052598 773434867-20180203T060052598
