AFF is providing evidence to the team working on reducing the red tape and practical obstacles UK personnel and their families can face when they’re serving overseas with NATO.
Project SALICE is intended to tackle the challenges of international moves. It covers partner employment, education, accommodation, policies and processes, career management and the Armed Forces Covenant.
Lt Gen Eldon Millar, the UK’s Military Representative to NATO and the EU, is the Project SALICE sponsor.
He said: “When our people know that their families are settled, their partners have every opportunity to work, and the practical side of overseas life is manageable, they can focus on their mission – being ready to deter, fight and win.”
At the moment the project team is focusing on barriers to partner employment and pushing for change in EU countries where work rules could be viewed as unclear or unfair. It is also considering what more can be done for partners who work in healthcare and other professions.
And International Remote Working policies across different UK government departments are being reviewed and compared.
NATO and beyond
AFF is delighted Project SALICE has gained some momentum. Overseas Manager Esther Thomas said: “Together with the RAF and Naval Families Federations we are working together to align some of the projects developing under our Valuing Forces Families Overseas initiative to complement the partner employment and digital app initiatives developing under Project SALICE.
“The VFFO projects will look to expand the scope of these elements beyond NATO roles in Europe to support serving personnel and their families wherever they are assigned globally.”
What’s already in place
Wider changes already brought in by the Armed Forces People Policy (AFPP) and Armed Forces Remuneration Policy (AF Rem) teams have included the Global Mobility Allowance trial and an increase to the Disturbance Expense rate on return to the UK.
The European Commuting Allowance is now permanent policy and covers most of Europe, 30 hours of funded childcare is available for eligible families and a new Primary School Aged Childcare Overseas (PSACO) scheme has been brought in as an alternative to the Wraparound Childcare scheme in some locations.
An overseas location app is being developed to help families better understand what the offer is in different locations and how the whole family can be supported before volunteering for an overseas posting.
AFF would like to hear from those who have used the new-style allowances – how have they improved your experience? Email overseassupport@aff.org.uk
PUBLISHED ON 26 JUNE 2026