Clwyd West MS and Chair of the Cross Party Group on Armed Forces and Cadets, Darren Millar, has welcomed today’s announcement by the Welsh Government that it will be extending the Armed Forces Liaison Officer posts across Wales for a further two years.

The five Armed Forces Liaison Officers based in Wales are responsible for raising awareness of the issues affecting the Armed Forces Community in Wales along with promoting and coordinating work to honour the Armed Forces Covenant.

Since being introduced in 2017 the project has enhanced the way that local authorities and the Welsh Government engage with the Armed Forces Community, however funding for the posts was due to come to an end in March 2021.

Last month Darren called for the funding to be extended and is therefore delighted that the Welsh Government listened to his calls and have this morning announced they will be extending the posts until March 2023.

Welcoming the news, he said:

“This is absolutely fantastic news. As the Chair of the Cross Party Group on Armed Forces and Cadets, I have seen first-hand how effective our Armed Forces Liaison Officers been in promoting the Armed Forces Covenant across the country and this extension will enable them to continue and build on the great work they have done to date.

“During Armed Forces Week in June, I called on the Welsh Government to demonstrate its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant by making long-term funding available for these important posts to continue and I am very pleased that they listened to and acted on these calls.

“It is impossible to overstate the massive contribution that those serving in our armed forces make to keeping our nation safe, often at great personal risk. For this they deserve the very best services and support and the five Armed Forces Liaison Officers based in Wales play an instrumental role in ensuring that they get just that.”