The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

88. Most of the contacts between the MOD and bereaved families were conducted with

sensitivity. In a few cases, they were not.

89. In April 2003, prompted by concern over the insensitive treatment of a bereaved

spouse, and at the direction of Mr Hoon, the MOD initiated a comprehensive review

of bereavement procedures. By the middle of May, it had introduced new guidelines

for communicating with bereaved families, begun work to make the guidance on the

support available to bereaved families more accessible, and amended its policy to allow

bereaved spouses to remain in Service accommodation for as long as they required it.

90. Mr Ingram attributed the MOD’s failings at the beginning of Op TELIC to a continuing

view within the military that bereavement was “just something that happened”.13

Mr Ingram added that, in the context of “a big sea change” in public attitudes and the

experience of Op TELIC, the MOD moved quickly to improve the bereavement and

welfare support it provided to families.

91. The creation, in 2005, of the Joint Casualty Co-ordination Cell (JCCC) and the

production of a joint policy covering the support for bereaved families reduced the

inconsistency between the Services and individual units in the support they offered

to bereaved families.

92. The experiences shared with the Inquiry by bereaved families suggest that the

creation of the JCCC led to an improvement in the quality of the notification process.

93. Being a Casualty Notifying Officer (CNOs) and a Visiting Officer (VOs) was (and

remains) an extremely difficult role: a small number fell below the standard required.

The training and support provided to CNOs and VOs remained an issue of concern for

the MOD throughout the period covered by the Inquiry.

94. The MOD progressively improved the allowances and support provided to Service

Personnel and their families over the course of Op TELIC.

95. The most substantial development was the introduction of the Operational

Allowance in October 2006. The Allowance, initially set at £2,400 for all Service

Personnel who completed a six-month tour in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans or on

certain other operations, was designed “to reflect the current, high operational tempo”.14

13 Public hearing, 16 July 2010, pages 36-42.

14 Letter PS/Secretary of State [MOD] to Phillipson, 9 October 2006, ‘A Package for Service Personnel

on Operations’.

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