Abstract: The 2022-23 annual report sets out a summary of the achievements of the Surrey Civilian-Military Partnership Board (SCMPB) and its partners during the year to ensure the Armed Forces Covenant is implemented and our Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged by their service. Partners on the SCMPB include 11 Security Force Assistance Brigade and HQ SE, the Lord-Lieutenant, South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (SERFCA), Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, borough and district councils, Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue, Service Charities, Diocese of Guildford and our partners in health, education and business. November 2022 saw the Armed Forces Act 2021 become enacted and a key focus of the year has been to ensure all public bodies in scope of the Act were aware of the new duty of 'due regard' in relation to education, health and housing provision.
Abstract: The Department of Veterans Affairs provided help for veterans who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offered a housing stipend and 12 months of tuition and fees for veterans to retrain for high-demand occupations. More than 13,000 veterans used the program to enroll in training. VA collected a lot of data from schools and veterans on program benefits and challenges, but doesn't have any plans to use the data to formally evaluate the program. We recommended identifying lessons learned to help VA improve any veteran retraining efforts or other benefits programs where quick implementation is necessary.