Royal Naval Association MOU with the Royal Navy

1. The much discussed Memorandum of Understanding with The Royal Navy was formally signed and agreed on Wednesday 30th July 2008 following its approval at the 2008 Annual Conference. The text of the document appears below and action will be taken over the next few months to implement the agreement, however it should be realised that this is a living document which may need to be slightly amended or changed in scope to meet both the operational needs of the Royal Navy and indeed the administrative requirements of the Association. Nevertheless, as a result of the agreement, The Royal Naval Association has more than doubled in size and can now be said to be the largest (and we think influential) official Maritime Membership Association in Britain, if not Europe. Much remains to be done and the bucket of good ideas is not yet empty – the strategy of surviving by thriving remains the key aspiration of your National Council.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
THE ROYAL NAVY
AND
THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

1. The Royal Naval Association is a Membership Organisation which currently has some 25, 000 members at home and overseas. These members are a mixture of Full Life Members, Full Members and Associate Members. The age profile of the membership is high and activities of the membership and thus branches are frequently restricted by age and infirmity.

2. The age at which the majority of Full Members join is relatively high at about 55 years of age. The reasons for this are easy to understand since the great majority of sailors retire from The Royal Navy at a relatively young age even after a full career. Thus most are in their thirties or early forties and on release from the Service have to secure and settle in a new career, frequently have to move house and generally still have their children at home. Thus it is not until the career solidifies, the family home is well established and the children move on, that the potential Full Member has the time to devote to a membership organisation which encompasses a social scenario often supported by a strong desire to recapture the comradeship of the Service.

3. Associate Members join the Association at varied ages since they are generally either family members or friends of those who are Full Members, sharing the ethos of the Association without necessarily having undergone the experience of Naval Service. Nevertheless, since they are the family members and friends of Full Members, the age profile of Associate Members is still higher than the Association would prefer.

4. The number of Association members actually serving in the RN, RM, RNR, RMR, RFA and QARNNS is small despite considerable effort being expended over the years to capture these potential recruits to the RNA. Until relatively recently, serving sailors were recruited at a specially reduced subscription although perhaps this benefit was not strictly appropriate when comparing current Service salaries against the incomes/pensions enjoyed by most fully subscribing RNA Members. On the other hand it is clear that the peripatetic life style of the serving sailor is probably inappropriate to individual RNA Branch Membership, however it is compellingly obvious that the key to the future health and vibrancy of the Association lies in reduction of the age profile by recruiting and retaining younger members.

5. Under this Memorandum of Understanding the Royal Naval Association undertakes that:

a. The RNA will form a new form of Membership for the Naval Service which would be described as The Serving Member. 1

b. Serving Members will be entitled to entry to any Royal Naval Association Branch or Club (without invitation) based on the production of his or her Royal Naval Association Membership Card which in the case of Serving Members would be the appropriate Service Identity Card.

c. Serving Members will not be members of any particular RNA branch unless they join in their own right. They will therefore have no voting powers of their own. But they will have a voice in the form of a representative on the RNA National Council.

e. Each Ship or Unit on the Bridge Card, and Establishment or Unit ashore would receive an electronic copy of the Royal Naval Association Circular.

f. Each RNA Area Secretary will provide the RNA Headquarters with an Area Social Programme covering Branch Social Events in which the serving members might participate. This information will be electronically streamed to ships, establishments and units as judged appropriate.

1
Serving Members would comprise every person serving in the Naval Forces of the Crown ie Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service and thus would be members by occupation, rather than by positive choice.

a. The Royal Navy will nominate a suitable member of the Naval Service, usually the Second Sea Lord’s Command Warrant Officer, for appointment as Vice President (Serving Members) for the term of his or her appointment.

b. Each Ship or Unit will appoint a point of contact to liaise with RNA branch committees and RNA head office as appropriate.

c. The Naval Families Federation and the RNComm websites will on an occasional basis provide web space to advertise linkage information between the RN and the RNA. Information will also be displayed on other RN websites as the opportunity arises.

d. The RNA wish to become more involved and supportive of Ships’ visits. Work will be put in place in the context of ‘Regional Coherence’ to reinforce the links with the RNA and Regional Commanders and to provide adequate notice in advance of Ship visits programmes. The Fleet Charities Officer will liaise with the RNA so that appropriate RNA overseas branches are aware of foreign visits.

e. The Royal Navy and The Royal Naval Association recognise and value the co-operation and amity which has traditionally existed between them, and the RN undertakes to encourage its personnel to remain members of the RNA on retirement.

7. This MOU will be reviewed annually at a meeting between the FLEET DACOS(CHARITIES) and the General Secretary of the RNA. However in the first instance a review at the 6 month period will be undertaken.