British Armed Forces Federation - Organisational Models

Organisational Models

According to statements on its website, the BAFF Constitution was drawn up in consultation with some fifty serving personnel from all three branches of HM Forces. A "specifically British solution for the British armed forces", BAFF claims not to be modelled on any other single organisation, but that its Steering Group took into account (and in certain cases, visited) a wide range of organisations representing operational public service staff, including:

• Representative military organisations in Australia. The Armed Forces Federation of Australia Inc was founded in 1984 and ceased operations at the end of 2006, but the Defence Force Welfare Association (founded 1959) and Defence Reserves Association (founded 1969) continue to represent Australian personnel and are recognized by the Chain of Command of the Australian Defence Force.
• Association of the United States Army.
• Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association. (Ireland).
• Police Federation of England and Wales, Defence Police Federation, and other UK Police Federations.
• GCG section of the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents GCHQ staff.

Military staff associations may be configured to represent

• Specific rank ranges within the military hierarchy;
• Specific sections of the armed forces - Navy, Army, Air Force, or (where applicable) Gendarmerie; or
• Specific categories of personnel - regulars, reservists, conscripts (where applicable) or retirees.

In accordance with the principle "All of one company", BAFF recruits from all such categories, but with a reduced subscription for junior serving personnel.