"Ombuds: Empowering Voices, Resolving Challenges"

Published 9 Oct 2025 Ombuds Day is a welcome moment each year to pause and think about the importance of listening to people’s experiences, giving them a fair voice, and making sure concerns are properly addressed. For me, it is also a time to highlight the work SCOAF continues to do for Service personnel, and to look to the changes ahead.

The Service Complaints system exists to give individuals the chance to raise concerns about their treatment, their working environment, or decisions that affect them. I see daily how valuable it is for Service personnel to have a place to turn when they feel something has gone wrong. For many, making a complaint can be daunting, but it is an essential safeguard that helps maintain trust in the Armed Forces as a whole. My role, and the role of my team, is to make sure that system is fair and that every complaint is treated with the seriousness it deserves.

Change is on the horizon. In 2026, SCOAF will become the Armed Forces Commissioner (AFC). This is an exciting step forward, building on what has already been achieved but broadening the remit to cover wider aspects of Service life, including welfare and family support. It will mean that, alongside ensuring complaints are handled properly, there will be more opportunities to raise issues early and resolve them before they turn into formal complaints.

This new role will give Service personnel and their families a stronger voice and more ways to influence positive change. It reflects a recognition that welfare, fairness, and support go hand in hand with operational effectiveness. The AFC will be able to look not only at individual grievances but also at the bigger picture – identifying patterns, recommending improvements, and helping to make the Armed Forces a better place to live and work.

On Ombuds Day, I want to acknowledge the importance of this journey. Independence and fairness remain at the heart of what we do, but the changes ahead offer a chance to do even more. It is a positive and forward-looking development, and I am optimistic about what it can deliver.

Mariette Hughes, Ombudsman

Give Feedback

Please tell us what you think, any feedback is highly appreciated. Did you find what you were looking for? Yes No What did you like about this page? What was it you were looking for? How could we make it easier to find?