Serving Soldier Welfare

Service welfare hinges on investigating the need for compassionate leave in the absence of an effective civilian infrastructure.  The welfare process also incorporates any need to address such issues as marital harmony and land disputes. This is overseen by the Brigade and Unit Welfare Officer (BUWO) and his staff who are based in BGN, Man Bhawan, Jawalakhel, Kathmandu. (Telephone: 01-5533521 Ext 229).

In general terms, all requests for Compassionate leave by a serviceman's family should be reported to their nearest Area Welfare Centre, except for those in Kathmandu Valley who should report occurences to the BUWO. The authority for compassionate travel is Joint Casualty and compassionate Cell in accordance with procedures contained in JSP 751.

For non-Gurkha personnel and their dependants based abroad, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) should be contacted on 44 (0) 1452 519951. This number is continually manned 24 hours a day, including weekends and Bank Holidays. Please pass this number to your relatives and friends in the UK and advise them the following procedures:

When you call you will be asked to provide Service Number, Rank, Name, Home Unit and current location of the Service person, together with full details of the relative concerned, their location and name of Doctor, Hospital and/or any other organisation involved in the case.

Please be aware that any information will be verified with the appropriate organisations before Compassionate Travel may be authorised.

You must contact the JCCC as soon as possible as your relative's parent unit cannot authorise Compassionate Travel from overseas.

Ex-Servicemans Welfare

Welfare support for ex-servicemen is provided by the Gurkha Welfare Scheme (GWS) which is the field arm of the UK based charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT). 

The GWT aims to alleviate hardship and poverty amongst ex-servicemen and their widows, many whom due to relatively short war service or redundancy in the 60s do not have a Service Pension. 

The Trust is supported by the Ministry of Defence who meet the staff and administrative costs of the GWS.

The Gurkha Welfare Scheme (GWS)

The GWS is the field arm of the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), a UK based charity.  The GWS is based at Pokhara and is run on a day-to-day basis by the Field Director GWS and his staff. 

The Field Director is a serving Brigade of Gurkhas Lt Col.  He is supported by a Captain and several retired officers.  Commander BGN is the Director of the GWS and answers to the GWT trustees in UK.  The GWS is represented in the hills by 20 Area Welfare Centres (AWCs) spread across all the traditional recruiting areas. 

There are 9 AWCs in the East of Nepal, 9 in the West, one in Kathmandu and one in Darjeeling, India.  They are purpose-built and are staffed by an Area Welfare Officer, one or more assistants depending on the size of the parish, a medical assistant and one or more peons who act as cooks or runners. 

It is this staff that investigates all claims for aid from ex-servicemen and frequently the circumstances of serving soldiers' families.  Aid dispersed by the GWS is directed to support ex-servicemen and their widows either individually with welfare pensions, hardships grants, medical grants and education grants or communally through projects such as water points, schools and suspension bridges.