During the last 30 years the roles and responsibilities of the Army have changed significantly in response to new threats to UK security which in turn led to changes in its public profile. Historically, many people either served in the Army or were related to someone still serving. This is increasingly less common among newer generations.

As the Army was reduced in size, some bases closed and increased security concerns from the 70s onwards meant that fences were erected around the remainder. Consequently, soldiers in uniform became a less common sight in public places.

The increased tempo of overseas operations in the 90s became the main focus of the Army, which meant that less attention was paid to our links to local communities. However, the soldiers and their families remained a crucial part of the local communities and it is now recognised that there is a need to re-energize the links with the community, both locally and nationally.

Headquarters 2 (South East) Brigade sees Community Engagement as one of its key tasks; we want to actively develop our interaction with local government, the community, businesses, schools and youth groups.

Our wish is to:

• Improve the “Soldier's lot”, equally for the single and married service personnel.
• Enhance employer support for Reserve soldiers and their families.
• Enhance NHS support for families.
• Maintain the Army's reputation.
• Integrate with the local community, including schools
• Support recruiting for Regular and Reserve Soldiers
• Support UK Operations; the assistance to civil authorities during times of national emergencies.
• Enhance security of the homeland against terrorist or extremist threats
• Support family estate development, through the Defence Housing Agency and Local Authorities

This wide range of activity is supported by many agencies and organizations and there are already strong links in place for much of what we hope to achieve. To facilitate this we have established a Community Engagement Team within the Headquarters to act as a focal point. Public support means a great deal to those who are serving and particularly so to those on operations. Support from home is an essential part of the morale of our Armed Forces deployed overseas amid the stresses and strains of the operational environment.