Royal Navy personnel can now claim for sports bras
The most senior woman in Royal Navy history tweeted about the interim plan ahead of a permanent contract with a supplier. Alex Walters14th April 2022 at 3:17pm
Royal Navy and Navy Reserve personnel will be able to claim up to two sports bras, it has been announced.
Rear Admiral Jude Terry, the most senior woman in Royal Navy history, took to Twitter to announce the update on the new uniform available to personnel – an interim measure until a contract is sorted.
A Ministry of Defence (MOD) spokesperson confirmed that, with the Navy requiring all personnel to maintain fitness and undertake regular physical exercise, personnel would be entitled to purchase a maximum of two sports bras, with a maximum value of £50 for each bra.
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RAdm Terry said in her tweet: “Part of my job is making uniforms better for all. [Happy] to announce personnel can now claim for two sports bras (RNTM 03-019/22). Interim measure while we establish a contract.”
The Royal Air Force in contrast is still currently investigating options for the provision of sports bras, as part of a wider commitment to delivering the most appropriate clothing for all personnel.
A delivery route similar to the Royal Navy is being pursued and details of any provision will be released in the very near future according to the MOD.
As seen in last year’s Army sports bra initiative, the Army currently issues sports bras, correctly fitted, to all women in basic training.
The initiative has enabled female Army recruits to be equipped with specially-designed sports bras for the first time.
This came after research showed more than three-quarters of female recruits had experienced problems with poorly fitting bras or breast-related injury during training.
The wider push toward a more inclusive culture for female personnel from the MOD, with the March launch of the new range of combat clothing specially designed for women, comes in response to last summer’s critical report from MPs on female experiences in the Armed Forces.
It found that the majority of former and serving women had experienced bullying, harassment and discrimination (BHD).
The Government has since enabled independent processing for BHD complaints and is now aiming for 30% female inflow into the forces by 2030, after opening all roles to women in 2018.
The MOD spokesperson reaffirmed that it remains “committed to improving the lived experience” of women personnel serving in the Armed Forces.
“Defence is committed to improving the lived experience for our brave women serving in our Armed Forces, including introducing a new range of body armour and clothing sizes,” a MOD spokesperson said.