Rutland man Stan Brathwaite is awarded an MBE for services to RAF families in the King’s new year honours list

A former RAF engineer appears on the King’s new year honours list in recognition of his work supporting military families.

Stan Brathwaite received an MBE after 13 years of service to the RAF Families Federation.

He joined the team after serving as an electrical engineer for 38 years, bringing a wealth of experience from his own time living in married quarters.

Stan helped around 3,000 families before retiring from the federation in September.

He said: “When the MBE letter arrived in the post I thought it was a scam.

“I had no inclination at all so I was completely shocked and since then I’ve been trying to track down who might have nominated me.

“I suspect it was my director but throughout my 13 years with the Families Federation there have been a number of similarly-minded team members, so it’s a surprise that I was singled out.

“Any member of our team could have and should have got an MBE so I’m grateful for the recognition.”

Stan, 72, was born in Barbados but moved to the UK as a child and was educated in Coventry. He joined the RAF as an apprentice electrical engineer, completing his training in Weston Super Mare.

He married his wife Jean in 1970 and she joined Stan on his first posting to Cyprus when he was 19. The couple later returned to the UK and eventually settled in Uppingham with their daughters Kimberley and Rachel while Stan worked at RAF North Luffenham.

He said: “I’m probably looking back with rose-tinted glasses but I can’t pinpoint one time that was a highlight because it was all very fulfilling. I used most of my training when serving in the Falklands.”

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Stan left the RAF in 2007 and started to look for a job locally. Most of the roles he was qualified for were based in the south of England but he didn’t want to uproot the family again.

“A job came up with the RAF Families Federation at RAF Wittering but it wasn’t what I was used to doing - it was an admin job and a more human role that was all about people, but I had lived in a lot of married quarters so I thought it was something I could do.

“I was gobsmacked to get it because I must have been the least qualified person who applied!”

Stan likens the role to that of Citizens Advice. He was part of a 12-strong team who supported RAF families with any issues they faced, with Stanley focusing on housing while his colleagues covered areas such as health and education.

Families would contact Stan with issues such as mould and damp, and he would liaise with the maintenance contractors to resolve them.

“The housing is owned by a private company and my job was to get them to do the moral thing and realise there was a family at the end. I must have dealt with 3,000 cases on a one-to-one basis,” he said.

“It could be quite draining to take on people’s emotional problems, but on the flip side we would do regular station visits and attend families’ days where people would often come and thank us for helping them.”

Despite stepping down from the job three months ago, the RAF still holds a big place in Stan’s heart. “I keep a beady eye on what the team are up to and look at what the Ministry of Defence is doing too.

“I’ve also joined the Royal Air Force Association and taken a couple of courses relating to casework and helping veterans. I haven't worked on a case yet but I expect one will be coming in January.”

In his spare time Stan is also a coxswain at Rutland Sailing Club.

His citation from the cabinet office says: “Throughout the life of the RAF Families Federation he has demonstrated exceptional standards and driven the entire output of the housing support function.

“Without his work many thousands of personnel and their families would have utterly unacceptable accommodation.

“His work has not only supported all the personnel and families who flag specific issues but ensured a better level of understanding for the MOD contractors by explaining the unique challenges of service life.

“He is particularly passionate about supporting families with additional challenges such as medical issues and those needing adapted housing. He brings all the experience gained through his 55 years at work, and his passion and drive remain exceptional.”