Every year, Armed Forces Day reminds me just how important the military community is to my town.

Colchester is a proud garrison town, with military traditions stretching back generations. The army community is an important part of the town, with conflict and ceremony equally ingrained in our local life.

Whether it’s shopping in Morrison’s or marching bands and military parades, the integration between the military and the local community can be seen on many levels. It is little wonder, then, that residents repeatedly refer to the army personnel based here as ‘our soldiers’.

These soldiers have endured three tours of duty in Afghanistan, displaying tremendous courage and professionalism every time. Yet their courage can only be matched by that displayed by the families left behind. The support Colchester’s residents gave family and friends during those long tours, will never be forgotten by any of us.

Coming from an army family, I know what comfort that support gives those left behind. Throughout the Parachute Regiment’s 2010-11 tour, I was one of those waiting nervously for news from my friend in 3 Para who was based in the remote Nad-e-Ali area of Helmand province.

The Labour government’s £500m investment in Colchester Garrison back in 2006 showed our continued support to our armed forces, as well as providing the personnel with ‘the tools to do the job’. The redevelopment provided our soldiers with a 21st century place to live and work, offering state-of-the-art facilities for training and medical care as well as leisure and sport activities. My army friends tell me that these new facilities are a vast improvement on the old Edwardian barracks they once lived in.

But today’s serving soldiers are tomorrow’s veterans. So locally we are working with the Ministry of Defence, service personnel, their families and forces charities to support those who decide to leave the forces and settle here.

How we help those making the transition back in to civilian life is key for Colchester. Labour has been at the forefront of resettlement planning, especially around housing, with schemes to turn ex-army housing stock into new homes for ex-personnel. The council has also unveiled plans for a former council sheltered housing complex to become a centre for Gurkha veterans. Labour cabinet members have ensured that the site, rather than being developed for housing, will become a new home for retired Gurkhas and their families who want to settle here after their years of service.

Armed Forces Day is an important day when we can give proper recognition and thanks to our service personnel, and the day is widely acknowledged as going a long way to keeping morale at a high level among our troops.

While some may argue about the need for a specific day, no one will argue that a day of focused thought and thanks is the least our armed forces deserve. The people of Colchester are renowned for their continuous and ongoing support of forces personnel, their friends and family.

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Jordan Newell is chair of Colchester Labour party. He tweets @JordanNewell

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Photo: armedforcesday.org.uk