Military personnel living in the county will benefit from a £100,000 war chest in recognition of their sacrifices in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The money, included in Oxfordshire County Council’s budget for 2009-10, is primarily intended to help forces personnel and their families to settle into civilian life and employment at the end of their careers in the military.

But it will also pay for homecoming parades and medal ceremonies.

Royal British Legion county manager Craig Treeby said: “It’s really nice to know local authorities are giving due recognition to the armed forces in the county – it’s absolutely terrific.”

Last year County Hall included a similar amount in its budget to help military personnel.

It supported parades, such as one held in Didcot last year when hundreds of people turned out to honour the safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq of bomb disposal troops based at the town’s Vauxhall Barracks.

Everyone from schoolchildren to war veterans, firefighters to shopkeepers, lined the streets to welcome home troops from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, part of the Royal Logistic Corps.

Money was also used for improvements at RAF Benson in south Oxfordshire and RAF Brize Norton in west Oxfordshire and at Army sites in Abingdon, Bicester and Didcot, including the refurbishment of community centres used by military families.

RAF Benson station commander Group Captain Jonathan Burr said: “The funding for homecoming parades and medal ceremonies makes a real difference to the morale of our people and their families.

“We’re extremely proud of our close links with the local community in Oxfordshire and looking forward to the Freedom of Wallingford parade on April 1.”

Oxfordshire County Council is liaising with military bases in the county about the best way to spend the latest allocation of money.

Council leader Keith Mitchell said: “Nobody should underestimate just how much military personnel are part and parcel of life in Oxfordshire and how much they contribute to our economy.

“Last year’s £100,000 will have made a small difference to their day-to-day lives and will have helped with the all-important recognition that is afforded by homecoming parades and the like.

“However, every little helps and we have decided to repeat the funding as a token of the gratitude people feel for the efforts of our locally-based armed forces.”

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