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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

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Veterans in medical discharge call

This news post is over 4 years old
 

Former members of the armed forces have called for improvements in the way armed forces veterans are medically discharged into civilian life

Scottish veterans met at Stirling Castle this week to support a campaign for improvements in the way armed forces veterans are medically discharged into civilian life.

Stirling has been chosen as the focus of Help for Heroes’ 40,000 Strong campaign in Scotland because of its strong military history - and because the city’s population matches the almost 40,000 men and women who have been medically discharged from the military in the past 20 years

A display of 5000 miniature figures is being displayed in the city’s Thistles Centre this weekend (1-3 November) to illustrate the scale of the issue, while Help for Heroes volunteers will be holding fundraising collections across the city - including at Stirling Albion FC on Saturday.

The figures are representative of a larger installation of 40,000 miniature model veterans used to show the true scale of those who put their lives on the line for us in recent conflicts but were unable to continue their service due to injury or illness. If placed one on top the other, they would be 100 times taller than the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world.

Over 25% of these medical discharges have been since the end of the war in Afghanistan, despite the British Armed Forces not being engaged in active conflict during this period, and the number of Service personnel whose lives have been derailed by injury or sickness grows every day.

In polling released by the charity, 70% of wounded veterans described their medical discharge as “negative” and over 60% felt they hadn’t received enough support while transitioning out of the Armed Forces.

Help for Heroes is now calling on the UK Government to review the existing medical discharge process to ensure those forced to leave the military as a result of injuries or illness are given the best possible opportunity to transition well into civilian life.

One of the almost 40,000 to lose their careers was former army officer John Owens from Ayrshire. John, aged 45, was medically discharged, in 2014 after he was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), when his mental health was affected by suffering a stroke at just 38.

John, aged 45, from Kilmarnock, said: “My experience of medical discharge was a long drawn out process which I guess had to happen, to enable the correct post discharge care was in place. For me this was quite exciting but never materialised into anything because once I left the services, I found it difficult to be myself and adapt to new surroundings, having my career cut short and living with a brain injury. This could have been improved with an individual long term programme in place at my local recovery centre, designed especially for veterans.”

Former RAF Squadron leader Ken de Soyza, of Kirkcaldy, Fife was medically discharged after 22 years of service when an undiagnosed and untreated service-related back injury led to severe spasms.

Ken, aged 57, said: “The result of the medical board decision was that I had to clear my desk and not return to work. This was disheartening as we still lived on the unit and I went past my office every day. It never occurred to me that after this no one would keep in contact with me or follow up. I had to hand in my RAF identity card, rail pass and return my uniforms. We had to lodge an application to the Married Quarters Manager which resulted in a legal notice telling us when we would need to leave our quarter.

“The resettlement courses I was offered were some distance away on another unit. I was amused at the disconnect between me being considered to be unfit for further service because of back pain and therefore, limited in capability to travel and yet, I was expected to drive distances for courses. The resettlement courses only ever focused on drafting a CV and how ex Forces personnel could set up franchises. There was nothing about living in the ‘real world'.

“The emotions hit me later with constant dreaming about being back on the unit. I felt so isolated afterwards. Now I just feel as if I just don't quite fit in the civilian community.”

An attack while he was off-duty in 2005 left Robert Stoddart, of Stenhousemuir, in hospital for three months with severe epilepsy and seizures. A corporal with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders for 12 years, Robert, 42, had to learn to walk and talk again and was put on leave for two years before being medically discharged in 2007.

Robert, who served in Northern Ireland and Iraq, found himself without accommodation and, unable to work due to his seizures, he ended up in a homeless shelter in Grangemouth for ten months. “The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders always prided themselves on being a family battalion but I had no support. The medical discharge process is nowhere near as good as it should be.”

Rob Colgrave, Scottish fundraising manager for Help for Heroes, said: “Injuries have ended almost 40,000 military careers in 20 years and every day this number grows. Many of them tell us that their transition impacted significantly on their health, wellbeing and family.

“The medical discharge process is seriously failing those who are let down by major inconsistencies in support, so we’re calling on the UK Government to commission an independent review of the process to close those gaps.

“With the public’s support, we’re on a mission to ensure every wounded hero has the best opportunity to stand strong in civilian life and we hope the people of Stirling will look out for our volunteers and dig deep during our collections next weekend.”