Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
22 October 2008
08:007907#1
A disturbing report on the BBC this morning said that up to 9,000 ex military personnel/veterans are now in jail here in the UK. These are alarming figures and are or should be of great concern to everyone.
It begs the following 2 questions...
1. Are the bulk of military personnel recruited from the criminal classes to begin with?
or
2. Are the bulk of the military personnel having trouble adjusting to normal life after years of service?
No 2 is probably more likely to be the case although once upon a time, I dont know if it applies now, the court case guilty were often offered life in the army instead of a sentence at her majesty's pleasure. But yes if indeed it is no 2 then its a shocking state of affairs. We have lethaly trained individuals, unable to adjust to normal life, wreaking allsorts of havoc in normal society.
I mean whats a lethaly trained soldier to do in civilian life...work in Burtons?
I dont know what the answer is...analysis?? psychiatric confinement??
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2008
08:137908#2
After what they often have to go through in Iraq and Afghanistan it cannot be surprising that so many suffer poste traumatic stress and go off the rails once they are outside the disciplined environment of the Forces.
The aftercare support is clearly inadequate. While previous generations, post WW2 in particular, did not have this degree of problems, society was different then, much more disciplined and with families around to be supportive. These days with family breakdowns, single mums and so on there is not that structure for them when they get out and the Government must ensure there is something else in its place.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
22 October 2008
08:237909#3
maybe if the armed services helped with an easing down before they leave,ie get them to more to do in civilian life in there last year 18 months with the posabilaty of counciling might make there transistion eiser to go from front line service to civelian life.
22 October 2008
08:557910#4
Frankly counselling and trauma therapy would probably not be needed if there were a sensible management plan for people leaving such a structured and specific environment. Like anyone moving away from an intense or challenging situation de-escalation would be appropriate, and the Government owes it to these people to offer them proper alternatives such as further education, paid for by us, or to support them in finding suitable employment that will engage them enough to reduce their fears and anxieties about leaving their structure. It makes sense on all levels to support people in this way - morally, ethically and economocally.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2008
09:567913#5
I think the problem here is the tempo of operations combined with an underfunded Defence budget. There is simply no room for a gradual 'wind down' and no adequate budget the the type of aftercare they need.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
22 October 2008
10:037914#6
In previous conflicts the troops would have days, sometimes weeks, together on the homeward trip from combat to civilian life, time they spent with their comrades unwinding and talking about the return to civilian life, now the transition can take as little as a few hours. This will obviously increase the 'culture shock' effect and a simple solution, in a lot not all cases, could be to give the troops some down time together half way between the combat zone and a return to civilian life. Give them time to adjust in a familiar military environment with others who have shared the experiences so that they can slip more easily back to a safer home situation. Just a thought.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2008
10:247916#7
I have a client coming to see me Friday, he booked his appointment with a phone call from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan a few days ago!!!!
I know from his wife has has been in some very tricky situations though he cant tell her much but he is lucky, he has her when he gets home. He will return there after a brief spell at home and will be there over Christmas.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
25 October 2008
21:008053#8
I think Chris has a very valid point we expect so much but give so little to help them adjust afterwards, we society have a moral obligation to help.
beer the food of the gods
25 October 2008
21:448055#9
Absolutely.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
25 October 2008
22:028057#10
one of the things that has always shocked me, has been when governments decide to cutback on personnel.
they lob people out onto the street ill equipped to survive, next thing you know, they have a recruitment campaign!!
i remember soldiers on duty in bosnia getting their marching orders, not the usual ones.
we do not hear much of this anymore, our present government has many more wars on the go.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
26 October 2008
10:458073#11
9,000 seems rather over the top to me.
Has anyone done the OBVIOUS thing and bothered to find out WHY they are in the situation they are in? I mean it aint rocket science is it.
Maybe then some doughnut from the ministry could come up with a solution.
I myself was fotunate to come straight from Germany on a friday and start a new job on the monday.
It was difficult for a while but soon got used to it.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.