Combat Stress appeal: Prince of Wales warns of trauma in
veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq
The Prince of Wales has warned of the stored-up psychological damage
among
former and current servicemen who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan
conflicts,
as he launches a £30million appeal for better mental health services
for
veterans.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the Prince says: “The unseen injuries of
war –
the nightmares, flashbacks, anxieties, depression, anger and guilt –
in
short, the psychological injuries, can render the sufferer totally
incapacitated.”
The Prince’s intervention comes as the charity Combat Stress launches a
new "Enemy
Within" appeal to raise £30million for a national network of
community out-reach teams to support former servicemen and women who
are
suffering from post-traumatic stress.
New figures published today by the charity show the numbers of veterans
being
treated by the charity has jumped by two thirds in just five years,
with
more than 1,177 former servicemen approaching the charity in the past
year
alone.
This figure could rise sharply among the 17,000 servicemen who leave the
forces every year because of the intense fighting by overstretched
troops in
recent years in Iraq, and now in Afghanistan.
The Prince says: “The impact of current operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan may
only be seen in the years to come.”
Among veterans who contacted the charity, not one had been discharged
for
psychiatric reasons, suggesting that the problems only became apparent
much
later.
The Prince says: “For many complex reasons, it takes, on average, 14
years
after leaving the Services before veterans seek help from Combat
Stress.”
This means that veterans of the Falklands conflict, Bosnia, Northern
Ireland
and the first Gulf War are only now coming forward.
By this point, he says, “many veterans are at the end of their tether”,
with a
third of them unemployed and placing great pressures on their families
who
are having to cope with their erratic behaviour.
He says: “Social isolation is common, alcohol and/or drug abuse is often
seen
as a refuge, and I am afraid that this downward spiral leads many to
contemplate taking their own lives.
“It is equally clear how much veterans’ families suffer too. Without
professional help, many ex-service families can find themselves torn
apart
by the effects of psychological injury.”
The Prince urges former servicemen to treat their psychological injuries
as
physical injuries, which need to be treated professionally.
He says: “The sooner that veterans and their families receive
appropriate
support, the better the prognosis for all concerned and Combat Stress
is
doing all it can to encourage veterans to come forward earlier and to
be in
a position to continue to help them. “
He says this work “is needed now and in the distant future, long after
the
headlines from a particular conflict have faded and the World’s
attention
has moved on”.
The Prince is helping to launch the appeal at a reception today in St
James’
Palace. Chai Patel, the healthcare millionaire and a supporter of the
Labour
party, has agreed to pledge £1million and chair the appeal.
A hard-hitting television advert, which shows a veteran cowering in his
kitchen as he imagines himself back on the battlefield, airs from
tonight
and can be watched here.
Dr Patel said: “In return for the risks taken on our behalf by our
service men
and women, we have an obligation to look after those who are wounded
and
their families.
“To wait for fourteen years to ask for help is too long. By then the
impact on
our brave veterans lives’ can be devastating. We owe them the right
care as
quickly as possible.
“The £30million will fundamentally change the way that treatment is
delivered.
Residential services are being upgraded.
“We will provide a nationwide service where the veterans live because
they
will be able to access services earlier, in a more appropriate setting
and
we can tackle the huge delays.
“This appeal will reduce the 14 year timelag so that veterans will be
more
likely to engage with and remain in treatment. There will be greater
compliance with medication, better uptake of regular therapy, and
better
engagement by Veterans with the NHS.
“To allow the numbers to grow unchecked would be a failure. Society
cannot
forget our Veterans. They need better adjustment to civilian life, an
improved sense of wellbeing and a reduction in the isolation felt by
Veterans and their families.
“I know that the nation as a whole feels a great sense of gratitude for
the
sacrifices our military are making. This appeal is our opportunity to
show
that gratitude.”
Anyone who wants to donate can send a cheques payable to “Combat
Stress”
and send to Tyrwhitt House, Oaklawn Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22
0BX. Or
donate online at: www.combatstress.org.uk/enemywithinappeal
A welcoming home for our Troops.
