Soldier who fought on frontline in Afghanistan calls for better treatment of veterans (From Basildon Recorder)

Google "Soldiers off the Street". Fantastic people who rehome veterans who are living on the streets.

Sorry but I must ask how long he actually did in service.

I keep reflecting on all of my family from Grandad who served in Indian was one of the First to arrive and last to leave the first world trenches suffered gas injuries which eventually killed him, my father at aged 19 called up and served in the army for 7 years of constant war having landed at Dunkirk and fought to Berlin.

I cannot recollect anyone from my family expecting anything other than a pathetic demobed suit and rain coat.

They were grateful for the prefab they lived in and they worked hard to improve their families lives.

Just cannot stop pondering the difference in generations, although it was probably the case that my family had nowt before they joined and nowt when after they left.

But pride hard work and determination and refusal to accept unemployment handouts probably helped.

My husband serve in the British army from when he was 16 he to left the army once our son was born in 2008. He served in Iraq & Afghanistan.
Since leaving we have been in touch with thurrock council as we heard that ex service men & women would be priority.
That seems to be untrue as we are still waiting on the council list and have been for almost 4 years!
We currently live in a 2 bed room, high rise flat with our son & daughter, surrounded by drug takers & acholics.
We will carry on bidding for a 3 bed house and hope that we get one soon we have contacted the council a few times and also got told that from the new year there policy will be changing for the better and people who have served and are working will have better priority.
Does seem unfair that people that serve in the army, work full time & are on no benifits are stuck at the bottom of the council list! :-(

I hope James & his family get the help that is needed soon! x

clarks wrote:
My husband serve in the British army from when he was 16 he to left the army once our son was born in 2008. He served in Iraq & Afghanistan.
Since leaving we have been in touch with thurrock council as we heard that ex service men & women would be priority.
That seems to be untrue as we are still waiting on the council list and have been for almost 4 years!
We currently live in a 2 bed room, high rise flat with our son & daughter, surrounded by drug takers & acholics.
We will carry on bidding for a 3 bed house and hope that we get one soon we have contacted the council a few times and also got told that from the new year there policy will be changing for the better and people who have served and are working will have better priority.
Does seem unfair that people that serve in the army, work full time & are on no benifits are stuck at the bottom of the council list! :-(

I hope James & his family get the help that is needed soon! x

local councils have a bad attitude towards ex soldiers. I hope you situation improves and you and your family get the help you so rightfully deserve. I have my own experiences of awful treatment by SBC upon leaving the army and was affectively told to rot in a privately rented slum. I didn't get any offers of council housing and i had to put in a complaint to the head of department at the council after one of the council officers insulted me.

getting any sort of council housing is a statistical impossibility made worst if you have actually served your country.

the bidding system is a joke. Still, its typical of a Tory organisation to use military issues and veterans as political leavers "we'll support the lads" whilst in reality they just forsake them to a life of suffering.

never mind about burning999's pointless comments. he/she has not done a days service in there life. far to busy spouting hate filled, self serving Tory doctrine..

Brunning999 wrote:
Sorry but I must ask how long he actually did in service.

I keep reflecting on all of my family from Grandad who served in Indian was one of the First to arrive and last to leave the first world trenches suffered gas injuries which eventually killed him, my father at aged 19 called up and served in the army for 7 years of constant war having landed at Dunkirk and fought to Berlin.

I cannot recollect anyone from my family expecting anything other than a pathetic demobed suit and rain coat.

They were grateful for the prefab they lived in and they worked hard to improve their families lives.

Just cannot stop pondering the difference in generations, although it was probably the case that my family had nowt before they joined and nowt when after they left.

But pride hard work and determination and refusal to accept unemployment handouts probably helped.

the fact that that the veteran in the article served in Afghanistan makes the question 'how long did he serve' incredibly and amazingly irrelevant.

i'll tell you what burning, you go to Afghanistan for six months then come back and tell me with a straight face that the days just flew by. six months there is two years anywhere else.

when i served you had to do a minimum of four years. I did six. i suspect the veteran in the article may have joined at 17. the army don't start counting your four years minimum until you turn 18.

why do you think servicemen retire in the army after 22 years. Because, chances are, the army has sufficiently destroyed them both physically and mentally..

I wish James & his family all the very best. As Jayman has said, the length of his service is immaterial, especially as the army is currently cutting back on manpower, & he has been diagnosed with PTSD. Thankfully, I see they are now getting help from the RBL who will do all they can, & also contact other organisations.
If he has not done so already, I suggest James contact "Combat Stress", they do wonderful work for those who have unseen mental wounds as a result of service.
Let's hope Basildon Council pull out the stops & help make 2013 a better year for this family.
Oh, & I have to say I received help from the RBL when I was in need of it, & also had a battle with my local council to obtain social housing.

Just get on with life I'm afraid these days the former soldiers are not the only people suffering there is an awful lot of families out there suffering due to the recession.

My Dad also joined and left the mob with nowt, he never moaned once just found several jobs and worked 12 hours a day 7 days a week until he was able to buy his own home and move out of a council home freeing it up for the more deserving,my parents never deprived any family of a council home as happens these days.

Sick of moaners like this.
You chose your career and you're well paid for it.
And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers.
Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you.
This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return.
The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

Brunning999 wrote:
Sorry but I must ask how long he actually did in service. I keep reflecting on all of my family from Grandad who served in Indian was one of the First to arrive and last to leave the first world trenches suffered gas injuries which eventually killed him, my father at aged 19 called up and served in the army for 7 years of constant war having landed at Dunkirk and fought to Berlin. I cannot recollect anyone from my family expecting anything other than a pathetic demobed suit and rain coat. They were grateful for the prefab they lived in and they worked hard to improve their families lives. Just cannot stop pondering the difference in generations, although it was probably the case that my family had nowt before they joined and nowt when after they left. But pride hard work and determination and refusal to accept unemployment handouts probably helped.

The job has changed since world war 2 and even the falklands. our front line combatents and support staff are operating in a political background where they are expected to act like police officers requiring evidence before engaging in their primary role and suffer from the risk of being prosocuted like anyone else if they make a mistake.
Past conflicts by all countries show that failure to address social issues from returning personel adjusting to a normal life results in life long issues for the family and the soldier themself.
Society owes these soldiers as they are carrying out duties that our elected govement have sent them to do whilst only earning what many people get in state benefits (remeber they dont finish work while being away and go home, they are stuck in base or exposed forward operating bases) so its fairly apparent they do this job for other reasons than greed. They should be given better scoring on the housing lists and assistance in recieving whatever they require for adjustment together with special medical care for treatment of ptsd so that they are not treated as a person who is in depression which is a side effect of ptsd and not the root problem. Further more this goverment really should deal with the turn over of soldiers in service by improving support for young families of serving soldiers with better education and facilities for soldiers children many would stay in and feel its worth missing 6 months at a time of the kids early years as they are providing for their loved ones by being in the army.

echoforum wrote:
Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues.
please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote:
Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues.
please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel?
75% of the above never muddy their boots
I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it!
As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way).
He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect.
The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies.
The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home
..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

echoforum wrote:

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote:
Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues.
please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel?
75% of the above never muddy their boots
I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it!
As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way).
He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect.
The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies.
The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home
..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

where did you get the 75% figure from. that may have been the case in the days when the British army was swollen with conscription but not in today micro army.

you are a provocative troll of the highest order.

if you think soldiers are nice line following robots who don't become offended or react to snubs and put downs by snobs I would like to refer you to the Luton peace riots. 'Google it'

echoforum wrote:

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote:
Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues.
please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel?
75% of the above never muddy their boots
I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it!
As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way).
He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect.
The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies.
The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home
..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

Isaiah Berlin wrote

“I am not at all a pacifist, and believe that some wars are fully justified, not merely wars of defence. . .. but even preventive wars. . .where the probably of aggression from the other side is very high or where the political system inflicts a very great deal of suffering upon a very great many persons.” He went on: “Unless there is some point at which you are prepared to fight against whatever odds, and whatever the threat may be, not merely to yourself but to anybody, all principles become flexible, all codes melt.

Isaiah Berlin was one of the greatest philosophers of our time. his key principles where that men cannot be free from the dangers of conflict from forces both foreign and domestic and keep there liberty and express full self determination at the same time.

therefore in western societies this function is facilitated and supported by-proxy, an army of highly trained individuals who do not interfere with the state and its democracy. This is the paradigm of British society.

so, by virtue the state owes the men and women that work in this function a debt which cannot be repaid but presents a debt which cannot go unpaid..

now off with you, you f-ing intellectual fringe

echoforum wrote:

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote:
Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues.
please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel?
75% of the above never muddy their boots
I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it!
As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way).
He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect.
The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies.
The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home
..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

Isaiah Berlin wrote

“I am not at all a pacifist, and believe that some wars are fully justified, not merely wars of defence. . .. but even preventive wars. . .where the probably of aggression from the other side is very high or where the political system inflicts a very great deal of suffering upon a very great many persons.” He went on: “Unless there is some point at which you are prepared to fight against whatever odds, and whatever the threat may be, not merely to yourself but to anybody, all principles become flexible, all codes melt.

Isaiah Berlin was one of the greatest philosophers of our time. his key principles where that men cannot be free from the dangers of conflict from forces both foreign and domestic and keep there liberty and express full self determination at the same time.

therefore in western societies this function is facilitated and supported by-proxy, an army of highly trained individuals who do not interfere with the state and its democracy. This is the paradigm of British society.

so, by virtue the state owes the men and women that work in this function a debt which cannot be repaid but presents a debt which cannot go unpaid..

now off with you, you f-ing intellectual fringe

echoforum wrote:

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote: Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues. please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces. People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel? 75% of the above never muddy their boots I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it! As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way). He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect. The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies. The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home ..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

you seem to not understand the reason behind having armed forces possibly because you got bullied at school and felt hiding in the school libary was a better way to prevent conflict.
The middle east is a mess correct,but without our policing and intervention would spill over into europe and affect you and I. The average afgan farmer's crops were opium and that has changed reducing the output of heroin. As a soldier you are sent anywhere you are deemed required or requested by a goverment, very often without the support or equipment in place due to cutbacks to keep narrow minded idiots like yourself happy that they are not paying for new issue body armour or to improve hygine in the FOBS to prevent groups of soldiers going down with diahroea.
All forces be it abroad or at home deserve good treatment whilst in service and after and you seem to **** about many front line personel coming home with suspected PTSD as that in your figures only acounts for a maximum of 25%. Sleep well tonight, because most people in the country support our troops where ever they are for what ever reasonsand the rough men keep all our families safe. Due to the standard of soldier in the uk they are a fantastic deterant to foes and are respected by many by their conduct as such they have earned their right to being a citizen have you or do you just expect it due to birth right.

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote:

halojump wrote:

echoforum wrote: Sick of moaners like this. You chose your career and you're well paid for it. And now PTSD is the equivalent of a bad back for benefit scroungers. Soldiers trying to jump the queue ,every soldier can claim PTSD because you can prove it but it might get you a house..shame on you. This may be harsh but we would all sign up for the army if a free house was waiting for us on our return. The housing situation in this country is appalling it's all owned and managed by the rich few.I'm afraid 'mate' your gonna have to suffer like the rest of us..advice, start again abroad somewhere cheap...how about the middle east .Oh! sorry ,you've done that already.............

perhaps your comment highlights a good point. perhaps it should be written that all forces personel are given top priorty on all benefit issues. please remeber the following quote when thinking about the armed forces. People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.( by George Orwell)

Forces personel? 75% of the above never muddy their boots I''m sure you've read that here in the UK, the MOD are offering extra leave this year to the pen pushers and 'treacle layer'.in their cosy offices just to save lecy..shows just how important they are doesn't it! As regards G Orwell -Down and out in Paris ... is a great book(by the way). He was referring to the defence of ones family and property for which we would all commit acts of violence to protect. The Middle East is a phony war driven by politicians with their blatant lies. The 'Rough Men' can stop killing and being killed and come home ..as far as I'm concerned Just can't promise a roof over your head.

you seem to not understand the reason behind having armed forces possibly because you got bullied at school and felt hiding in the school libary was a better way to prevent conflict. The middle east is a mess correct,but without our policing and intervention would spill over into europe and affect you and I. The average afgan farmer's crops were opium and that has changed reducing the output of heroin. As a soldier you are sent anywhere you are deemed required or requested by a goverment, very often without the support or equipment in place due to cutbacks to keep narrow minded idiots like yourself happy that they are not paying for new issue body armour or to improve hygine in the FOBS to prevent groups of soldiers going down with diahroea. All forces be it abroad or at home deserve good treatment whilst in service and after and you seem to **** about many front line personel coming home with suspected PTSD as that in your figures only acounts for a maximum of 25%. Sleep well tonight, because most people in the country support our troops where ever they are for what ever reasonsand the rough men keep all our families safe. Due to the standard of soldier in the uk they are a fantastic deterant to foes and are respected by many by their conduct as such they have earned their right to being a citizen have you or do you just expect it due to birth right.

"echoforum" - I would suggest that you check your facts & figures before making such sweeping statements. In the most recent conflicts, Iraq & Afghanistan, the frontline is no longer easily defined & the bulk of HM Forces personnel (yes, all 3 services send personnel out there) are directly in harm's way at some stage. Perhaps you'd like to meet some serving & former personnel who have been in the Armed Forces within the last 30 years, I'm sure they could correct any misconceptions you may have.
PTSD is not an easy cop-out as some here seem to think, many of those who are now receiving treatment & help have suffered in silence for years, sometimes decades, & a very large proportion do not receive anything from the MoD. If you ever meet a survivor of the Japanese PoW camps, maybe you'd like to tell them that their suffering even today is nothing exceptional. My grandfather suffered Shellshock (now called PTSD) as a result of his experiences in the trenches in WW1, just because his generation were failed by the system doesn't mean it has to continue to happen. Rudyard Kipling wrote "Tommy" well over 100 years ago, isn't it to our shame that the situation is almost the same today as then?

Just noticed my error, it was my great grandfather who served in WW1, East Kent Regt before being injured & then transferred to the Royal Engineers due to his pre-war work as a Docker at Tilbury.