Combat Stress appeal: 8,500 veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq to develop trauma problems

By Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor 613PM GMT eleven March 2010

Previous of Images Next The Prince of Wales at the accepting for the launch of the �30 Million Combat Stress interest Photo GEOFF PUGH Chai Patel, centre, Chairman of "The Enemy Within" interest Photo GEOFF PUGH General Sir Richard Dannett, right, meets Prince Charles Photo GEOFF PUGH The Duke of Westminster, left, at the Combat Stress interest accepting Photo GEOFF PUGH

The headlines came as the Prince of Wales launched an interest by the gift Combat Stress to lift �30million to compensate for improved mental health services for veterans opposite the UK.

So far 180,000 British infantry have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan given 2003. General Dannatt, the former Chief of the General Staff, pronounced that as most as 8,500 former servicemen of these will climb mental health problems.

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General Dannatt pronounced "We are usually saying the tip of the iceberg in conditions of mental problems", mostly since the mental scars from the heated battles will usually turn strong years after the servicemen and women have left the forces.

Chai Patel, the authority of the interest who has affianced �1million towards it, referred to the figure could be as high as 50,000 veterans who showed a little sort of mental health complaint relating to their time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Enemy Within interest is anticipating to lift �30million for a inhabitant network of village out-reach teams to await former servicemen and women who are pang from post-traumatic stress.

Figures published currently by the gift show the numbers of veterans being treated with colour by the gift has jumped by dual thirds in usually five years, with some-more than 1,177 former servicemen coming the gift in the past year alone.

This figure could climb neatly in between the 17,000 servicemen who leave the forces each year since of the heated fighting by overstretched infantry in new years in Iraq, and right away in Afghanistan.

Johnson Beharry, a portion Lance Corporal who was awarded the Victoria Cross for twice saving members of his section from ambushes in Iraq in 2004, pronounced he hoped former colleagues who had left the services were reception help.

He pronounced "In the day I keep bustling and I dont have time to reflect. But at night, when there is no one to verbalise to, and I am lying there, it all comes behind to me. Sleeping is an issue for me.

"When I am defunct I am behind on the battlefield. If there is a summons or a car warning goes off it can take me behind to the battlefield."

Among alternative guest was the Duke of Westminster, who has visited infantry in Afghanistan and Iraq on seventeen occasions, set that he hoped the interest would lift the form of mental health issues in between veterans.

He pronounced "It is the total complexity of what we are traffic with. The time-lag in between withdrawal the services and display the symptons of post dire highlight commotion is fourteen years. It is a prolonged time."

Tony Banks, a healthcare millionaire who served with the 2Bn The Parachute Regiment in Falklands, pronounced had usually not long ago been means to come to conditions with the horrors he witnessed on the battlefield.

He pronounced "I had my dim times. I was influenced by the fight and the conflict."

Politicians additionally upheld Combat Stresss appeal, that is being corroborated by The Daily Telegraph. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats leader, pronounced "Every week in council we speak about the comfortless loss of hold up for British Armed Forces.

"This is about people portion in the armed forces that do come home, but with distressing mental scars. These are scars that need to be healed and I am unapproachable to behind this debate by Combat Stress."

Maria Eagle, the prisons minister, pronounced she was operative tough to settle how most veterans are on probation, and assistance stop veterans with undiagnosed mental problems from their use finale up in the rapist probity system.

In Jan the apportion disclosed that 2,500 former servicemen and women were in jail - the initial time the Government has ever constructed central figures.

A hard-hitting radio advert ancillary the appeal, that shows a maestro humble in his kitchen as he imagines himself behind on the battlefield, front from Thursday night and can be watched here.

Anyone who wants to present can send a cheques on credit to "Combat Stress" to the gift at Tyrwhitt House, Oaklawn Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0BX. Or present online at www.combatstress.org.uk/enemywithinappeal.