Cut toll of ex-soldier suicides, demands former Army chief
THE rate at which traumatised British Forces veterans are committing suicide must be properly recorded, says the former head of the Army.
Describing the number of suicides as “an epidemic of our time”, General Lord Dannatt also called for better research into why it was happening.
Lord Dannatt, 68, Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009, expressed shock that coroners only recently began to record totals for former military personnel. Lord Dannatt, who helped to create charity Help For Heroes in 2007, spoke out during a visit to Portsmouth-based military support group Forgotten
AN INSPIRATIONAL teenager was in Manchester United’s squad yesterday after making a comeback from cancer.
Max Taylor’s development at the club came to a halt last year when he was told he had testicular cancer, which had spread to his abdomen and lungs.
The Manchesterborn United academy graduate, 19, feared the disease could end his dreams of being a top defender.
He was a substitute in yesterday’s Europa League match against Astana in Kazakhstan but did not get on the pitch in United’s 2-1 defeat.
Speaking about his diagnosis he said: “My first thought was, ‘Will I play football?’ But then you get to the point when you’re by yourself, you can’t sleep and you think, ‘This could end my life’.”
Max is fit to play after surgery, a nine-week course of chemotherapy and surgery to remove swollen lymph nodes.
Before the big match he said he doesn’t want cancer to define him.
He said: “If anything, it has increased my ambition.
“I take things head-on. Just go for it. Don’t be scared.”
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “He’s an inspiration to others.”
Veterans UK. He said: “The coroners’ service ought to record people with a service background who have taken their own lives. I find it quite extraordinary that has not been the case until now.”
Military charity sources fear as many as 519 veterans may have killed themselves since the start of last year.
Lord Dannatt said the mental stresses leading to suicides only affect those who had stress backgrounds.
He added: “This is an epidemic of our time. It’s a symptom of our time and the downside of social media, which can bring a lot of unwanted additional pressure on people.
“I think 21st century living has accentuated a lot of problems for some people. The tragedy is that taking your own life is a permanent do not military solution to what temporary problem.”
Forgotten Veterans has helped hundreds of former service personnel since being set up two years ago.
Lord Dannatt added: “Should the Government have done more? Yes.
“Should some of the more established charities have woken up earlier and done more? Yes. Then we wouldn’t need organisations like Forgotten Veterans.” should be
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