Defence chiefs finally step in with new measures to tackle epidemic of suicides among our soldiers
UNDER-FIRE defence chiefs have unveiled new suicide prevention measures to save our soldiers.
The Record revealed at the weekend that widow Samantha Davies blasted military bosses for failing to stop an epidemic of soldier suicides. Her husband Jamie Davies lost his battle with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) earlier this year, aged 32.
Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood has unveiled a new working group in Parliament to investigate the problem which veterans groups say has claimed more than 60 lives this year. A new Veterans Board has also been created to hold Government departments to account.
He said: “We have set up a new suicide prevention working group to urgently look at the cases of such distress in serving personnel. It will look at how to address the issues affecting those in such distress now and how to prevent others feeling the same way.
“It will look at the triggers in service BY STEPHEN STEWART s.stewart@dailyrecord.co.uk some cases, military service plays a SUTTON role and we need to better understand the causes so we can try to prevent further suicides in future.” On Saturday, Samantha – whose husband Jamie died in August – accused both UK and Scottish Governments of failing former military personnel. The ex-corporal, who was a sniper in the 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, died after a three-year battle with PTSD. Samantha, a former sergeant in the Royal Artillery, called for state-sponsored specialist mental health care for veterans rather than relying on overstretched charities and inexperienced NHS staff. Scotland saw a wave of soldier suicides in August – including Jamie, Ryan Smith, Alistair McLeish and Jonny Cole in little more than a week. Fraser Stirling, 30, was laid to rest earlier this month. He was one of five servicemen who died over a six-day period. to ensure all future veterans have the resilience they need while serving and after they leave.”
Ellwood also warned that the military was not the sole cause of suicide, saying there were usually other complex underlying issues. He said: “Suicide is the most tragic symptom usually of many other issues such as mental health or family breakdown, debt, unemployment or a myriad of other problems.
“It’s inaccurate, disrespectful and trivialising to link suicide solely to military service. But I do say that in
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