No one can h Haunting last words of proud Afghan hero who took his own life after 10yrs of PTSD
We have already secured two victories.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was shamed into a climbdown over NHS compensation payouts – meaning cases will be settled earlier.
And our relentless pressure helped secure a £3million package to improve mental health for veterans.
Military personnel have been promised the cash to tackle a range of conditions, with dedicated NHS teams set up.
General Lord Dannatt, head of the Army from 2003, to 2009,, and General Sir David Richards,s, former head of the armed services, have praisedaised our campaign. gn.
But ass today’s revelationsons about ex-para Kirk McLaughlinhlin show, much more ore needs to o be done. Kirk’s parents last night called for more help for our veterans suffering from PTSD, a cause championed by the Sunday People’s Save Our Soldiers campaign. Kirk fulfilled a childhood dream when he joined the Parachute Regiment at the age of 21 in 2002. The successful boxer and talented rock climber, whose mates called him Spiderman, excelled in the elite unit. But his Army career and ultimately his mental health were blighted in a parachuting accident in which he seriously years and the next he was on his own. He specialise in teaching mature students. injured his hip. was diagnosed as bipolar and suffering He was doing a course in the evenings Denise, 54, said: “Sport was really from PTSD. He was also becoming and things were looking positive. important to Kirk but when he got injured paranoid.” “But he had a major operation on his he had to stop running and boxing and Kirk’s former commanding officer Col hip last September and never really that took a toll on him mentally. Stuart Tootal, otal, who led the Paras in recovered either physically and mentally. “He was in a lot of pain and started to Afghanistan an in 2006, tried “He lost a lot of weight and suffer from depression. The Army looked to help Kirk k find work and stopped eating. H He was meant after him and he spent some time in encouraged ged him to to be under the care of the hospital and they eventual eventually made him explore his s love of art. NHS but he seemed se to slip well again.” In 2006 hi his battalion, 3 Denise, , speaking through the crac cracks. Para, was deployed to Afghanistan “He wasn’t fully fit so he spent a lot of through tears, said: “He didn’t didn’ see his GP to fight the Taliban Taliban. time helping the injured in Camp Bastion, “Kirk was a wonderfor three months and Dozens of para paras were killed working in the stores and driving.” ful artist. In the although altho he was and wounded but Kirk’s injury After 12 years’ service Kirk was final few months givengive a crisis meant that he had to stay medically discharged in 2014. of his life it t gave number to call nuw behind in Colche Colchester while his The dad of sons – Callum, 15, Alfie, 11 him comfort fort when he was in comrades fought f for their lives and Charlie, six – found it difficult to get and hope. a bad way that in Helmand prov province. work and his depression began to take “He didn’t d work For the n next four years hold of his life. wanted to o out.” In the Kirk s struggled with Denise said: “Everything changed when become an n last week of feelings of Kirk left the Army. One minute he was art teacher r h his life Kirk’s guilt, surrounded by mates he had known for and ab ability as an believing that he had somehow let down his fellow paras.
But in 2010 he got his chance to serve on the front line when his battalion returned to Afghanistan.
Denise, of Loughton, Essex, said: “We all knew it would be dangerous but Kirk said that this was what he had been trained to do.
Changed