‘Army mind-training a danger’
The military need to “reprogram” those leaving the services, telling them how military training is aimed at creating “mindsets” that can put vulnerable veterans at risk on their return to civilian life, a former soldier has said.
Geoff Martin, from the campaigning organisation Veterans for Peace, said helping veterans was not merely an issue of “sign-posting” – directing them to housing, health and employment services.
Mr Martin, 38, joined the Royal Electrical Engineers the day after his 18th birthday and handed in his notice while on tour in Iraq because he did not agree with the politics of the war.
He served his year’s notice in Iraq where on one occasion he had to find the ashes of dead soldiers who had been killed when a Challeger tank was shot by another Challenger tank because of what he described as “poor communications”.
“The military essentially deconstruct someone’s mind in training,” said Mr Martin, from Pollok in Glasgow, who now works as a self-employed modular design engineer.
“We’re taught to look down on civilians and follow orders without question because it could save our lives.
“They keep the pressure on in training 24/7, letting you just get enough sleep. The training is designed to change the way you deal with things.
“It inflates your own selfimportance and plays down ‘civvies’, so that you believe it.”
He said the all-encompassing army lifestyle accounted for why some veterans were unable to cope afterwards.
“The truth is the best solution,” he said. “Tell them what they’ve gone through and what it was designed to do.
“The army is designed to have effective killers. That’s the ultimate aim.
“We shouldn’t be surprised when a number come out and have drink and drug problems, not understanding what is important or not.