‘The Army just forgot me...I feel like giving my medals back’
He developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and suffered spinal injuries during ten years in the Royal Engineers. Gary, who served in Afghanistan, now depends on anti-depressants and painkillers and tried to kill himself after failing to get treatment for his PTSD. And he hit out at the MoD, which he claimed “forgot” him after his discharge in 2010. Gary, 37, said: “Things fell apart for me last year. “I took over 50 highstrength painkillers. I was that desperate. “I didn’t want to live anymore. It’s sad that any veteran should be in that situation. Even now I feel dumped by the MoD and by society. “I don’t even know why I went to war any more. I feel like giving my medals back.” Nearly 400 soldiers killed themselves between 1995 and 2014. And in 2015 Gary also attempted suicide with an overdose of painkillers because he felt that “no one cared at all”. He said: “The MoD and the Government are at fault. They have got to be held responsible for the suicides.” Gary, who served in Helmand in 2006, said the MoD must do more to help suffering veterans. He added: “I speak to parents of men who have killed themselves. In many cases they were only given one counselling session by the Army then discharged. Once you’re gone the MoD don’t give a toss. It can’t continue. The people that gave us the freedoms we all have aren’t being looked after.”
The former soldier, from Portsmouth, Hants, still battles PTSD and will not talk about what he experienced because it could trigger flashbacks and nightmares.
He said: “When I left the Army there was no such thing as PTSD. They ignored it. It’s taken me years to get diagnosed.
“I’ve spoken to veterans from Kosovo, Ireland and the Falklands who were told they were crazy and that they should just cope.”
Gary said a backlog of veterans needing treatment is now building up.
He added: “If the Army don’t start spending money on it, it’s going to get worse. The Government closed all the war hospitals but didn’t train the NHS to deal with us.”
Gary has now started a charity, Forgotten Veterans UK, to help homeless ex-servicemen.
Gary said: “I have been overwhelmed with the support since I first set up my charity.
“I realised there are a lot of people who feel they’ve been let down by the Government. I’ve heard other people’s stories and I want to help.
“We seem to have forgotten people who have fought for us. Every time I help someone a small part of me comes back to life.”
Visit the ForgottenVeteransUK Facebook page to donate to Gary’s JustGiving campaign through which he aims to raise £10,000.
An MoD spokesman said: “Mental health support is available for all soldiers, this includes stress management training after operations, help for lifestyle transition if they leave and a range of treatments.
“Through our many anti-stigma campaigns, we encourage our people to come forward and get the help they need.”