University courses helping war veterans turn their lives around
A FEW years ago, former Scots Guardsman John Templeton was sleeping rough and contemplating suicide after suffering a mental breakdown.
Struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq, he was drinking heavily, out of work and on the brink of losing everything.
But the 50-year-old decided to fight back. He got help for his PTSD and decided to pursue a career as a mental health nurse, recently graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).
It was no mean feat, but with the help of the university’s scheme for veterans – GCU-HM Forces Learning Partnership – he has managed to turn his life around and overcome the horrors he witnessed while serving with the 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.
He said: “In Iraq I witnessed terrible atrocities. I saw the aftermath of civilians, including children, being massacred just because they were Kurdish. I saw villages wiped out and mass graves. Those images have stayed with me all these years.
“I’ve also struggled to cope with the death of a close friend who took his own life during a tour of Northern Ireland. He was only a teenager but the whole nature of the job was just get on with it.”
It was during his PTSD treatment with Combat Stress Scotland that he found out he had many transferable skills he could use in civilian life.
He graduated from GCU in November and said the university’s support network helped him through his course.
The institution has now teamed up with Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) and Veterans Scotland to host an event showing how universities and colleges can support ex-military personnel and their families.
Organisers of the event ‘Service Families and Veterans: Why and how should we help?’ , which takes place at GCU tomorrow, hope it will spread the message to the 237,000 veterans currently living in Scotland that education is open to them.
Kevin Helton, from South Ayrshire, is another veteran who has benefited from the extra support on offer at the university.
The 34-year-old, who served with the Royal Engineers, left the army in 2011 to pursue further education but had to drop out due to mental health issues.
He returned to his studies in 2015 and hopes to graduate this summer with a degree in Building Surveying from GCU.
Speakers at the event include GCU principal and vice-chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies, MSPs Annie Wells and Maurice Corry, Scottish Veterans Commissioner Colonel Charlie Wallace and Deputy Commander of 51 Infantry Brigade and HQ Scotland Colonel Sandy Fitzpatrick.
Professor Nolan, principal and vice-chancellor of ENU, said: “Former armed forces personnel have so much to offer in terms of skills and life experience.
“We are committed to supporting their transition to civilian life and future career development through mentoring programmes for veterans who work with us and flexible entry paths on to degree courses for prospective students.”