Hundreds of troops being axed rather than supported
HUNDREDS o of troops have been medically discharged af after developing PTSD while serving in Ira Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Sunda Sunday People has learned almost 800 mentally traumatised soldiers, sailors and airmen h have exited the military this way in the pa past five years.
In many ca cases, soldiers diagnosed with PTSD wanted to continue serving but were told their care careers were over. Even troops with relativel relatively mild symptoms, including sleep loss and mood swings, were considered un unfit to serve.
One senior officer condemned the Ministry of D Defence’s treatment of troops with mental h health issues as “disgraceful”.
Figures pu published by the MoD last month show the number has more than doubled in fiv five years. In 2012, just 87 troops from a all three services were medically dis discharged after developing PTSD – but by 2016 the figure hit 210.
Anxiety
Now, seniorsenio officers fear troops with PTSD are less likely to seek medical help if they believe d doing so would put their jobs in jeopardy. T The officer who spoke to us said a soldier under his command, who had been decorat decorated after serving in Afghanistan, was booted out after seeking help for sleep loss. The officer said: “This soldier was having trouble sleeping.sleep His wife noticed he had mood swings and was having mild anxiety attacks. She suggesteds he see the unit medical officer,offic which he did. The medical officer made an early diagnosis of PTSD. “He was t then referred to a psychiatrist, who made a formal diagnosis of PTSD. But rather thant offering him help, he was told he was being medically discharged because he was no longer fit to serve. “This wasw a very experienced soldier who had put his life on the line many times. HeH went to the Army for help and theyth got rid of him. His treatmenttreat by the MoD was disgraceful.disg If another soldier came to me with the same problem I’d feel it was my duty to tell him he is risking his careerca if he seeks medical help.” The move follows our disclosure last week that defence chiefs are being forced to pay record amounts in compensation to mentally traumatised troops after failing to diagnosed their medical conditions. An MOD spokesperson said: “The MOD works hard to reduce stigma associated with mental illness, encouraging those who need help to come forward to receive the care they deserve.”