MC hero: MoD chiefs f ix tanks but ignore us
A BRITISH Army war hero who is being medically discharged due to mental illness has accused top brass of giving up on traumatised troops.
Military Cross winner Sean Jones, 31, who suffers from PTSD, said: ‘The provision of mental healthcare isn’t good enough. I’d liken it to putting a plaster on a catastrophic bleed.
‘We need a 24/7 helpline run by the Armed Forces, round-theclock care and annual mental health testing for all personnel. Testing would prevent a lot of people developing full-blown PTSD. You’ve got to wonder why these provisions don’t exist. Defence chiefs are basically showing the door to anyone who dares admit they’ve got mental health issues. They fix tanks but they don’t bother fixing soldiers.’
The Army insists it has a ‘retention positive’ approach towards soldiers diagnosed with PTSD and other issues.
But since 2012, the number of soldiers medically discharged for mental or behavioural problems has more than doubled – to 393 in 2016-17. Figures for mental health discharges have also increased in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. Last year, an Armed Forces report into medical discharges claimed there was ‘difficulty returning personnel with severe or enduring mental ill-health, given the nature of their role and access to weapons’.
Colour Sergeant Jones, of 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Regiment, was awarded the Military Cross in 2012 for leading a bayonet charge against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
He was later diagnosed with severe PTSD and has recently spent time in residential care due to his illness.
He added: ‘In my case, as in many others, early warning signs about my mental health problems were missed – hence why annual tests should be introduced.
‘Initially medical staff thought I was just suffering from stress. By the time I was diagnosed with PTSD, my health was a lot worse.
‘The Army has spent a fortune training me. Me leaving now is a waste of resources given my level of experience and seniority.’
The MoD said: ‘We take the mental health of our Armed Forces very seriously and are committed to providing the best care possible. We are spending £20 million this year on mental health provisions.’ Sean Jones with his MC