Up to 8,500 former members of the armed forces are serving sentences in UK prisons, it has been claimed.
Probation staff union Napo said its figures suggested about one in every 11 prisoners used to be in the forces.
It has led the union and Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd to claim there is a lack of support for ex-service personnel.
The Ministry of Defence said it worked closely with charities to support veterans when they left the service and those who went to prison.
Both the MoD and the Ministry of Justice said they planned to carry out further surveys soon to "ensure we have up-to-date figures that will help us better target the help we provide for veterans in prison". Read It Here
(RG) Well they cant say they (MOD) weren’t warned about this can they? But they don’t want to even discuss issues like this they would rather concentrate on photos of Gordon Brown with troops in Afghanistan wrapping himself in a flag he despises and comparing our troops to Olympic athletes. I’m afraid War has its consequences I know full well, most of these guys if not all didn’t know they were going to have problems, how could they, I didn’t, that’s why its called POST traumatic stress disorder. I’m not naïve to think that every single soldier behind bars in the UK today is there because they have been affected by War, some are just bad b****** like any other criminal but just happened to be and ex soldier, but I believe they will be an exception, most will have been deeply affected by what they have had to do and seen. Charles Figley who knows a thing or two about trauma, a man I have met and have great respect for said… A "tsunami" of mental health problems resulting from the war in Iraq is "headed our way," but what does he know right, he is only a Vietnam veteran and an expert on PTSD. If you’re a civilian who doubts PTSD then remember the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can come and visit you here or at home. For those of you non believers or shiny arsed civil servants I wrote this poem.
`Walking Time Bomb`
24/ 7 got those demons in my head
Asleep or awake its all the same
I’m not feeling sorry for myself
Not looking for someone to blame
Surely death will give me peace?
Or am I already there?
Walking this earth with PTSD
Next to the man without a care
I’m jealous of his happy life
Nice house and steady job
Big Brother soccer and down the pub
His sanity has not been robbed
Until the day he takes the piss
One look one thoughtless remark
He’s put me back on the battlefield
To him a silly lark
I should have stayed at home that day
With the demons in my head
Instead I went into your world
I’m sorry you’ve ended up dead.
© Mack (RG) The thoughts of a Falklands War Veteran.
Rogue_gunner_32_alpha@yahoo.co.uk
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No one cares. Ssafa has recently been taken to court to prove that they do not uphold their own mandate. There are thousands of former squaddies out there who are desperate for help, but it is not being provided. The Charities Commission are a toothless bunch who cannot read or react to the plight of those most desperate for the truth to out. It is about time we had a judicial Review of the whole process from the charities back to Government. The only bright light are the regimental benevolent funds who do a magnificent job under harrowing conditions. Pity is that when attempt at fraud are exposed, the do not rock the boat attitude by those on the periphery destroys the wonderful efforts of the funds.
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