‘8,000 soldiers facing mental health trouble’ (From Gazette)

‘8,000 soldiers facing mental health trouble’

8:00pm Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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AN MP has warned that tens of thousands of British soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to suffer from mental illness in the future.

Bernard Jenkin, Tory MP for North Essex, said as many as 60,000 veterans could be affected.

The former shadow defence secretary and member of the House of Commons defence select committee told MPs about 8,000 serving and ex-soldiers were likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mr Jenkin, who is a vice-president of the mental health charity Combat Stress, said: “With 180,000 personnel having served in Afghanistan and Iraq over the last nine years or so, we can expect some 8,000 cases of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result, and some 50,000 to 60,000 cases of mental illness.

“That is a very considerable challenge.”

One mum whose children have served in Afghanistan is concerned by what they experienced.

Joyce Cornwell, of Lodge Close, Clacton, admitted she fears for her children, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Kevin and Clive, and Davina, who is in Queen Alexandra’s Nursing Corp.

She said her 24-year-old son Kevin, who toured Afghanistan last year, is not very open about his experiences.

She said: “Sometimes when you get into a conversation and he is in a serious mood, he has told us one or two things, but nothing that has really played on his mind.

“Of course I worry, and we do ask if there is anything they want to discuss, but my children are not very open and they don’t like probing.”

Clive, 20, is about to start his first tour of duty this month and Davina, 32, has signed up to the Army medical team.

Mrs Cornwell added: “I do think being in the Army changes them as people. It certainly makes them grow up.”

Combat Stress has just launched its 90th anniversary appeal to fund improved mental health services for ex-service personnel.