Army Rumour Service

Register a free account today to join our community
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site, connect with other members through your own private inbox and will receive smaller adverts!

Veteran with PTSD who served in Afghanistan faces deportation to Jamaica

I'm very well aware of there being loads of scammers from the veteran world (evidenced through SSAFA) as well as those who have never served but pose as veterans. What you implied were that those genuine PTSD sufferers should, in your words " Man up" when for some, not all, that is something they find impossible to do and I'm personally aware of some who were present when my son lost his life in Helmand in 2009 who have since committed suicide because they couldn't follow advice like yours. There are many cases of veterans genuinely suffering from PTSD who have similarly committed suicide but I acknowledge that not all do.

As for your personal insult of being a snowflake, it's very far from the truth as anyone who ever knew me would testify. 35+ years (6 as a WO1) of putting up with crap management and sh1te attitudes made me that way, as did the 11 injuries that saw me awarded a 50% War Pension and a further 2 that saw me awarded an AFCS GIP.

Edited in response to a later post by @overopensights

I dont think he was saying that people with PTSD are snowflakes, it seemed that he was implying that people claim to have it when they dont and then use it as an excuse for their own shortcomings.

I, personally, know all too well how real and serious PTSD is but it is not to be used as an excuse to stab people and has in recent years been used as an excuse for all number of things from people claiming to have PTSD because of nasty comments on twitter to falling down the stairs. These are unfairly lumped in with veterans who have it because they witnessed their mates being blown apart and were then forced by circumstance to bottle up, instead of feeling and then releasing the incredible emotional burden that follows in a healthy mind.

Anyway, Genuine PTSD can be treated successfully but it depends on the treatment being sought out. We dont really know the facts of the guy in the OP but it seems as though he did not play the game and use the system. His PTSD may have played a large role in that but the fact is that he claims that he stabbed somebody in the chest because of his PTSD, has not responded to treatment in the UK (he has been in prison where it is available) and is therefore a high risk. Since he is not a british citizen, he is not our risk to bear.
 
Convict Blackman broke the law of armed conflict and after some hyped up media attention play the PTSD card enough and it worked miracles.

All this guy has to do is play the ECHR and win the gen-pop.

You'll find the general public do love a good scandal when it comes to sympathising with ex-armed forces squaddies... especially ones being booted out of the country with a sad story in the media.

Blackman is a British Citizen and is therefore our problem to manage.

Seriously, we have to wake up to the fact that we do not owe anything to the world to house, pay for and be in the receiving end of the resulting violence of other countries mentally ill. We do have responsibility for our own though.
 
So he did four years? Four years and one day is that magical point. You sign off and apply for you and your families passport.
He did ' four' years, ermmmm. He left in 2007 and managed two tours in Afghanistan? When did it go big time 2006?

He was a Woofer, elements did two tours in the period he served.
 
I dont think he was saying that people with PTSD are snowflakes, it seemed that he was implying that people claim to have it when they dont and then use it as an excuse for their own shortcomings.

I, personally, know all too well how real and serious PTSD is but it is not to be used as an excuse to stab people and has in recent years been used as an excuse for all number of things from people claiming to have PTSD because of nasty comments on twitter to falling down the stairs. These are unfairly lumped in with veterans who have it because they witnessed their mates being blown apart and were then forced by circumstance to bottle up, instead of feeling and then releasing the incredible emotional burden that follows in a healthy mind.

Anyway, Genuine PTSD can be treated successfully but it depends on the treatment being sought out. We dont really know the facts of the guy in the OP but it seems as though he did not play the game and use the system. His PTSD may have played a large role in that but the fact is that he claims that he stabbed somebody in the chest because of his PTSD, has not responded to treatment in the UK (he has been in prison where it is available) and is therefore a high risk. Since he is not a british citizen, he is not our risk to bear.
No, he intimated it was me being a snowflake for which he has since very kindly removed his post.

As I mentioned earlier, many people who have never even been anywhere near angry places, including some who never even served, claim PTSD because of service in conflict zones as can be seen regularly in local SSAFA offices* so they can claim money or goods from associations etc. PTSD is the modern version of bad back syndrome as has been posted on other threads.

Genuine PTSD can be treated, but is not always successful, otherwise people wouldn't take their own lives. I would be careful of saying the guy from 2 Mercian had or was suffering from PTSD unless you or anyone else can confirm he was diagnosed as such, he may well have been a very angry man anyway and/or simply defending himself and then claimed PTSD as an excuse to lighten his sentence.

*Other military charities are available
 
The local MP is female, she once came to one of our Vet's Dinners, she's is actually okay and we like her, however she was told of what had happened to me in the past, which was not that really dramatic. She came over to me and put her arms around me and said "Oh you poor poor thing!" It surprised me and I said "Not at all, my time has been really exciting and I would not have missed it for anything!." she went off into the crowed, looking back at me with what I took to be pity, which really offended me.
Ah, the victimisation of veterans; a point MP Tobias Elwood has raised on a number of occasions.
 
Ah, the victimisation of veterans; a point MP Tobias Elwood has raised on a number of occasions.

Are veterans being victimised or are they being treated like any other British citizen? I feel it’s usually the later, but some expect the moon on a stick because they have served.
 
Are veterans being victimised or are they being treated like any other British citizen? I feel it’s usually the later, but some expect the moon on a stick because they have served.
Interesting point. What Mr (Lt Col) Elwood said a couple of week ago, was the near-automatic assumption of the public that those leaving the Services are physically and mentally broken in some way becasue the way we are portrayed in the media and in common lore; in parallel, we are all seen as bally 'eros. Of course I acknowledge your situation, but the fact is that the vast majority of SP undertake the transition from the Services and into (successful) civilian life, and most don't need to resort to the 'two tours of Afghan and PTSD' defence for mistakes they've taken in their lives.
 
No, he intimated it was me being a snowflake for which he has since very kindly removed his post.

As I mentioned earlier, many people who have never even been anywhere near angry places, including some who never even served, claim PTSD because of service in conflict zones as can be seen regularly in local SSAFA offices* so they can claim money or goods from associations etc. PTSD is the modern version of bad back syndrome as has been posted on other threads.

Genuine PTSD can be treated, but is not always successful, otherwise people wouldn't take their own lives. I would be careful of saying the guy from 2 Mercian had or was suffering from PTSD unless you or anyone else can confirm he was diagnosed as such, he may well have been a very angry man anyway and/or simply defending himself and then claimed PTSD as an excuse to lighten his sentence.

*Other military charities are available

Could not agree more.
 
Are veterans being victimised or are they being treated like any other British citizen? I feel it’s usually the later, but some expect the moon on a stick because they have served.

Some do but I think there is also a feeling that if somebody has made (willingly or unwillingly) a bit of a sacrifice, something that I think you know quite a bit about, then they ought to get a bit more help than the average citizen.

How would you have felt if they had said "yeah sorry about that arms and legs thing, might as well book a GP's appointment and see what they can do, bye"

I suspect that you may have been dealt with in a slightly higher priority fashion and rightly so, you earned it.
 
Some do but I think there is also a feeling that if somebody has made (willingly or unwillingly) a bit of a sacrifice, something that I think you know quite a bit about, then they ought to get a bit more help than the average citizen.

How would you have felt if they had said "yeah sorry about that arms and legs thing, might as well book a GP's appointment and see what they can do, bye"

I suspect that you may have been dealt with in a slightly higher priority fashion and rightly so, you earned it.

Everyone gets dealt with according to their situation, the problem is that some people want things that they really don’t need or entitled to, but because others are getting it, they want it, hence the propensity for people to claim PTSD.

I’d prefer the term ‘Battle Stress’ for those that have suffered in extraordinary situations and that the MoD is responsible for Battle Stress. PTSD contracted through normal day to day business of the Armed Forces is not the responsibility of the MoD - A person joining any of the Armed Forces needs to have a level of mental robustness just as much as physical robustness.
 
I’d prefer the term ‘Battle Stress’ for those that have suffered in extraordinary situations and that the MoD is responsible for Battle Stress. PTSD contracted through normal day to day business of the Armed Forces is not the responsibility of the MoD - A person joining any of the Armed Forces needs to have a level of mental robustness just as much as physical robustness.

Is that how it works now then?
 
Interesting point. What Mr (Lt Col) Elwood said a couple of week ago, was the near-automatic assumption of the public that those leaving the Services are physically and mentally broken in some way becasue the way we are portrayed in the media and in common lore; in parallel, we are all seen as bally 'eros. Of course I acknowledge your situation, but the fact is that the vast majority of SP undertake the transition from the Services and into (successful) civilian life, and most don't need to resort to the 'two tours of Afghan and PTSD' defence for mistakes they've taken in their lives.

Of course - your military ‘service’ didnt involve even the remotest hardship or danger.

That’s not the same for everybody.
 

New posts

Top