Britain's Throwaway Soldiers
Friday 30th March 7.30pm
Martin Bell, former war reporter and politician, comes to the defence of our armed forces to argue that our servicemen and women are being badly let down by their political masters. Bell believes it is time to enshrine in legislation each serviceman's rights to the best health care, for both physical and psychological injuries, for the rest of their lives after they leave service.
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, former war reporter and politician, comes to the defence of our armed forces to argue that our servicemen and women are being badly let down by their political masters. "Soldiers serve the nation, the nation undertakes to treat them fairly, lately, that side of the bargain has been breaking down."
Bell believes it is time to turn the covenant into law, enshrining in legislation each serviceman's rights to the best health care, for both physical and psychological injuries, for the rest of their lives after they leave service.
At present, damaged ex-soldiers have to fight the postcode lottery of the NHS for the help they need long term. But the NHS has neither the resources nor staff experienced in dealing with those damaged by military combat, especially those psychologically damaged with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD sufferers have to rely on help from charities, such as Combat Stress, which has seen a huge increase of a thousand cases a year seeking its help.
Martin talks to John Moore, who was shot by a sniper in Northern Ireland and is now wheelchair-bound. John has to rely on a charity to provide him with the physiotherapy he needs. Two veterans of the Falklands Campaign, Iddy Iddon, who was on the Sir Galahad when it was bombed, and Jim Russell, who fought in the battle of Goose Green, faced a long battle to get the MOD to recognise that they are suffering from PTSD. Both now rely on Combat Stress for support and counselling they need to cope with their conditions.
Tom Eckersley, a former military policeman, who witnessed the appalling consequences of massacres in Bosnia, is still fighting to have his PTSD acknowledged by the MOD. For the future veterans of today's campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, the hurdles have been raised even higher by the removing the benefit of doubt that used to be given to soldiers making these claims and replacing it with new terms under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which require veterans to prove beyond reasonable doubt that their injuries or illnesses were the result of their military service.
Bell interviews Colonel Tim Collins, former field commander in Iraq, who is angry at the attitude of today's politicians to the armed forces. He says, "The politicians, those in government, have never dared to serve their nation. They've never understood what it is to put their lives on the line and to selflessly stand up for their country and be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. I see Tony Blair and Gordon Brown driving our armed forces like joy riders in a stolen car. Don't care how fast it goes, they don't care what happens to it afterwards and when they're finished with it, they'll abandon it."
Collins backs Bells' demand for enshrining the military covenant in law: "There is a need to formalise and recognise the service that they give to the nation by ensuring that after their service is over, that they are looked after, in whatever circumstances, including medical health care as well as mental health care. It must be written down. It must be a Bill that must go through Parliament, that must be approved by the Lords and become law."
Simon Weston, who suffered appalling injuries and facial scarring from the bombing of the Sir Galahad in the Falklands campaign, says: "This is not a whinge, this is a right, this is a priority right. We've earned the right, we deserve the right, but we're not getting it. These men and women who have signed up to serve have done it honourably, they're doing the best job they can. And yet the government still gives so little service to them.
The MOD backs them up so poorly and they come out with their platitudes and excuses and say, yes, we're looking into it, we know we should do more, we will do more, and they don't. Veterans Minister, Derek Twigg, says: "We're looking at setting up pilots around the country to see how we can improve the support and advice for ex-service personnel who develop or have mental illness."
