Teri Pengilley
Johnson Beharry told The Independent it was "disgraceful" that some veterans were struggling to receive treatment
Iraq hero goes on the warpath
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Comments
What we are seeing today is the inherent greed of government in action, once upon a time, there used to be a cutting edge hospital next to my old barracks on Woolwich Common, the QE Military Hospital, up the road a little, there too was an NHS hospital, the Brook and nearby the hospital where my daughter was born, Greenwich too.
The greed of government saw the QE closed down as a military unit, reopened as a NHS core hospital, the government then closed down Greenwich and the Brook and making a vast fortune on the prime land these were built on. This was replicated all over the country and the NHS was burdened greatly when Iraq and Afghanistan were opened as theatres.
The military need their own hospitals, it is not fair for soldiers to share NHS facilities, civilians do not take kindly to being shunted in a queue just because its a soldier and it draws resources away from NHS assets that do not get much more money just because they help out the military.
I served in the British Armed Forces in the Middle East back in the '60's. I have struggled to comprehend the changing attitudes towards our fighting forces in the years that have followed. In my day, we received the kind of treatment & outfitting that befits a nation conscious of its duties to its fighting men & women. We have never been molly-coddled, I have to admit, & where equipment & conditions were sometimes compared to American & some European units, many of us considered ourselves the "poor relations". Nevertheless, we were satisfactorily equipped; we were provided with a reasonable standard of food & excellent health-care, & the money we earned was our own. Alas, this does not appear to be the case today.
Cpl. Beharry is to be congratulated for speaking up on behalf of his brothers & sisters in arms. To be a VC holder in the British army is to carry great responsibility & to wield great moral authority. In no way could such an achievement be better utilised than for Beharry to go on demanding the kind of common respect & decency from our government that should be a soldier's by right.
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While I admire the work of the various military charities, such as the Royal British Legion, I think it is utterly shameful that they should be needed to fill in the gaps in 'official' care.
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An example of this is my brother who served in the Parachute Regiment for five+half yrs, most in Northern Ireland. Although never an angel & not having served in a 'war zone', his experiences - many very violent, abusive & even degrading, & in which he collectively took part - certainly impacted upon his mental health. He suffered ongoing mood swings, often snapping & becoming very aggressive/violent. Within ten yrs became an alcoholic & suffered mental breakdown along with family break up. Now it's not fair to say that this was all due to the fallout from his army career, they may have happened anyway, but I'm certain it played it's part. Incidentally, relations became so strained, we've had no contact in several yrs.
I would also like to know why this man is still a corporal 4 years after recieving the VC, surley he should be at least a sergeant by now
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Are the enemies who fight in the Iraq insurgency or the Afghan Taliban somehow immune from PTSD? It might be instructive to find out exactly what the extent of mental trauma is for our enemy combatants. At the moment there is absolutely no mention of this, as if PTSD is something which exclusively affects Coalition forces.
My husband served in the army, and was a peacekeeper in Bosnia and Kosovo, and had to do and see many horrific things, he has been suffering with ptsd for six years and tried to take his own life 3 times at the end of last year, all he wanted to do was stop the pain and be able to sleep, the BBC(south west) Inside Out programme aired a small documentary about my husband's ptsd and how it has affected my family on Wednesday 25th Febuary (you can view it on BBC iplayer).
The thing is, that ptsd doesn't just effect the servicemen or woman, it effects the whole family, sometimes bringing it to breaking point and consequently the break down of a marriage and family life, I have proudly stood by my husband, but I will openly admit that sometimes I just wanted to walk away, as I felt completely helpless and alone, watching him suffer was unbearable, he went to Combat Stress in January and is now slowly making progress.
The goverment sent our men out to serve our country, but when they come back damaged, they just wash their hands of them, and leave it to charities like The Royal British Legion and Combat Stress to deal with or their families.Something needs to be done NOW!! as this has been going on for much too long, soon there will be more casualties of ptsd than there will be from the wars!!!
Nicola Whannell, Liskeard,Cornwall
I am just an 'ordinary' mother who has had to draw on a confidence I don't really possess and I have found myselft in situations that have left me deeply uncomfortable or even frightened. I have been left utterly emotionally drained and battered by the process.
But I passionately believe that this is a cause worth fighting for as it does indeed affect the whole family and it has broken my heart to see my son in complete torment and despair. Not only because of the horrors he witnessed, but because he was unable to do more to help the beleaguered people he encountered in Iraq. No one who should, seems to suffer similar anguish in not being able to provide our veterans with the care and treatment they deserve.
To provide security to people, vehicles (think of the Navy) or locations against nature when British people are British, or rather 'English mate!' sounds tricky.
How lumberjacks are mentally troubled for the horror they inflict or a slaughterman (the last vestige of an un PC world?) is almost impossible to compare, trees don't shoot back or plant IEDs but the job of security is to do as you are told so Beharry look for a house with a spare bedroom and sleep alone, with a jam doughnut wrapped up in clingfilm beside you, when you awake you'll have company beside you that you love.
I've been criticised for not buying British also but the message that I can buy what I like and people who don't live in the UK must buy British is, in my opinion, a more progressive stance.
Right wing opinions have no place in the public sector.
His orders come from far away no more
They come from him and you and me and brothers, can't you see
This is not the way to put an end to war
(from "The Universal Soldier" - lyrics by Buffy Sainte-Marie
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew
And he knows he shouldn't kill and he knows he always will
Kill you for me, my friends, and me for you
(there's more)
If he's not too busy kissing yankee boots on another press tour of the USA, that is.
to LISTEN to the common slave who believe the illusion that their there to work for them.
When you grow up and inform yourself which you wont via the established mainstream controlled media, otherwords the governments PR offices.
You may WAKE UP........many have globally.
Steevin from Australia.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank-you Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry personally for your duty and gallantry with regard to serving our country. Furthermore, a thank-you is also well deserved to all of our service men and women in the field of battle and support units around the world. As an American, I find it shameful that our government has despicably failed with regard to addressing the anguish and pain that is caused by war. Then again, we as Americans are to blame as well. For the past thirty years, we have allowed our government to do as it pleases. The corruption at the highest levels is truly disgraceful. We have witnessed the elimination of the middle class in America, especially within the last eight years of the moron administration however, I see hope for our future by electing our new President. I have great hopes in this man and I hope that he will take care of our veterans because they are truly deserving, since they willfully place the ultimate sacrifice by serving their family and Our Country. Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, I am truly sorry for what you have been and still going through. I will never understand the demons that you are fighting within but, I wish and prey for your recovery and may you find happiness within first and then in life. May God bless you and all of our veterans.
Kindest regards,
Shahin Khourdepaz
Rockville, MD, USA
If you can write thank a teacher
IF IT'S IN ENGLISH THANK A SOLDIER
Well done Johonson
Besides, why should we have a military hospital to treat the vetrens only when they can be treated on the NHS. I appreciate your job but DON'T complain to much about it, remember it was your choice to join the army & if you're not happy about it simply LEAVE.
cm999 wrote
OK...
he sits today joking, laughing with family & friends, dancing, kissing, walks in the park, plays with dogs, feeds the ducks, illegal to carry a knife or offensive weapon of course, or use threatening behaviour...
tomorrow he runs, he stumbles, he sweats & pants, he's on edge, he ducks, weaves, falls & rolls, heart pumping, adrenalin running, flashing, crashing, thunder, noise, fear - no time, he's there, looks into dilated eyes, fearful eyes, he stabs, stabs again, & stabs once more... then another, and another, they're all about, takes aim fires - he hits, then another, and another still... they writhe, they scream, they whimper, they die.
the day ends... he's lost a leg, and an arm, and an eye, and he can't hear... next to him lie comrades... writhing, screaming, whimpering and dying... like those he saw earlier that day. He's back home... he doesn't laugh or dance or kiss or walk, play with dogs or feed the ducks.
How many did you kill today at the office? How do you feel at the end of the day - perhaps a headache, a little tired & sleepy?
Notice the difference?
No. They didn't "serve this country" they served the corrupt political filth who started the Iraq war crime.
I'm sick and tired of people who conflate the actions of foul politicians with "the country".
i'm surprised anyone would join/stay in the army after it was determined the official reason for the iraq invasion was based on lies/fabricated evidence. is there no common sense left in this country?
Placing uniformed men and women into harm's way is something officers and our nation's leaders do with great ease, but then have insufficient or hard-to access treatment in place to care for them after. I served for 2 decades in military intelligence. In March 2006, I was going through my final medical out process screening at the Chesapeake Naval Hospital in Virginia, USA. I met an officer working in the mental health clinic there who said 65% of returning Vets were experiencing some level of PTSD, and there is not enough adequate care for all of them.
This number was shocking. Another shock came when I attempted to have a final required dental screening, and four area military dental clinics refused to examine me because of the short time I had remaining on active duty. The excuse given was if something is discovered, this will delay my getting out.
Commissioned officers who ignore the oath they take and turn their backs on their uniformed men and women do not deserve respect the gold on their shoulders or rank they hold. A leader who makes false promises to care for Vets should be treated accordingly; and may all such officers and leaders only be given the same access to care and treatment they attempt to pass off on Vets.
At present we are working hard to teach EFT to American war vets. They, too, are not getting the help they need and deserve.
The Rev. Steve Apthorp, D.Min.
Emotional Freedom Fnd.
Tucson, AZ. USA
emotionalfreedom@mindspring.com
I pay my taxes for police, nurses, soldiers, postal workers etc who do the jobs they have CHOSEN to do well and not go carping for special treatment.
I cannot forgive someone for losing it in the street with someone else and saying they actually wanted to kill them and then effectively try to blame it on you and me for being stupid enough to give him a job murdering people, ........ then again put like that he may have a good point. Should we have an armed forces? The answer is almost certainly no, not if it turns out damaged people like him.
Remember we have seen hundreds of stories like this over the years with British soldiers being banned from many towns up and down the UK, Cyprus etc because too many of them think they have a God given right to be thugs. Here we have golden opportunity for the head of the armed forces to get such thugs in line and what does he do instead? ....... he offers to get him a knife on a tray next time a member of the public dares to get in this "hero's" way down at the laundrette, after all shouldn't he be given a free washer-drier for heroism? What about a free house, he can always use his training and chase out a family from a decent sized mansion with a gun.
The head of the armed forces will reap what he has sown by failing to stand up to such utter nonsense for such thoughts are where "special treatment" ultimately leads. Never appease a madman, I thought we had at least learned that one.
"People don't realise how hard it is for soldiers. You spend six months on the battlefield and you have to defend yourself every day and then you come back to normal life and go to Tesco's and someone runs into your trolley. You have to stop and think it is only a trolley, you are not on the battlefield. We are trained to be angry. We are trained to kill and then at five o'clock you have to go home, adjust, change completely to a different person. You can't react the same way."
So these are British (or should I say, as encouraged by British value-mongers, "Judeo-Christian") values? We take normal young men and train them into abnormal, murderous states of mind, then dump them back into normal life? And we still glamorise the violence and mindless discipline of the armed forces, and refuse to face the moral implications of what they actually mean? Just what sort of "civilisation" are we, when we delude ourselves about such savage practices and refuse to accept that there is nothing Christian, civilised or advanced about deliberately setting out to kill other people? A lot more honesty about our supposed righteousness and morality is long overdue.
You are all waking up to new revelations about who and what controls our world, your armed forces were created, in the first place, by lords, kings and queens, a) to guard their riches from the serfs and slaves known as 'the people'. b) to attack weaker lands to add to their domains, land, resources, wood, metal, more slaves to do their bidding etc. The army, navy and eventually the air force became known as a defence force so as to dupe 'the people' into believing they were there for them, to defend their lands and resources. This has never been the case, ever. All nations across the world are still being duped into believing that their armed forces are there for defence when, in fact, the majority of wars have been planned by both sides by men working behind the scenes to create wealth for themselves and their families. Haliburton and Raytheon are 2 of the biggest arms dealers in the world and they sell to ANYONE. These companies are owned and run by men who have no allegiance to any side other than commerce and profit. I understand the feelings of grievance toward the government and the ministry of defence but how naive are you to think that the government (govern = control, ment = mind. work it out for your self) would want to throw good money after bad, the injured soldiers are now useless to the powers that be, they cant fight for god, queen and country, notice the order in which that last statement puts its priorities, country comes last. Wake up before its too late.
And to be honest people like you, who throw insults at others just because you have no other way of expressing yourself, should be ashamed of your lack of knowledge.
You may feel justified because of god queen and country but then thats just subservience doing its job.
We aint journalist as you can see by my crap gramma but we are a colection of Light Infantry and Coldstream Guards to French Forigne Leigion.
We have all come through the mixer and we are coping by ringing and setting up awerness and charity events we have a documentry out this year and we have written our own music.
Its too hard to exsplain so give us a email any soldier suffering it is hard but together we will live and ease the fear.
websterfilms@gmail.com Get in contact any soldier who thinks he has it !