Veterans in Prison

Veterans In Prison (VIP) believe that the fact that combat related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a hidden wound and cant be seen like a normal physical wound – it has for years been exploited and misused as the Cinderella of the Ministry if Defence’s (MoD) medical services.

As well as conveniently providing the MoD with the means to put the problems of combat related PTSD on the back burner because of it being a wound that cant be seen - it has also provided the MoD with the attitude of ‘ignore combat related PTSD for long enough and it disappears back into Civvy Street’ conveniently becoming someone else’s tragedy!

Winston Churchill described Russia as: ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’ – and for our usage Veterans In Prison (VIP) describe this Governments approach to the high numbers of ex-soldiers in the prison population similarly as: ‘a cover up wrapped in a deception inside spin’!

Winston Churchill described Russia as: ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’ – and for our usage Veterans In Prison (VIP) describe this Governments approach to the high numbers of ex-soldiers in the prison population similarly as: ‘a cover up wrapped in a deception inside spin’!

A number of years ago the rock group Pink Floyd released an album called ‘The Wall’, together with a video showing robotic trance like troops tramping and marching all over the place.  Suitably this scenario is exactly the same message which the Government and Generals want the public to see when troops return home after serving in wars/conflicts – Welcome Home Parades as a Nations thanks to its heroes!  These parades plus the relief and happiness shown on the faces of the families of these troops (seeking their loved ones return home safe), is all part of the ‘smoke and mirror’ image which the Government want to portray.

Question: Why are veteran soldiers represented by excessive high numbers in the prison system?

Answer:  no-one knows because no-one has bothered to keep such records!

Britain’s army Chief General Sir Richard Dannatt said in a speech at the Institute of Strategic Studies (23/09/07); that he was concerned by the apathy and lack of support by the Nation towards our soldiers returning home after serving in the war/conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan.  He also went on to compare how the American public treat, honour and respect their troops/veterans on their return home and show their thanks by having welcome home parades and shaking their hands in public.

The only way to prevent combat related PTSD is by not sending troops into any wars/conflicts but in this day and age there’s not much chance of that happening.  However, if the same politicians in the war cabinet who committed our Armed Forces into wars/conflicts also had to pick up a rifle and pack and fight alongside our troops until the end of the war/conflict or until they were brought back home wounded or in coffins – it would ensure that all troops/veterans who served in wars/conflicts would get the proper care and support and treatment they needed and fully deserve on their return home.

Whilst en route to the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing, the Prime Minister Mr Gordon Brown paid a fleeting visit to British soldiers serving in /Afghanistan.  He addressed about 300 of the troops telling them that they had displayed ‘the same courage, professionalism and dedication’ as the competitors in /china.  He also told them ‘that the country owed them a huge debt of gratitude and that they were truly the heroes of our country fighting the Taliban and preventing terrorism coming to the streets of Britain.

Part One: Decompression Programme

Veterans In Prison (VIP) are making this statement in open contempt of the Ministry of Defence’s inadequate and criminally inept ‘decompression programme’- supposedly in place to treat and identify troops unknowingly suffering combat related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on their return from Iraq and Afghanistan!

When it comes to sending people to prison (per population) very few countries in the world can hold a candle to the United Kingdom (as of 30^th May 2008 there were roughly 82,000 inmates in the prison  population).  Unfortunately one of the reasons for this that most politicians believe that the more people sent to prison (tough on crime) helps them pick up more votes – hence the prisons in the UK are now full to bursting!