Soldiers traumatised by the horrors of war are being helped to recover by reliving their experiences in a computer-generated of the war
The Army's most decorated serving war hero has accused the Government of failing soldiers suffering from mental trauma resulting from combat in Iraq and Afghan
istan.Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for twice saving the lives of colleagues in Iraq while under heavy rocket fire, told The Independent it was "disgraceful" that some veterans were struggling to receive treatment.
He said the Government was relying on military charities to cover its own deficiencies and called on it to act to better help the growing number of his comrades suffering from severe combat stress, depression and mental breakdowns.
"These are people who have served this country," said Cpl Beharry, in his most outspoken interview since receiving the VC four years ago.
"Why can
't they get treatment? I don't think the Government is doing enough for soldiers. Those who are still serving get some form of help for combat stress but even those who are serving don't get enough support."The 29-year-old, still a serving soldier, displayed the courage which earned him the country's highest honour by standing up for the thousands of servicemen and women who are still suffering from post-traumatic and combat stress in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cpl Beharry broke his silence to reveal that almost five years after he suffered severe injuries saving his friends, he is still racked by mental anguish and excruciating pain.
While he is aware he has received first-rate treatment, he has spoken out on behalf of less high-profile personnel, criticising the fact that charities have been forced to step in where the Government has failed.
In the last three months of 2007 alone, 868 military personnel presented with a problem at the MoD's mental health departments and 69 were so severe they had to be admitted as inpatients.
While just 43 were diagnosed as having full-blown post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hundreds more were deemed to have mood or adjustment disorders or depressive illnesses.
A report on the Ministry of Defence's Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) said there was a "significantly higher rate of PTSD among those deployed to the Iraq or Afghanistan theatres of operation".
Courtesy: The Independent U.K.
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