In Service Mental Health
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Germany
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I think the solution to this problem could well be more organic than subbing out mental health helplines to the public sector.
The CAA are currently carrying out extensive work on the Pilot Support Programme, which has on-call trained pilots (who still fly as a day job) to recieve calls and start the ball rolling for people in a bad place. seems to me, the first person i would personally want to talk to is a peer who better understands the unique pressures of a branch or trade, who can then help them get help, or just provide a shoulder if thats what is sought.
Our unit is making a big push to get individuals trained as Mental First Aid Practitioners, wholely right too.
I do fear we have somewhat of a post Herrick/Telic/Syria/Iraq butchers bill around the corner, that could go on for years. Veterans need to be considered in this too (role that associations could play?) 50 a year is nothing but horse crap. There is a bigger issue than out there and suggestions otherwise are faceteous. If i ever see or hear a blunt boomer generation civvie using the snowflake phrase after what i witnessed millenials were exposed to and honourably dealing with in Herrick and Iraq,i think i would conduct a pretty one way debriefing.
Lets not forget, successful treatment for these sorts of issues is not a guarantee and even if it is, it can take years to glue the porcelain back together.
my tuppeneth.
The CAA are currently carrying out extensive work on the Pilot Support Programme, which has on-call trained pilots (who still fly as a day job) to recieve calls and start the ball rolling for people in a bad place. seems to me, the first person i would personally want to talk to is a peer who better understands the unique pressures of a branch or trade, who can then help them get help, or just provide a shoulder if thats what is sought.
Our unit is making a big push to get individuals trained as Mental First Aid Practitioners, wholely right too.
I do fear we have somewhat of a post Herrick/Telic/Syria/Iraq butchers bill around the corner, that could go on for years. Veterans need to be considered in this too (role that associations could play?) 50 a year is nothing but horse crap. There is a bigger issue than out there and suggestions otherwise are faceteous. If i ever see or hear a blunt boomer generation civvie using the snowflake phrase after what i witnessed millenials were exposed to and honourably dealing with in Herrick and Iraq,i think i would conduct a pretty one way debriefing.
Lets not forget, successful treatment for these sorts of issues is not a guarantee and even if it is, it can take years to glue the porcelain back together.
my tuppeneth.
Last edited by VinRouge; 3rd Feb 2018 at 12:54.
Lest this be seen as simply an ax-grind, I will point out that there are many excellent padres in the RAF and I'm sure those ones wonder why they don't have these tasks within their remit already.
Other than being a lovely bloke, despite probably having the highest body count in the unit, his strength was in his openness and integrity. He would listen to you without judgement or interruption and in responding would tell you what you needed to hear not necessarily what you wanted to hear. He was as open and direct with the CO and me as he was with the instructors and students. That to my mind made him utterly invaluable in keeping us on the straight and narrow and being a highly effective barometer for the state of the unit beyond that which was visible to the HQ. Give me a choice of Padre and I’ll take him any day of the week.
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: UK East Anglia
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Combat Stress Charity
My son came back from the sand pit in a pretty bad way between the ears. Combat Stress helped him get straightened out a bit. He and his sister raised a good few quid through a parachute jump at Netherhaven. Until then the daughter had never been up in an aeroplane!
She continues to raise money for them and this year has been selected to run for the Combat Stress team in the London Marathon. We have had and have future plans a number of fundraising events in the build up. I compared one such event. The emphasis was as much to raise awareness as generate funds.
My own view for what it is worth is that the work should be funded by the government. The RBL should be the umbrella for all these separate charities. That said they do provide a purpose for a number of veterans. I also believe some in the hiarachy of the RBL are being overpaid. ( on top of their VSOs pensions)
She continues to raise money for them and this year has been selected to run for the Combat Stress team in the London Marathon. We have had and have future plans a number of fundraising events in the build up. I compared one such event. The emphasis was as much to raise awareness as generate funds.
My own view for what it is worth is that the work should be funded by the government. The RBL should be the umbrella for all these separate charities. That said they do provide a purpose for a number of veterans. I also believe some in the hiarachy of the RBL are being overpaid. ( on top of their VSOs pensions)
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I’ve never known a DV clearance or above be withdrawn as a result of mental health issues alone. One of the more commendable things that Defence has done is to clear a selected few mental health practitioners to the highest security levels so that those from more specialist areas can speak more freely about their experiences.
So the issue is/was recognised to some extent.
