Support For Armed Forces Veterans In Wales

Government response to HC 131, session 2012-13 (ISBN 9780215054074)

This Report examines whether the level of support provided to Armed Forces veterans in Wales - both immediately before they leave the service and once they return to civilian life -is adequate. The key recommendation is that the Welsh Government take forward proposals to establish a network of 'one-stop shops' for veterans across Wales. A great deal of support is available for veterans in Wales, but often a lack of awareness means that support is not taken up. A one-stop shop for veterans would be a convenient way for veterans to access information and receive advice on a range of important issues, such as housing, finances and employment. To avoid duplication, however, the Welsh Government needs to take into account the support launched or planned by local authorities as part of their Community Covenants. There should also be better co-ordination of the work done by the many charities supporting veterans. In the light of recent court cases which have illustrated the need for vigilance to prevent fraudsters taking advantage of the public's willingness to give to veterans' charities there should be much more stringent inspection of charities' finances. There is also concern about charities providing treatments for complex psychological issues that do not meet NICE guidelines. The regulation of charities may be insufficiently robust in this area. The Charity Commission should insist that veterans' charities which offer medical, psychological or counselling services provide documentation from the relevant professional bodies to confirm that they have the appropriate endorsement for the services they offer

Being a member of the UK Military is often compared to being part of a large extended family where there is a sense of shared purpose, humour, discipline, comradeship and team spirit. Or at least that is what we were told when talking to military veterans about their resettlement experiences whilst gathering information for this book. But, sadly we were also told that when people leave the armed forces, there is also a feeling of being "fobbed off", of being "no use to society", of "not knowing where" they fit in and this in turn led to "real despair", "severe anxiety", "frustration" and "lack of identity". What an incredibly sad situation. We train people in techniques to support us in times of threat, crisis and war, when most of the population runs away from danger, these brave souls run into the danger. Yet, when their work is done, they feel they are entering into a society in which they no longer belong. We felt compelled to put together this guide to help UK military leavers to find help and support. People coming out of the military need help to do things that many of us take for granted. For example, registering for a GP, renting a home, buying a house and applying for jobs are just a few tasks that veterans are likely to find challenging. So, Signposts for Civvy Street provides some direction in offering suggestions for carrying out some of these tasks, and provides information of many agencies and charities that can offer specific and targeted help. We acknowledge that the military provides some information and support for military leavers, but we also understand that this is, at times disparate and difficult to access. Our hope is that this book helps veterans to understand some of the challenges, but also, offers suggestions for getting further advice and support.

Military Veteran Reintegration: Approach, Management, and Assessment of Military Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Life offers a toolkit for researchers and practitioners on best practices for easing the reintegration of military veterans returning to civilian society. It lays out how transition occurs, identifies factors that promote or impede transition, and operationalizes outcomes associated with transition success. Bringing together experts from around the world to address the most important aspects of military transition, the book looks at what has been shown to work and what has not, while also offering a roadmap for best-results moving forward. Contains evidence-based interventions for military veteran-to-civilian transition Features international experts from North America, Europe and Asia Includes how to measure transition outcomes Outlines recovery programs for the injured and sick Identifies factors that promote or impede successful transition

There is growing concern from military chiefs and Service charities in both the UK and US about the incrementally widening gap between the Armed Forces Community of Service personnel, veterans and their families, and the society from which they are drawn. This paper identifies the trajectories of both nations attempts to re-balance Clausewitz's trinity of the government, the military and the people, highlighting initiatives from a 'modern trinity' of the public, private and third sector. It also demonstrates that the UK Armed Forces, Community and Corporate Covenants are excellent foundations from which to evolve the relationship between the Armed Forces and society beyond 2014. In particular, this paper addresses shared UK / US issues and the best practices of each nations': national leadership; support to families; wounded, injured and sick; transition and employment; and community engagement, finishing with a number of recommendations that the UK could take to improve the civil-military divide. It asserts that the dynamic and proactive sharing of existing practices and initiatives between the UK and the US delivers much better outcomes than either nation doing it in isolation. The key recommendation is: That the UK needs a dedicated, apolitical 'Veterans' Champion', with national authority, accountability and responsibility, to drive coherence between the public, private and third sectors.

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When servicewomen and men leave the armed forces, their care transfers to the statutory and third sector where the quality and provision of services can vary enormously. This edited book, encompassing a range of perspectives, from service user to professional, provides a comprehensive overview of services available. Each chapter, in turn, examines the policy underpinnings of systems and services covering the psychological health and social care of military veterans and then focuses on the needs of a discrete number of types of military veterans including early service leavers, veterans in the criminal justice system, older veterans and reservists, together with the needs of the children of veterans’ families. This is the first UK book to examine the whole spectrum of contemporary approaches to the psychological health and social care of military veterans both in the United Kingdom and overseas. The book is edited by Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes, a former head of healthcare psychology within the UK Ministry of Defence and all contributors are experts in policy, service provision and academic research in this area. It will be of special interest to those designing and planning, commissioning, managing and delivering mental health and social care to military veterans and their families

When servicewomen and men leave the armed forces, their care transfers to the statutory and third sector where the quality and provision of services can vary enormously. This edited book, encompassing a range of perspectives, from service user to professional, provides a comprehensive overview of services available. Each chapter, in turn, examines the policy underpinnings of systems and services covering the psychological health and social care of military veterans and then focuses on the needs of a discrete number of types of military veterans including early service leavers, veterans in the criminal justice system, older veterans and reservists, together with the needs of the children of veterans’ families. This is the first UK book to examine the whole spectrum of contemporary approaches to the psychological health and social care of military veterans both in the United Kingdom and overseas. The book is edited by Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes, a former head of healthcare psychology within the UK Ministry of Defence and all contributors are experts in policy, service provision and academic research in this area. It will be of special interest to those designing and planning, commissioning, managing and delivering mental health and social care to military veterans and their families

LGBTQ+ personnel who served in the British military despite the gay ban tell their stories in a moving testament to their patriotism and courage. On January 12th, 2000, the British Armed Forces took a major step toward greater equality by ending its restriction against members of the LGBTQ+ community. To honor that historic event, this volume presents the personal reflections of ten LGBTQ+ personnel who had served under the ban since the Second World War. All of them lived remarkable lives, though some were dismissed in disgrace or asked to resign because of their identity. These brave men and women tell of remarkable careers, courage in battle, and private lives kept secret at all cost. They include stories of serving on the front line of operations worldwide, including in the Second World War, the Falklands War, the Gulf Wars and the war in Afghanistan. This book celebrates their lives, as well as all servicepeople who have stood tall and taken their place with pride in the fighting units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and the British Army.