Why Combat Stress Exists

Combat Stress is the UK's leading military charity specialising in the care of Veterans' mental health.

We look after men and women who are suffering from a psychological condition related to their Service career. This might be depression, anxiety, a phobia or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Our services are free of charge to the Veteran.

Since 2005 the number of ex-Service men and women seeking our help has risen by 72%. We have a current caseload of more than 4,600 individuals � including 159 Afghanistan and 517 Iraq Veterans.

In March 2010 our Patron HRH The Prince of Wales launched The Enemy Within Appeal on behalf of Combat Stress.

This three-year fundraising campaign is designed to help us treat the escalating number of psychologically injured Veterans who are turning to us for help, by:

    * Establishing 14 Community Outreach teams nationwide

    * Enhancing clinical treatment at our three short-stay treatment centres

Please see website http://www.combatstress.org.uk/

We are also supporting Remount 'The Future for Heroes'

Crossing the drawbridge

Over 18,000 Servicemen and Servicewomen leave the Armed Forces each year, half of them aged 25 or under. The change in cultures is a big challenge for the vast majority of them, regardless of whether or not they have beeninvolved in combat. For too many, life can become a downward spiral of disillusionment, loneliness, a resort to alcohol or drugs, homelessness, crime and imprisonment - and, in more instances than is generally known, suicide.  Young ex-Servicemen are three times more likely to kill themselvesthan their civilian counterparts.

Some 250 people have attended our course in the last couple of years,including some badly wounded Afghanistan veterans. The results have been truly outstanding, and can perhaps best be illustrated by just one casestudy: an Infantry Corporal who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was genuinely close to taking his own life before he came on our course last year.  Not only is he now working full time for the Prince�s Trust but also he is (to use his own words) �paying Remount back for transforming his life and saving hismarriage� by working as a volunteer to help with as many courses as he can.

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