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Theres a fair bit of evidence that many soldiers struggle in civilian life - many homeless ex-soldiers and a fair number with alcohol problems too.
I am delighted that our society is "full" of people who aren't at all keen on becoming cannon fodder.
:yes:
Average Joe Soldier is ok, usually. Vietnam was bad for the above, because it was a guerilla war, and therefore they were under attack at any time, any place. You were never safe. Not good for the mind, that.
Yep, but they are still the minority of ex-soldiers. Some would have problems in both civilian and military life. Some have problems due to what they saw during their military service (soldiers are more likely to see nasty scenes than most civilians - so they are more likely to have PTSD). Third, at least some of the rough sleepers claiming to be veterans aren't - but are trying to get sympathy.
And your views of soldiers as cannon fodder is slightly out of date
That's not true. Up to a quarter of ex-service people end up homeless, according to an article in the guardian last week.
which often leads to alcoholism due to the sheer tedium of the job.
Well all I can say is that not my experience. Also there is a difference between rough sleepers and people being homeless.
A lot of people are 'homeless' because they don't have secure accomodation, for example if your lease runs out in 28 days you are homeless, you can live with your parents and be homeless. Lots of ex-servicemen fall into those categories.
That said if you are saying the housing provision for people coming out of the armed services is a disgrace I'd agree with you. That's not because soldiers cannot exist in the 'real' world though, more because housing in the UK is in crisis
http://england.shelter.org.uk/policy/policy-938.cfm
as would the Big Issue Foundation
http://www.bigissueinthenorth.com/Exclusion/stats.html
My point is that people in the armed services don't join the armed services because they can't hack it in civilian life. There's a multitude of reasons why there is homelessness amongst ex-servicemen, PTSD, LAs refusing to accept people who aren't local (though the Homelessness Act 2002 has reduced, but not eliminated that problem), being in your early twenties without a job.
Or is your suggestion that ex-servicemen are homeless because they're incompetent or useless?
I didn't say that they did.
Lots of ex-servicemen have been institutionalised and can't cope without the structures of the armed forces around them.
No that's not what I'm saying at all. Try reading more carefully.
this is the lot i feel sorry for...i think they naively bought into the shit...found out the truth and have gone so far they can't come back...i haven't been to that stage but i can emphatize a lot for their situation....