Introduction to the special multilingual issue: European perceptions and care of former military members from the perspective of European nation states.

Since the substantive development in the field of European military research in the last decade, the Journal of Veteran Studies has seen different approaches to examine veteran- related issues. Although attempts to understand veteran-related issues from national perspectives have been made, wider contextual and cross-national perspectives on Eurocentric veteran-related issues are missing. The present special issue addresses this gap in knowledge by focussing on the European diversity in military traditions and cultural variations that underpin the characteristics and social status of the military, its members, and former members. The special issue consisting of 10 articles in both English and contributors' native language, contributes to our understanding of the military, veterans, and veteran-related issues in European nation states, but also highlights how services and care for veterans may be improved by future collaborations between European nation states

Commissioning Liaison Psychiatry services

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Should we give military families a break? A call for research on military family holidays

While the well-being of the family unit is increasingly acknowledged (eg, in academic research, policy debate and podcast media) as central to the fitness and resilience of the Armed Forces, initiatives to support family well-being have been slow to emerge. One proposed means of support is the provision of holidays (whether abroad or ‘staycations’) to families who may be struggling to cope with stressors related to military life. Building on evidence from leisure and tourism studies, holidays are understood as providing benefits to family well-being, including rest and recuperation, respite from the stressors of everyday life, and building resilience and social capital. With a view to developing policy and practice, we suggest that research could meaningfully examine the use of holidays as a means of supporting military families. This article aims to stimulate debate regarding how families are supported within the UK Armed Forces

A pilot study to support veterans in the criminal justice system

Project Nova is a pilot model in Norfolk and Suffolk of an intervention, to reach veterans at the earliest point of contact following their arrest. This evaluation of Project Nova provides an insight into the needs of veteran offenders at an early stage in the criminal justice pathway. It also helps the reader to understand whether these needs can be met shortly after arrest, and whether this has any impact on offending behaviour. This Report reflects on examples of best practice for working with this challenging and often hard to engage populatio

Caring and Coping: The Family Perspective on Living with Limb Loss

This report presents findings of research into how veterans with limb loss, and their families, live with limb loss. Using Grounded Theory, data has been collected from 72 veterans and family members using unstructured interviews, structured questionnaires and closed question telephone interviews. Findings indicate, firstly, that the central concern of veterans with limb loss, and families, is coping during living with limb loss, and that the veteran with limb loss and their carer/s may experience differing levels of coping (low, mid, high) during any specific time period. Each coping level is characterised by behaviours/characteristics to which appropriate support can be aligned; secondly, there are distinct time periods where certain types of Blesma/organisational support are more likely to effectively support coping ability. This report presents these findings, which are developed into a practical Living with Limb Loss Support Model (LLSM). The LLSM identifies specific periods where timely support is more likely to be relevant and effective in supporting individual needs and coping levels, as further explained in the ‘Practical Application of Findings’ (see pages 14-20). Conclusions suggest recommendations for support and practices Blesma and other support organisations could develop, suggestions for future research, and development of an evidence base, that will underpin policy making and service delivery, to enable sustained and positive change for veterans and their families. Furthermore, although this research was carried out with veterans and their family members, the recommendations are intended to be transferable to other persons with limb loss (PWLL) and their families. This is a collaborative study between Blesma and The Veterans & Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI), at Anglia Ruskin University, and is funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT)

The Impact of Service Life on the Military Child: The Overlooked Casualties of Conflict– Update and Review Report

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We Also Served: The Health and Well-being of Female Veterans in the UK

Women have served within the Armed Forces for over 100 years. Their contribution has been extraordinary but the prevailing military culture, together with evolving terms and conditions of Service, have left their mark on the health and well-being of many. Whilst it is right, therefore, to recognise the progress that has been made, there is a pressing need to evidence the impact of past policies and actions. This timely report is the first major step in addressing this. Almost thirty organisations, drawn from across the military charity sector as well as from statutory bodies including NHS England and NHS Improvement and the MOD, have contributed to this report. It is the first research project to consider holistically the full range of female veteran issues, uniquely capturing the lived experiences of women who have served. Perhaps most importantly, it provides an essential start point for a comprehensive evidence base that will enable debate with a level of insight and clarity that has been missing before, and which will ensure statutory and Service Charity provision is targeted accurately to meet the needs of those women who are serving and veterans. The report is clear that for many that is not yet the case, both for those in Service and for those who have transitioned to civilian lives. It is a timely warning that there is still work to do both in improving in-Service conditions to allow our servicewomen to thrive and, once they leave, for us to tailor our veteran support services to meet their specific needs. This will include the requirement to support and improve the needs of serving women, whether as partners, mothers or in different family situations, and its impact on well-being, whilst at the same time enabling military careers. A prioritised action pl an has been produced in order to a chieve real impact and create long-lasting change. Top of the list is a review of the impact on health and well-being outcomes of Service culture an d sexual harassment, issues which have long been discussed but which continue to persist, with a number of the recommendations from the recent Wigston Report yet to be fully implemented. The report also identifies considerable gaps in our understanding of how in-Service experiences impact on health, wealth, and socio-economic outcomes, and explores what further action is required. Overall, this report is unique in its breadth and depth, in the academically robust processes undertaken and in its capture of the lived experiences of female veterans from across the services and the decades. It is not an easy read. It is, however, a necessary read. By compiling the evidence, the report gives voice to our former servicewomen and sets out an irrefutable case for further and necessary cultural and policy change to improve the long-term health and well-being of those women who have served and are serving

Gambling problems and military- and health-related behaviour in UK Armed Forces veterans

Internationally, problem gambling is elevated in Armed Forces veterans compared to the general population. Here, we re-examined the prevalence of problem gambling in veterans and non-veterans residing in England using an established large dataset and investigated whether gambling was associated with length of service, common mental health disorders, substance abuse, or financial management history. Using the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, 257 post-national service veterans and 514 age- and sex-matched controls were compared. Veterans had significantly higher rates of problem gambling than non-veterans. Male veterans were more likely than non-veterans to have experienced a traumatic event. The relationship between veteran status and problem gambling was not explained by differences in mental health conditions, substance abuse, or financial management. No differences were found for length of service. Further research is required with larger samples targeting problem gambling and Armed Forces experience in the United Kingdom population using contemporary diagnostic criteria

Gender differences in barriers to mental healthcare for UK military veterans: A preliminary investigation

Introduction: Limited UK research focuses on female military veterans’ gender-related experiences and issues when accessing civilian mental healthcare support. This study sought to illuminate a preliminary understanding of any gender differences in barriers that may discourage them accessing mental healthcare support. Methods: A total of 100 participants completed an open online survey of UK triservice veterans who identified as having experienced postmilitary mental health problems. They completed a 30-item Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation scale and were asked to elaborate using free-text questions. Resulting quantitative data were analysed for gender-related differences, while the qualitative text was thematically explored. Results: While stigma, previous poor experience of mental healthcare and a lack of trust in civilian providers were found to act as barriers to postmilitary support for both men and women, significantly more women reported that their gender had also impacted on their intention to seek help. Women also commented on the impact of gender-related discrimination during service on their help-seeking experiences. Conclusions: While efforts are being made by the UK Ministry of Defence to reduce barriers to mental healthcare for those still serving in the Armed Forces, it has been more difficult to provide a similar level of support to the veteran population. With little veteran research focusing on the specific experiences of women, this study suggests that female veterans encounter specific access barriers and issues related to their gender. Further research is therefore needed to ensure these findings are addressed