Our brave heroes of the battlefield are dying at the rate of more than one a week.
But not on the battlefield. At their own hand.
Today retired Major Richard Streatfeild, a veteran of Afghanistan, reveals that four riflemen from the company he commanded 10 years ago have killed themselves.
That is almost as many as died in action.
Major Streatfeild has post-traumatic stress so he has experienced what it can do.
He worked at getting help, and so narrowly dodged the full, frightening disorder PTSD.
When he says that these deaths are “a stain on post-operational care” he knows what he is talking about.
Major Streatfeild was so worried about the mental health of his men on the battlefield that he arranged for them to be screened by psychiatric nurses.
He says a similar screening programme needs to be run once they get home to spot the signs of PTSD early.
But he fears the MoD would never do such a thing because of what they might find – and the effect it would have on recruitment and retention.
That can be no excuse for playing Russian roulette with the lives of veterans.
Defence chiefs have been brushing the truth about PTSD under the carpet for too long.
They must introduce such screening. And repeat it at regular intervals, as PTSD often surfaces only years later.
And do so without delay.
