“I felt treated differently”: Veteran calls for change in how forces handle mental health

A Lincolnshire veteran is calling for urgent reform in the way the Armed Forces support those discharged on mental health grounds.

Warrant Officer Vicky Ross, who lives near Sleaford, served 22 years in the Army. But after disclosing her struggles with mental health, she says her career - and the support she received on leaving - changed dramatically.

“I did personally feel like I was looked upon differently," said Vicky, "whereas before I’d had a flourishing career, got to Warrant Officer, and then I definitely felt like I was treated differently from disclosing those mental health issues.”

Normally, soldiers leaving the military are given two years to prepare for civilian life - to retrain, find housing, and make the transition. Vicky says she was given just four months.

The abrupt end left her scrambling to juggle family responsibilities, housing, and work.

“Finding out you’re in your mid-40s you’re losing your job, you’ve got to sort your children out, you need to find a place to live - and you’ve only got four months to do that.

"It is a big shock. I received limited support from my perspective.”

Vicky believes the system remains inconsistent, depending on whether a soldier leaves with physical or mental health issues.

“When it’s something you can see, when it’s a physical injury, you follow the normal process," she said.

"But when it’s mental health, I felt really, really isolated. I felt very isolated and alone."

The Ministry of Defence told us:

“We are grateful for Ms Ross’s 22 years of dedicated service to our country, and like all who serve, her wellbeing remains important to us.

"We are determined to provide the best possible mental healthcare services to our Armed Forces, and to this end work closely with the Departments of Health, the NHS, including the Devolved Administrations and Voluntary and Civil Society organisations.”