Armed Forces Helpline Sees Big Rise In Requests

A confidential helpline has seen an 85% increase in requests for help from serving troops, an Armed Forces charity has said.

Forcesline received 21,983 requests for help last year - a 6% increase on 2014.

But the most striking increase was amongst serving personnel, with more than 3,000 calling Forcesline compared to 1,600 the year before.

Forcesline was set up by SSAFA, formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association, at the Army's request following the deaths of four recruits at Deepcut Barracks.

It was agreed that the helpline should be completely confidential and operate independently from the chain of command.

Air Vice Marshal David Murray, chief executive at SSAFA, said: "Those who serve in our Armed Forces are by their very nature resilient characters.

They are then trained to be the most robust versions of themselves, so for some, asking for help can be a real challenge.

"Therefore, the increase in the number of troops coming to SSAFA for help, although not a cause for panic, is reason for concern.

"It is interesting that the service men and women who are contacting us are choosing to come to SSAFA, rather than their own chain of command, as the 'grin and bear it' attitude within the serving community remains strong."

He added: "Our Armed Forces are protecting our national security each and every day and it is imperative that their welfare remains a priority.

"These men and women are exposed to high levels of pressure, unique to their professions, each and every day. They will continue to need encouragement to come forward with their problems and assurance that seeking help will not affect their career.

"We must not allow any of our troops to feel that they need to deal with their issues on their own. They have been there when our country has needed them and we must be there when they need us."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman the Government "is absolutely committed to the wellbeing of our Armed Forces". 

"We enshrined the Armed Forces Covenant in law and have introduced a raft of measures designed to improve service life," he said.

"The Government works in close partnership with the Service charitable sector on these issues and we value contributions such as this."