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**Maggy** · 07-11-2004, 23:42

An example here

Quote:

Yanto Evans
Often the hardest times for an ex-serviceman are when he has to step outside the Forces and face a life on Civvy Street for which he may be completely unprepared. That was certainly the case for Yanto Evans, who served with the Paras for 13 years with postings including Northern Ireland, Belize and the Falklands - where he was blown up on the Sir Galahad and watched many comrades die.

For family reasons Yanto eventually decided to leave the Services. When he first left he had a series of jobs in security and surveillance, then he joined the Police force but found it too different to what he was used to in the army. He kept putting himself in dangerous situations - on one occasion he intervened to stop an armed robbery. It was almost as though he didn't want to live, later diagnosed as a classic sign of 'survivor's guilt' and part of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which he carried as a result of his time in the forces. After a year off sick, he left the police service and fell into a downward spiral of failed relationships, alcohol and drugs.

It took him five years to realise that he needed help to control the aggression and frustration which had become a standard part of his life. He also needed help with his financial situation. Fortunately he came into contact with the Legion's County Field Officer Craig Treeby who was able to help him with an application to increase his War Pension allowance. Craig arranged treatment for his combat stress, raised the funds to buy him a new cooker and to pay for three months of Council Tax arrears. He also arranged for Yanto to be given vocational assessment to help him back into employment where he unexpectedly found that he had an aptitude for sales. As a result of the course, he was able to find himself employment at a local Estate Agents.

'When I left the Army I was completely unprepared for life out of uniform,' he says. 'I was completely disoriented and confused. The Legion helped me to get back on my feet and thanks to them I have been able to start afresh and make a life for myself on Civvy Street.'

All this takes a great deal of money.More than the Legion can find from the Poppy Appeal I'm afraid.Thank goodness for those who bequeath money to the RBL. What it doesn't need is the rotten *******s nicking the money that kind and generous people give in good faith.