While reservists have access to support, through the Reservist Mental Health programme, and facilities at the Reinforcements Training and Mobilisation Centre (RTMC) in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, this may not be enough.
“Reservists have the right to access mental health within three years of their last deployment,” he sad.
“Of course, in many cases symptoms take much longer than that they manifest themselves.
“I saw someone who was a flight engineer on Liberator bomber during the Second World War. He flew several missions over the Netherlands. He didn’t present symptoms until sometimes in the late 1990s –some 40 years later.”
Dividing time between the army and civvy street could mean that symptoms are missed.
The latest comprehensive report on Army morale, published in January this year by the British Forces Federation, found that UK reservists deployed to Iraq experienced “elevated rates of mental disorders, including PTSD” , when compared with regular troops.
The main reasons for this is a “weakness of unit cohesion”, with reservists reporting lower levels of belonging and comradeship than regular soldiers.
”These factors have been shown to be the single most sustaining and motivating force among troops, and psychiatric injuries are more prevalent in personnel who do not form close relationships within their parent unit,” said the report.
Prof Hacker Hughes added: “When you’re in the military, you’re surrounded by a huge military bubble.
“When you’re deployed, everything is provided for you, your food, shelter and clothing, If you’re a regular soldier, that continues when you go back to barracks.
“That patently can’t be the case to the same extent for reservists.
“When they’re deployed the have the same access to services as anyone else, but not when they’re back home.”
Though cases of diagnosed post traumatic stress disorder remain relatively low in the British Army, at around 7 per cent, other symptoms are just as important.
“It’s far more likely that soldiers and members of other branches of the armed forces show signs depression or the type of self medication, with alcohol and drug abuse,” he said.
“We can only hope that the Government is mindful of this extra pressure on reservists.”
Last night the Ministry of Defence denied reservists would be under more pressure, because of the increase in their numbers.
“There is no suggestion that changes to the Army structure will lead to reservists being put under greater mental or physical stress.” said a spokesman.
“Reservists are entitled to the same support, assessment and if required, treatment for mental health issues both in theatre and in the UK as regular soldiers.”
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