Army Of Angels

WHY?

My name is Stephen Valentine and I was born in November 1969.   At the age of 18 I decided to enlist in the British Army as a driver in the Royal Corps Of Transport (RCT).   I completed my basic training in February 1988 and was then posted to 8 Squadron, 27 Regiment RCT, at Buller Barracks in Aldershot. 

In November 1990  27 Regt was given formal notice for deployment to Saudi Arabia, in anticipation of taking part in operations during the first Gulf war. The regiment finally deployed on active service in January 1991.  Only days after arrival our holding location came under attack from SCUD missiles, and so shortly thereafter we deployed to our new home in the desert 

Our tour of duty in the Gulf lasted approximately 4 months and then we returned home to the UK and our families for some much needed rest and recuperation (R&R).

After only a few short weeks we resumed our normal duties in Aldershot.  For along period after the end of the war a lot of personnel suffered major problems due to their experiences, and in turn were then summarily discharged from the forces.  I stayed with the Army until Feb 1992, at which point I decided to purchase my own discharge. 

With no immediate help at hand after discharge, I moved with my family to Manchester, staying with my mother.  Things didn’t go well for me - all the signs were there to see; some how I missed them.  Eventually, after a very self destructive period I was diagnosed with depression and placed on a cocktail of anti-depressants, which did little to relieve my symptoms, nor improve my situation.  This problem persisted over the years and through contact with friends who served, know that I’m not the only one to suffer in this way. 

The team from Combat Stress visited me on a number of occasions and finally offered me a place at their treatment centre in Newport (Audley Court).  This turned out to be the turning point in my life,  I was given the opportunity to meet a wide variety of ex service personnel who had served during every conflict since the 2nd World War. At the time I was under the misapprehension that I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), having being diagnosed as such by a specialist sent by the War Pensions Agency.  Very quickly I understood by talking to those around me that , while I was suffering from a depressive illness, it wasn’t PTSD.  And that I still needed help.

During my stay at the centre, I met many people including a WW2 veteran who was one of Sir Archibald McIndoe’s skin graft patients (also proudly know as Guinea pigs), he has been attending the centre from almost the day it was opened and returns each year for rehab and respite care.  Another resident I met served in the Falklands War, he had found it almost impossible to adjust to civilian life, couldn’t hold down a job and had become a virtual recluse, preferring to stay in his home.  I discovered that he had very few of the necessities of life in his flat to make his life more bearable, this touched me in such a way that I determined to make the lives of such people better in any way I could.

Army Of Angels has been set up to assist former (and serving) members of the forces   with the basic necessities of life after or in preparation for their discharge; items to help improve their situation, whatever it maybe.  We also want to be able to send families on holidays or give a gift to the husbands, wives and children left behind by a service man or woman who makes the ultimate sacrifice during their service.  Army of Angels is committed to all this and more, as and when the donations that we receive allow us to do so. 

We also seek to support the work of ‘Combat Stress’ and the ‘Not Forgotten’ - we may not be able to build them new facilities or accommodation, but what we can do is provide is the things that they do need, like new beds, furniture, TV’s etc.  and update a lot of the items they already have.  Organisations like Combat Stress etc.  do have their own websites, if you are able to, please consider making a donation to them as well.

Please help us to help them.

Yours,

S. Valentine