NI Veterans Commssioner: Authorities must affect change for veterans

Pastor Alan Stephens made a pointed call in his funeral address for better care of veterans.

“I just hope and pray that someone in authority in the army, someone in authority within the government, will help organisations like Beyond the Battlefield,” he said of the Ards mental health charity which supports veterans.

“Because there are many young men and women suffering today who gave their all for their country and I believe it is our country’s duty to give our all for them. And so we pray people will learn from this and that someone, somewhere will take notice of what is going on, to brave young men and women.”

Newly appointed Veterans’ Commissioner for NI Danny Kinahan, said he had met with the Savage family.

“Today’s funeral of Brett Savage is such an appalling tragedy for the family and my sympathy and prayers are with them,” he said. “Society must find a way to stop suicides and, in my role as Veterans Commissioner, I will ensure we explore what is behind such actions and put in place changes to ensure veterans are given the support they need as and when they need it.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to anyone who serves their country and puts their own life at risk on behalf of society as a whole. It is therefore imperative that they are properly looked after when they leave the Armed Forces. The Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts were especially brutal and those brave service personnel who experienced them, like Brett Savage, are heroes we must never forget.”

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