New veterans’ commissioner Danny Kinahan has key role

The former Ulster Unionist MP, MLA and councillor is respected as a politician of high integrity, while he also has a strong background in the military having served as a captain in the Blues and Royals Regiment, which further underlines his suitability for the role.

Mr Kinahan understands the military and the difficult issues that face former members of the forces as they try to adapt to life after years of serving their country.

Northern Ireland has a proud history of association with the British forces, we have 150,000 veterans living in Northern Ireland, male and female, who have served their country in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.

However, it is also reality that a good proportion of those veterans will have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with many having been through ordeals on the battlefield.

Brett Savage, who tragically died this weekend while in his early thirties, had spoken out frankly in the past about his own struggles with PTSD. He had served courageously on the battlefields of Helmand Province in Afghanistan, where the Royal Irish Regiment were involved in fierce fighting against the Taliban.

It is entirely understandable that veterans not only find it difficult to cope with the memories of the terrible things they saw (many lost friends and colleagues) and experienced, and also that some struggle with a return to civilian life.

Many veterans feel more able to talk about their experiences in the modern day, but even that is no guarantee that they can put their struggles to bed.

Mr Kinahan is right to say that if veterans need help, it should be there for them immediately. Unfortunately that has not always been the case in the past.

We wish him well in his hugely important new post.