Forgotten and misunderstood: the problems ahead for British veterans | UK News

The government is on the verge of failing in its ambition to make ‘the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran’ unless steps are taken now to change attitudes towards former servicemen, organization says military support charity.

A report by Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) indicates that the changing roles of members of the military will lead employers and the public to less understand the skills and capabilities of those leaving the military and could create an environment of more more difficult for them.

The survey, Lifting Our Sight: Beyond 2030, analyzed the socio-economic factors most likely to affect those leaving the service.

He found that:

• As conflicts become increasingly technology-based, with disinformation, intimidation and cyber hacks increasingly becoming the weapons of choice, the roles of men and women on this frontline are less visible. for the public.
• This could lead to distancing and misperception, with skills being overlooked or misunderstood by potential employers
• This widens a so-called “perception gap” with some employers failing to recognize the values ​​of veterans in the civilian workforce.

When Fiona Smith left the RAF 11 years ago, she believed her adaptable skills would help her find employment quickly. She was wrong.

I’ll be fine, I thought – and I wasn’t.

“I had this mistaken feeling that I’m employable, I’m adaptable, I’m really a good catch. But honestly, I was wrong.

Fiona now works for a charity.

FiMT chief executive Ray Lock says the changing nature of war is a double-edged sword.

“The increasing use of technology is going to have two opposing factors. Members of the armed forces are more proficient in using this technology, but employers will have a lesser understanding of what they are doing. It can be difficult to understand what a cyber warrior is actually doing.

“So on the one hand we have an increased skill set, but on the other hand we have an employer with less understanding of what these …