Memorandum from Mrs Norma Langford
I met you at the Defence Select Committee Meeting
at Portcullis House on 2 December 2004.
You told me after the meeting if I had any recommendations
for the Duty of Care for our young soldiers I may write to you
with my suggestions and you would put them forward for me.
I have written below some recommendations that
I would like the Defence Select Committee to consider.
The suggestions I have made are purely from
a mother's point of view and based on my own experience.
1. A written copy of the Rules and Regulations
given to the parents. Then the parents know what is expected of
their child.
2. A written course of action to take if
a parent has concerns or suspects their son/daughter is being
bullied or under excessive stress. Preferably to a high ranking
officer, with guaranteed confidentiality.
Also I have a high opinion of the help that
is already offered on the internet to young soldiers suffering
from stress and abuse: www.forceshelpline.com. The site is run
by ex-forces personnel and they are already receiving calls for
help from parents and soldiers.
Other sites I know which have already been targeted
for help from parents and soldiers are the site run by Lynn Farr
http://embark.to/DANIEL and the site run by Geoff Gray www.justice4geoffgray.co.uk
from the Deepcut and Beyond Campaign.
The question asked where or who do you think
the recruits will turn to for help? Is in part in my opinion answered
above, and I feel it is the above type of help, of someone to
talk to when in need, which can be offered worldwide that is the
most appropriate answer.
I thank the Defence Select Committee for giving
me the opportunity of being heard.
December 2004
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