Ex-soldier who saw horrific injuries in Iraq told his breakdown unrelated to service

A FORMER soldier who took the Government to the High Court in a bid prove the existence of Gulf War Syndrome believes his battle with the authorities over his benefits for his mental health problems has been just as exhausting.

Shaun Rusling, 50, a former member of 3 Para and an Army medic during the first Gulf War, takes 12 tablets a day and still suffers daily from the mental and physical effects of his service.

"I worked in the resuscitation unit at a field hospital in Iraq," he said. "It was there that I saw gunshot wounds, arms blown off and some of the most horrific injuries."

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After leaving the Army because of various physical complaints Mr Rusling was offered a 20 per cent war pension, based on his injuries.

"I was taking everything at face value but it was only when I went to the NHS because I was suffering from flashbacks that they diagnosed me with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and I thought I probably deserved more."

He saw five specialist doctors who all diagnosed him with PTSD. But the only doctor that mattered, in terms of getting the correct benefits, was the Government's own.

"He told me I was only suffering from a physical and mental breakdown which was unrelated to my service.

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"I couldn't believe it. I was ill, confused and didn't know what was happening to me. He was the only one who wasn't a specialist in psychiatry."

It took several years for his pension to eventually brought up to 40 per cent after going through appeals and tribunals.

"At appeal you have to go over all the problems again and again. I started thinking 'why is this happening to me?'"

Two weeks after one appeal which saw him at 40 per cent, Mr Rusling received a letter

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telling him it would be reduced to 30 per cent because he had "got better" even though no follow up assessment had been made.

"It brought me to despair and because of all the delays over it it meant the assessments of my physical illnesses were being pushed back."

His last tribunal was in April 2009 and he now receives a war pension at 100 per cent, but is still fearful that it could be cut again.

"Even now I get this sinking feeling when I get something through the door," he said.