Towards Online Social Support for Former Military Personnel

The Armed Forces comprise a series of tight-knit communities sharing values and experiences, which provide a complete social and work-life network. Leaving the Forces is a significant life event, which in some people can lead to psychological and social problems, especially for younger members, those with existing mental disorders, and those who may be developing combat-related psychological conditions. We are examining the extent to which a dedicated online network constructed to reflect military social groupings might counter this, and provide connectivity between former comrades, plus a very wide range of useful information, from job seeking and family advice, to counselling and therapy. There are some 4.8m ex-Service personnel in the UK (McManus, Meltzer Brugha, Bebbington and Jenkins 2007,).