ABSTRACT
Mental health is arguably one of the more stigmatizing medical conditions that we come across in our day-to-day lives; this is possibly even more of an issue for armed forces personnel who are on active service. The provision of mental health services for the armed forces has been openly ridiculed since time immemorial. Shephard (2000) describes the arrival of a newly appointed neurologist in 1914 to the British army on the Western Front who was greeted with derision and incredulity. A senior officer could not understand this appointment and asked if he was here to look after his soldiers' nerves. When informed that he was, the senior officer announced it to his troops, who then ridiculed the appointment with jeers and laughter.
