Afghanistan veteran, Andy Allen MBE, has voiced concerns over the government’s rollout of a referral pathway for homeless veterans, dubbed Op Fortitude, in Northern Ireland.
Speaking to GB News on the second anniversary of the Taliban taking over Kabul, Allen also reflected on the British military's operation in Afghanistan.
Allen, who had both legs amputated above the knee after being injured by an improvised explosive device in 2008, was critical of Britain's long-term impact in Afghanistan.
Asked whether the military intervention was worth it, Allen told GB News on Tuesday: “We were there to execute the mission at hand.
“For me, the first mission was to disrupt and dismantle the safe haven that Al Qaeda had within Afghanistan in which they operate and attack the West.”
The second mission “was about giving the Afghan people the building blocks to build a better country.,” Allen explained before questioning “if you take it in that context, have we achieved the mission goal that we set out to deliver?”
In this context, Allen concluded: “We didn’t and we failed the Afghan people.”
When prompted to focus on the personal safety in place for veterans in the UK, Allen said: “It’s imperative that the government do all that they can to deliver the best possible support.”
Andy Allen MBE
GBNEWS
In July, the Government introduced Op Fortitude, a dedicated hotline intended to signpost homeless veterans to the help they need.
On Fortitude, Allen said: “We have the Office for Veterans Affairs who have delivered up Fortitude, which is making sure that there are no homeless veterans on the street, but here in Northern Ireland our Fortitude, despite it being highlighted to them, is not in operation in the same manner.
“The UK government highlights that it is their ambition to make the UK the best place in which to be a veteran. But we can’t have a disjointed level of support.”
Allen concluded: “All veterans should expect the same level of support across the board, no matter where in the UK they’re living in.”
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Andy Allen MBE speaking with Patrick Christys
GBNEWS
The hotline was billed as part of a £8.55 million fund that is intended to bring ‘wraparound support services’ to 1,300 veterans across more than 900 housing units.
The £500,000 housing hotline is operated by social housing provider Riverside Group.
Launching the initiative, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said: “Everyone deserves a place they can call home, not least those who have served their country.
“Today’s launch is a huge milestone in ending veteran homelessness and a clear demonstration of this government delivering on its promises.
“There is a lot of great work being done across the country to help veterans get the right level of support.
“Op FORTITUDE is about bringing all of this together, so any veteran has a clear pathway to get local and customised care.”
