SSAFA has marked the 15th anniversary of the end of UK Armed Forces operations in Iraq, saying the Iraq War still lives on for many veterans and families even though Operation TELIC formally ended on May 22, 2011.
The charity said the anniversary should be marked with remembrance, reflection and respect. It described the end of Operation TELIC as closing a significant chapter in recent British military history, but said that for some people linked to the campaign, the impact did not stop when the operation ended.
SSAFA said many who served in Iraq did so in exceptionally difficult circumstances and that some were wounded in body or mind. That legacy, it said, includes pride in duty, injury, bereavement and the long road from military service to civilian life.
For veterans such as Kenneth Branagh’s audience in the Iraq war film that began with a deadly mistake, the conflict has long been associated with the risks and confusion of modern combat. SSAFA said it sees that legacy every day through veterans, families and the enduring bond among those connected to the campaign.
The charity said it will continue to stand beside serving personnel, veterans and their families for as long as support is needed. Its message on the anniversary was plain: the formal end of the mission closed one chapter, but for many families the story of Iraq remains deeply personal, demanding and, in some cases, profoundly painful.
