UK troops mentally resilient despite Iraq, Afghan conflicts

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – Intervention strategies have helped mitigate the psychological impact on British soldiers of more than 10 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new study suggests, leaving them mentally healthier than their U.S. peers. But the study, by the King's Centre for Military Health Research at King's College London, found some British soldiers – particularly reservists and soldiers deployed in combat – do seem more vulnerable to mental illness when they come home. "Overall, UK military personnel have remained relatively resilient in spite of the stresses endured in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Deirdre MacManus, who led the study.