Early Service leavers: a study of the factors associated with premature separation from the UK Armed Forces and the mental health of those that leave early

Abstract

The study suggests that operational Service is not a factor causing personnel to become an ESL. Current mental health problems were more commonly reported among ESLs than other Service leavers. There may be a need to target interventions to ESLs on leaving Service to smooth their transition to civilian life and prevent the negative mental health outcomes experienced by ESLs further down the line.