West Midlands Military Personnel say they are honoured to be selected for the Invictus Games | News

It’s taking place in Germany in September.

A number of ex-military from the West Midlands have been selected for the Invictus Games, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The games were launched in 2014 to allow wounded, injured and sick service personnel to compete.

More than 20 countries are taking part in the games, which are in September.

The 59 members of the British team are training at the Battle Back Centre in Lilleshall, near Newport.

We’ve been hearing their stories ahead of Armed Forces Day tomorrow (Saturday).

Jenny Harltey, who grew up in Birmingham and now lives in Shropshire, was first enlisted into the general Service Corps aged 18, before being commissioned into the Royal Logistics Corps in 2003.

Aged 28 she decided to retrain as a Doctor and transferred to the RAMC in 2010 during her training.

A wrist fracture during a PT session in 2017, led to her being medically discharged. The fracture didn’t heal correctly, leaving Jenny with restricted movement. Despite two years of rehab and exploring alternative options, the injury left Jenny unable to carry out the primary task of a soldier – operating a weapon.

On applying for Invictus, Jenny says: “Last year, so much has changed in my life, I felt I was a bit lost and needed an anchor to make me realise who I was again.”

She says being selected for the Team has given her “identity back.”

“After being in the Army for so long, so many things have changed over the past few years, I don’t really know what I am any more. So, to be able to say ‘I’ve done something cool this year’ is a big thing,” she said.

Jenny, who now works as a GP, will compete in the athletics, swimming and the powerlifting.

Scott Robinson from Wolverhampton has also been selected for the games. He served in the British Army in the Royal Signals for 14 years, having followed in his father’s footsteps into the military.

He spent eight and a half years out in Germany and also conducted two tours of Afghanistan, as well as being posted to Cyprus. But in 2019, he was medically discharged due to struggling with complex PTSD.

He said: “My first tour of Afghanistan was a new experience, travelling around different locations in and around the capital Kabul and further north. However, on my return to Afghanistan, on my second tour it was just completely different from start to finish on the front line with poor to little proper training beforehand.

“I was in a very dark place, and I just didn’t seem to be able to get the support I desperately needed at the time. I also went through some personal trauma in my home life, and I was just ready to give up. I felt that the Army didn’t want me anymore and once discharged I felt completely lost and didn’t want to be around.”

After being at his lowest point, Scott eventually began proper treatment for his PTSD and found an outlet to focus his mind through playing golf with other veterans.

As well as golf, Scott also found Christ which has been the most important and transformative stage of his recovery journey.

With such a transformational few years, Scott was encouraged to apply for Invictus. He is now part of Team UK competing in the table tennis, rowing, and sitting volleyball.

He said: “After having such a rough time over the past few years, having things turn around and now being part of Team UK is more than I could have dreamed of! I really want to make my fiancée and my two stepsons proud and to give it my all.”

The Games take place in September in Düsseldorf, Germany, with competitors from more than 20 countries taking part.

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