Veterans yesterday welcomed moves by the Scottish Government to improve the day-to-day lives of former armed forces personnel.
Parliamentary Business Minister Bruce Crawford praised the "tremendous contribution" veterans had made as he met their representatives.
Ron Smith, of Veterans Scotland, said: "The meeting displayed a pattern of what appears to be genuine commitment from the Scottish Government. Full marks to them. We will just have to see how the delivery matches up with the consultation, but certainly I've been very impressed by the willingness of officials to work with us."
The meeting comes three weeks after ministers launched a consultation on the welfare of Scotland's 600,000 veterans. Mr Crawford encouraged all veterans to take part in that and help shape the support available to them and their colleagues in the armed forces.
He also announced a doubling of the funding available for veterans' groups through the Scottish Veterans' Fund, from £40,000 to £80,000 a year.
The announcement means that £80,000 will be available for 2008 and each of the next two years.
Falklands veteran William Sutherland, 49, of Edinburgh, said the moves should help many former service personnel.
He said: "With people who have lost limbs it is visible but people who have been damaged psychologically sometimes it doesn't surface for many years.
"The country should look after people who have given their service to the country.
"Some people don't have a clue how things work in civilian life when they are medically discharged from the forces.
"With battle stress, I have problems sleeping at night and have problems if a fire alarm goes off. I got good help before I left the Navy but when I was medically discharged the Navy's role was finished as such. I was allocated a community psychiatric nurse who said they didn't have a clue what they were going to do with me."
The minister said the meeting had provided "an early opportunity for veterans groups to discuss with us the kind of support they would like from the Scottish Government".
He continued: "All of us recognise the tremendous contribution made by our veterans in communities right across the country.
"It goes without saying that Scotland's veterans deserve our gratitude for their selfless duty to this country but gratitude alone will not help those who need help in overcoming barriers to obtaining certain key services.
"That is why we have acted to bring in measures which will have a positive impact in the areas of health, housing and transport."
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