A Lanarkshire dad and Iraq veteran has spoken of how support from SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, helped him through some of his darkest days when debt threatened to take over his life.
John McGuigan, 41, had always planned to join the Army. His dad and uncles had all served, so when he joined up aged 17 – having been an Army cadet from age 12 – it felt right. Next came an eight-year career with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards before John took the decision to leave the military. With nearly a decade as a soldier under his belt, John had high hopes for his civilian career.
But with difficulty finding secure work and managing bills, John soon found himself spending more than he earned, and his debt began to spiral.
“I didn’t even know what council tax was when I left the Army,” John said. “We were all weekend millionaires, and by the end of the week, we were skint. The trouble was I carried that mentality across.”
Facing eviction from his Airdrie flat due to unpaid rent, and with his money worries beginning to impact his mental health, John realised he needed help and turned to SSAFA.
“For me it was an embarrassing situation – I believed that to ask for help was a sign of weakness – but SSAFA really held my hand,” he said. “All I needed was a fresh start. Without SSAFA’s help I would have dug a bigger hole for myself. It was like quicksand; SSAFA helped me get out of it and there was no going back.”
Now settled in Uddingston with his wife Stacey, dad-of-three John is on a mission to give back to the charity that helped him successfully rebuild his life. John and daughter Sophie, 10, will take part in an epic abseil challenge at the Kelpies in Falkirk on June 20, raising money to help SSAFA support other Scotland veterans, serving personnel, and their families in their time of need.
For John the challenge is personal – not just because of the support he received from SSAFA, but because he’ll be thinking of his beloved Papa George, who was a dedicated SSAFA volunteer.
George Kirkland served 37 years in the South Staffordshire Regiment and joined SSAFA when he retired from the Army, achieving 25 years of voluntary service with SSAFA’s Lanarkshire Branch before he passed away in 2013.
John said: “My Papa used to give so much of his time to help people who were ex-Forces, like himself, or who had married into the Forces. I have always tried to replicate what he was like, and I feel as if he has passed the mantle on to me now.”
