FORMER soldier who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder is facing demands to pay the Ministry of Defence £63,000.

Afghan veteran Kia Tubuitamana is struggling to cope after the MoD reversed its decision to pay his daughters' boarding school fees and began to claw the money back.

Officials said he was not entitled to the cash because his first wife volunteered for an MoD job overseas instead of being posted.

Daily Echo: Kia Tubuitamana spent 18 years in the army before being discharged with PTSDKia Tubuitamana spent 18 years in the army before being discharged with PTSD (Image: Kia Tubuitamana)

Kia, 41, of Fair Oak, was shocked to be told he owed the ministry more than £120,000.

He and his supporters say the ministry took money from his pay packet, plus a £46,000 payment he should have received after being diagnosed with PTSD and leaving the army.

The former corporal in the Royal Regiment Fusiliers has now been told to hand over the £63,000 the MoD says he still owes.

Kia's plight has been raised in the Commons by Labour MP Dan Jarvis, a former army officer.

He told fellow politicians: "Mr Tubuitamana proudly served for 18 years, including two tours of Afghanistan and two tours of Iraq, but sadly his service resulted in severe PTSD."

Mr Jarvis said the financial problems facing Kia were the result of an "administrative mix-up" by the MoD.

Veterans' minister Johnny Mercer replied: "I totally accept there are cases where the results are not in keeping with making this country the best in the world to be a veteran.

"I hope the sunlight we can bring to this case can bring us to a fair resolution."

Daily Echo:

David McMullen, representing Citizenship4Soldiers, said the issue dated back to when Kia was posted to Canada and his first wife started an MoD job in Saudi Arabia.   

 

Mr McMullen said the MoD initially agreed to pay 85 per cent of their daughters' school fees but later changed its mind.

"Kia and his wife were informed the fees shouldn't have been covered because his wife had applied for the MoD job in Saudi, rather than being posted."

Kia's second wife Lucy said the dispute had made her husband's illness worse.

"He's either really angry or stressed or doesn't want to get out of bed. We don't really have a social life," she said.

An MoD spokesperson added: "Whilst we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, it is undergoing review and we continue to work with Mr Tubuitamana to resolve the matter."