THE FATHER of a soldier stationed in Afghanistan today criticised the focus on the plight of terrorist prisoners in Cuba and said: "Don't forget about what my lad is putting up with."
Brian Ozenbrook, whose son Damian is on patrol in Kabul, said he believed the press was largely ignoring the conditions British soldiers were facing.
The focus was on the plight of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and the hunt for members of terrorist group Al-Qa'eda.
He said: "Our son is on the front line, but it is amazing how much the people are concentrating on the conditions of people in Cuba and Afghanistan, forgetting about those from Britain.
"There is not enough on our lads.The conditions they have to put up with are also terrible."
"There's plenty about human rights of prisoners in Cuba, but little about the stress my lad and other British soldiers have to put up with. But they are trained to cope with bad conditions."
Damian, 22, a paratrooper with the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, is among 700 British soldiers patrolling Kabul as part of the UK's contribution to the international stabilisation force.
The infantryman, from Accrington, will be stationed in the country's capital for 90 days.
He has been a paratrooper for two years and was a part of Operation Essential Harvest, collecting weapons in Macedonia last year.
Damian, a keen runner, is usually based in Colchester and has always wanted to be a paratrooper as he regards the regiment as "the best in the British Army."
The 2nd Battalion were on standby for six weeks and before leaving Damian said he was looking forward to going out to Afghanistan. He said: "I just want to get on with the job at hand."
His family, including his mother, Teresa, and three sisters, are proud of Damian but all said they will be glad when he returns.
Brian said: "We are very very proud of our son and why he's going out there.
"We are worried as parents, but it is something he has chosen to do and we respect him for that."
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