Month: November 2012

Judge fears ‘Deepcut’ culture remains after ‘cover up’ of army recruit sexual abuse

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Military staff have failed to learn the lessons of the Deepcut Review and continue to turn a blind eye to the bullying and abuse of young recruits, a judge has claimed.

Judge Michael Mettyear said there remained a “worrying culture” of secrecy after a military college tried to cover up the sexual abuse and ritual humiliation of a teenage female recruit.

He said he was “concerned” that attempts had been made to make the victim withdraw her complaints and “keep the mouths shut” of five other witnesses.

Eventually the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had to go to the police for her accusations to be taken seriously.

Today, as a jury found a trainee guilty at Hull Crown Court, Judge Mettyear said it was “chilling” that there were still echoes of Deepcut, the barracks in Surrey where four recruits allegedly committed suicide between 1995 and 2002 amid reports of systematic bullying by senior officers.

“There was a chilling moment when she (the victim) mentioned Deepcut and we know what’s gone on there with people withholding information and suicides,” he said.

“I’m worried if there is something in the culture of the Army and people training in the Army to keep their mouths shut.… Read more

Cadet plan needs consultation

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This week the Ministry of Defence released news that the City of London Academy Islington (formerly Islington Green School) is to host a cadet unit. ForcesWatch urge parents, governors, teachers and students of the school not to accept this development until after a public consultation on the matter.

This is the first in a proposed 100 new cadet units in state schools across the country.

The move is described by the MOD as throwing the school a ‘lifeline’ – language which we find to be in poor taste given the potential negative effects of such a move.

Although volunteers with the cadets frequently express anger at any suggestion the cadets are a recruitment tool, the facts remain that an estimated 15-25% of serving soldiers were members of the cadets, and the in the MOD’s recently published Defence Youth Engagement Review, Brig. James Plaistow outlines just how valuable a recruitment resource the cadets are. In light of these facts, it is hard to view the institution of a cadet unit in Islington’s worst performing school without a little cynicism at the motives for such a move.

The recruitment tactics of the military and the often misguided information given out during the recruitment process are the subject of ongoing criticism by organisations across the UK and any move to further increase armed forces engagement with schools should be the subject of serious critical inquiry.… Read more

Recruiting officers told not to warn would-be soldiers about true horrors of Army life

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Recruiters who refused to hide the truth were sent back to their barracks to face disciplinary action.

Army recruitment staff claim they have been ordered to lie to get youngsters to sign up.

The Scots soldiers say they were told to hide the horrors of war from the potential recruits.

Those who refused in disgust to follow the orders have been taken off recruitment duties and sent back to their barracks to face disciplinary action.

At least four recruiters have been taken off their duties in the last month, the Daily Record has been told.

One recruiter who refused the orders said a captain told him and his comrades: “Don’t tell them the truth, let them find out the hard way – the way we did.”

He described it as “manipulation at the highest level” and added: “To get told to lie to these kids was not acceptable to us.”

Last night, defence chiefs launched an inquiry into the damaging allegations.

The claims come at a time when the Army are struggling to recruit – despite the worst recession since the 1930s.

Another of the recruitment soldiers, based at Edinburgh’s Redford Barracks, said: “We’ve been told to tell people what they want to hear to get them signed up.

… Read more