military in schools/colleges

Challenging the military’s involvement in education in the United Kingdom

The UK armed forces visit thousands of schools each year. They offer school presentation teams, 'careers advisors', lessons plans, away days and more. While they claim that this is not recruiting, the Ministry of Defence itself states that the activities enable them to "provide positive information to influence future opinion formers, and to enable recruiters to access the school environments." Their youth policy, including school-based cadet forces, aims to create "the conditions whereby recruiting can flourish." This is a long-term approach to recruiting young people both as supporters of the armed forces and, for some, softening them up for actual enlistment.

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ForcesWatch briefing: Questioning the presence of armed forces in schools

This ForcesWatch briefing is for parents, students and teachers concerned with military activities in their school.

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Oldham school planned with all ex-forces staff

The first UK school whose teachers have all served in the armed forces is actively recruiting prospective pupils with a view to opening in 2013.

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The education system is not the place for militarised training of children

Michael Gove is again talking about extending the cadet forces within schools, this time with the support from the Schools Commissioner (and a senior advisor to the Education Secretary)....Why is the military considered uniquely able to develop a ‘spirit of service’ or promote a disciplined approach? Why does the Schools Commissioner regard Cadet forces amongst a small handful of activities that are seen as broadening the curriculum and offering more opportunity with state schools? Who is being served by children in schools doing drill in the school playground or taking part in adventure activities?

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‘UK employs US army recruiting tactics’

An exclusive interview with Ben Griffin, spokesman for Veterans for Peace, and former SAS soldier

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Hey sergeant, leave them kids alone

In July ForcesWatch launched the Military Out of Schools campaign. Speakers Oskar Castro, a US activist in countering military recruitment, and Ben Griffin, ex-forces and the founder of fledgling Veterans for Peace UK, discussed how young people are militarised and what can be done about it.

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Before you enlist: the film

“Before You Enlist!” provides a rational voice to counter the seductive and often deceptive recruiting practices of the U.S. military. The message is not “don’t enlist” but rather to provide young people and their families a more complete picture of the life-altering consequences of joining the military – especially in wartime. Latest version: 2018. This short film is from the US so many of the details about recruitment are different from the UK, but the general questions to ask 'before you enlist' are similar.

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Teachers reject ‘Army propaganda’

Teachers have voted to oppose military recruitment activities in schools if they employ "misleading propaganda".

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Britain’s own child soldiers

A third of army recruits are under 18. Is it right to target the young and the underachieving poor?

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Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom

An independent report by David Gee, published in 2007, highlighting the risks posed to young people through joining the military, how young people from disadvantaged communities are targeted, how information available to potential recruits is often misleading and how the terms of service are complicated, confusing and severely restricting. The research found that a large proportion join for negative reasons, including the lack of civilian career options.

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