recruitment age
Public poll on minimum age of armed forces recruitment
July 2018
The nationwide survey found 72% of people who expressed a view believed young people should not be able to join the army until they are 18.
UK army minimum recruitment age should be raised to 18 – survey
10/09/2018The Guardian
The Guardian
ICM survey was commissioned by campaigners against child soldiers
British army ‘explicitly targeting’ working-class recruits, say critics
10/09/2018The Guardian
The Guardian
Recruitment drive focuses on teenagers seeking adrenaline, says Child Soldiers International
Notes on attending the inquest into Sean Benton’s death at Deepcut barracks
Last week the Coroner at Working Coroner’s Court delivered the findings into the circumstances of Sean Benton’s death at Deepcut Barracks in June 1995. Sean was the first of four soldiers to die there between 1995 and 2002. ForcesWatch have been monitoring the inquest; this article shares our records from the inquest and notes on the final findings. Download the full notes
Parliamentary mental health inquiry shows youngest military recruits and those from disadvantaged backgrounds face greater mental health risks than others in the forces
24/07/2018ForcesWatch press release
ForcesWatch press release
The Defence Select Committee recommended that the Ministry of Defence ‘conducts or commissions further research into female personnel, early Service leavers and recruits under 18 to determine the extent to which they are at higher risk of developing mental health conditions.’
Deepcut – another verdict; still more questions….
Today is a significant day in the Deepcut tragedy. We explore some of the problems that allowed the toxic environment of Deepcut to develop and continue to persist today and why raising the age of recruitment would provide a significant part of the solution.
War Hurts Everybody
Leicester for Peace report on their 'War hurts everybody' vigil at Leicester Armed Forces Day on was 23 June.
My thoughts exactly: UK army accused of dictating soldiers’ press statements
09/06/2018The Guardian
The Guardian
The army has been accused of manipulating teenage soldiers by spoonfeeding them identikit quotes to be used in local and regional newspaper articles extolling life in the military.
UK military school audit reveals teenage recruits at risk
09/06/2018The Guardian
The Guardian
Drive to fast-track late joiners at AFC Harrogate led to issues including skewing staff/student ratios in dangerous activities.
British army ads targeting ‘stressed and vulnerable’ teenagers
09/06/2018The Guardian
The Guardian
The British army has targeted recruitment material at “stressed and vulnerable” 16-year-olds via social media on and around GCSE results day, the Guardian can reveal.