We no longer post news articles here but keep this archive for reference. Check out our Twitter feed for relevant news and our comment articles for longer analysis.
Should gamers be accountable for in-game war crimes?
03/10/2013
Guardian Games Blog
The Red Cross has told the BBC that it wants military-themed video games to adhere to real-life international laws
Anti-war activists battle to get their voices heard in WW1 centenary events
01/10/2013
Guardian
Campaigners challenge 'glorious conflict' narrative and plan to highlight treatment of conscientious objectors
ForcesWatch response to the Ministry of Defence’s statement, 22 August 2013
22/08/2013
In response to the paper, ‘Young age at Army enlistment is associated with greater war zone risks’, published by ForcesWatch and Child Soldiers International (August 2013), the Ministry of Defence have issued a statement. Here we respond to their points.
ForcesWatch
Youngest Army recruits pay highest price in Afghanistan, new report shows
21/08/2013
The risk of fatality in Afghanistan for recruits who enlisted into the British Army aged 16 and completed training has been twice as high as it has for those enlisting at 18 or above, according to a study published today on behalf of human rights groups Child Soldiers International and ForcesWatch. The authors believe the increased risk reflects the disproportionately high number of 16 year olds who join front-line Infantry roles.
ForcesWatch and Child Soldiers International press release
The Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 4: Education of service personnel
18/07/2013
A new House of Commons Defence Committee report calls for improvements in service education and asks for further information is needed on why the Army is so dependent on recruiting personnel under the age of 18 years compared to the other two Services, and whether steps are being taken to reduce this dependency.
http://www.parliament.uk
Almost 40% of army recruits have reading age of 11, MPs warn
18/07/2013
Almost two-fifths (39%) of recruits to the Army have the reading ability of an 11-year-old or lower, MPs have warned.
BBC
Ex-troops without degrees to train as teachers
16/07/2013
Former armed forces personnel without degrees will be fast-tracked into teaching in England under a new government programme.
BBC online
Last of the boy soldiers? Bid to end centuries of tradition by banning the Army from recruiting under-18s
21/05/2013
Mail on Sunday
Sir Nick Harvey describes policy is 'increasingly anachronistic'; Believes 16 and 17-year-olds more likely to die or be seriously wounded; Also claims millions of pounds is wasted due to high drop-out rates
Conscientious objector Joe Glenton on being jailed for refusing to fight
21/05/2013
Metro
Joe Glenton, a former soldier in the British army, has served his country and risked his life in Afghanistan. He’s also been called a coward. The reason? After returning to Britain after his first tour of Afghanistan, he became a conscientious objector (CO) and refused to go back.
