In the first episode of our second series, we talk about Armed Forces Day with Symon Hill of the Peace Pledge Union, the pacifist campaigning organisation.

We discuss the context in which the annual event came into existence in 2009, how it works to market armed forces recruitment and the military more generally and promote arms companies, and the issues it raises about the normalisation of weapons and violence. Should Armed Forces Day be changed into Public Sector Workers Day or is the herofication of certain workers problematic and unhelpful to their interests.

We also discuss pinkwashing and arms industry exemption from Covid restrictions, and how militarism – preparing for war – is unable to respond to the human security threats that societies face.

More information & resources
The Peace Pledge Union on Armed Forces Day
https://www.ppu.org.uk/militarism/armed-forces-day

Film – War School: the Battle for Britain’s Children
https://www.war.school/

Resource pack – Take Action on Militarism
https://www.forceswatch.net/takeaction/

Webinar – Mobilising the Crisis: Covid-19 and the UK military
https://youtu.be/rM5MhTdeZYk