Month: November 2013

Mental health warning for young soldiers

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Young soldiers from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to suffer from mental health problems, according to a report out today published by lobby group Forces Watch.

Young soldiers from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to suffer from mental health problems, according to a report out today published by lobby group Forces Watch.

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PTSD report finds veterans from disadvantaged backgrounds most at risk

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Forces Watch report calls for the minimum age of recruitment to be raised to 18 to avoid exposing the youngest soldiers to the most trauma

Forces Watch report calls for the minimum age of recruitment to be raised to 18 to avoid exposing the youngest soldiers to the most trauma

Plaid Cymru parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd has called everyone leaving the armed forces to be vetted for mental problems following the disturbing findings of a major report published today.

The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP wants mental health issues identified as soon as possible so “catastrophic consequences” can be avoided.

Today’s report from Forces Watch claims that young soldiers from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to suffer from mental health problems.

It found that younger recruits were significantly more likely than older personnel to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); to drink at levels harmful to health; and to behave violently on their return from war.

The report calls for the minimum age of recruitment to be raised to 18 to avoid exposing the youngest soldiers to the most trauma.

The Fellowship of Reconciliation has previously petitioned the National Assembly to urge the Welsh Government to “recommend that the armed forces should not go into schools to recruit.”… Read more

UK military R&D is aggressive and counter-productive

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Why is the UK government focusing R&D spending on offensive weapons in preference to tackling the roots of conflict?

Why is the UK government focusing R&D spending on offensive weapons in preference to tackling the roots of conflict?

UK public spending on military research and development has long been among the highest in the world. Its advocates argue that this spending is focused on defending Britain and keeping our soldiers safe – an argument that has been hard to challenge because of the opaque nature of Ministry of Defence accounting practices.

However, thanks to data obtained using freedom of information requests and published in a new report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR), it is now possible to see just how misleading this argument is. What’s more, examination of R&D spending on tackling the roots of conflict shows that this is much less than the military spend.

SGR used the three-year period 2008-11 as the basis for its analysis. In total, the MoD’s R&D spending during this period was about £5.3bn. We were able to obtain project level spending data for about three-quarters of this spending. We found that the bulk was spent on developing major weapons systems, including combat aircraft, submarines and nuclear weapons.

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Defence ministry does cost-benefit analysis of recruiting under 18s

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After telling the Guardian it would not be revisiting its recruitment policy the MoD is doing exactly that

After telling the Guardian it would not be revisiting its recruitment policy the MoD is doing exactly that

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced a cost-benefit analysis of recruiting under 18s into the armed forces.

An investigation published in the Guardian on Monday highlighted how the UK is one of only 19 countries that still recruits 16-year-olds into the army, while a report claimed that younger recruits who experienced war were more likely to display post-deployment symptoms including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The report by campaigning group Forceswatch – which drew on 41 existing studies about mental health problems among armed services personnel, as well as interviews with veterans – also indicates that young recruits from disadvantaged backgrounds could be more likely to suffer alcohol problems, depression and suicide.

The MoD told The Guardian last Friday that it had no plans to revisit its policy of recruiting minors. However, it has emerged that two days previously the MoD stated in a parliamentary answer – a day after it learned of the Forceswatch report – that it was looking at the cost of recruiting under 18s.… Read more