Comment, analysis, news

Recently….on the Olympics, strike-breaking and the armed forces

In an article called 'Olympic Medals for the Military', Professor Michael Clarke, director-general of the Royal United Services Institute argues that the involvement of the military in the Olympics will bring in "a new relationship between the Armed Forces and the general public", in which the former appear "a normal and average part of a relaxed and self-confident British society.” Is normalisation of the military within everyday life a good thing? Is it the mark of a "self-confident British society" or would a better indicator of that be a far less visible presence of the military?

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Figures reveal high number of visits by armed forces to Edinburgh schools

Event: Questioning the presence of the military in schools, Thurdsay 11 October, St Augustine's United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL, 7.30-9pm Figures obtained under Freedom of Information reveal that the armed forces are visiting nearly all schools in the Edinburgh area and some schools have activities run by the military many times a year. (1) Of the 23 state secondary schools in Edinburgh, 22 were visited by the armed forces an average of 7 times during a two year period. A further 11 independent schools and FE Colleges also had visits. Since September there have been a total of 225 visits to 33 schools and colleges (2). Balerno High School had the highest number of visits, with the armed forces recording having been at the school 22 times since September 2010. Some of the visits are for individual interviews, but the majority are for careers briefings, award evenings, curriculum support, presentations and team building events. The figures have been obtained by ForcesWatch who are concerned about the level of military involvement in UK schools and colleges across the UK (3).

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Recently… on militainment

A recent article called The Morning After: Unfriendly Fire by James Poniewozik in Time Magazine critiques a new reality TV show from the US TV channel NBC. Stars Earn Stripes, "in which celebrities are paired with soldiers to carry out special-forces-type maneuvers, was denounced by nine Nobel laureates, including South African bishop Desmond Tutu, for glamourising war and its violence by making them into entertainment."

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Sexual assault and bullying in the armed forces

A parliamentary question reveals that during 2011 there were 228 allegations of bullying or harassment reported to the Service Complaints Commissioner. Another parliamentary question has identified that 'Over the past two and a half years, there have been 53 reported rapes and 86 reported sexual assaults in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force (one per week). Labour MP Madeleine Moon said she was concerned there was a 'culture of silence', with hundreds of victims never reporting attacks.

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Press release: Questioning the involvement of the military in education: a series of public debates

On 18 September ForcesWatch (1) begins its national series of public events that will debate whether the armed forces should be involved in education activities in UK schools and colleges.  Events will take place in Oxford (18 September), Bath (20 September), Edinburgh (11 October), Norwich (23 October) and London (25 October).

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One sex attack reported by Armed Forces every week… but real figure could be much higher

One rape or sexual assault is reported by members of the Armed Forces every week. The MP who released the figures believes they could be a huge underestimate, with the true figures closer to an attack a day.

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Military and education not compatible

Letter to the media in response to article by Labour MPs inviting the 'military to invade our schools'.

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Labour plan to set up ‘Service Schools’ staffed by soldiers

A new generation of “Service Schools” staffed entirely by former members of the Armed Forces could be set up across Britain under Labour plans to raise education standards, it has emerged.

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Service Schools and more cadet forces – an exercise in recruitment

Over the past month, amid announcements of major cuts to the armed forces, came some unexpected news on public spending: £10.85million to expand cadet forces into state schools, a £1million grant to promote a military ethos in schools and senior Labour politicians calling for a series of 'Service Schools', staffed entirely by former members of the armed forces, to be established. Unexpected, that is, to anyone who hasn't previously been aware of the importance that military policy makers place on access to young people within education.

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Judge rejects bid to stop Olympic rooftop missiles

The clear implication of today's judgment was that "the MoD now has power to militarise the private homes of any person" even when there was no war on, or state of emergency declared.

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