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Armed Forces Day, Camo Day and promoting military ethos

Today is 'Camo Day', established by SSAFA Forces Help to encourage school children across the country to 'dress up like our troops' as a fundraiser. 'Cam your face, wear green or come to school as a soldier, sailor or airman.' Camo Day is a non-uniform day to fit these increasingly militaristic times when supporting the armed forces is a badge of honour for celebrities and military involvement in the education system is commonplace and uncontroversial. Camo Day promotes the value of helping ex-service men and women but also reinforces military activities as fun, normal and desirable. Questions about why so many young men and women are killed or maimed or in need of welfare are unlikely to be explored.

Challenging the military’s involvement in education in the United Kingdom

The UK armed forces visit thousands of schools each year. They offer school presentation teams, 'careers advisors', lessons plans, away days and more. While they claim that this is not recruiting, the Ministry of Defence itself states that the activities enable them to "provide positive information to influence future opinion formers, and to enable recruiters to access the school environments." Their youth policy, including school-based cadet forces, aims to create "the conditions whereby recruiting can flourish." This is a long-term approach to recruiting young people both as supporters of the armed forces and, for some, softening them up for actual enlistment.

ForcesWatch briefing: Questioning the presence of armed forces in schools

May 2012

This ForcesWatch briefing is for parents, students and teachers concerned with military activities in their school.

Oldham school planned with all ex-forces staff

31/01/2012
BBC

The first UK school whose teachers have all served in the armed forces is actively recruiting prospective pupils with a view to opening in 2013.

The education system is not the place for militarised training of children

Michael Gove is again talking about extending the cadet forces within schools, this time with the support from the Schools Commissioner (and a senior advisor to the Education Secretary)....Why is the military considered uniquely able to develop a ‘spirit of service’ or promote a disciplined approach? Why does the Schools Commissioner regard Cadet forces amongst a small handful of activities that are seen as broadening the curriculum and offering more opportunity with state schools? Who is being served by children in schools doing drill in the school playground or taking part in adventure activities?

‘UK employs US army recruiting tactics’

11/10/2011Press TV

An exclusive interview with Ben Griffin, spokesman for Veterans for Peace, and former SAS soldier

Hey sergeant, leave them kids alone

05/09/2011
Peace News

In July ForcesWatch launched the Military Out of Schools campaign. Speakers Oskar Castro, a US activist in countering military recruitment, and Ben Griffin, ex-forces and the founder of fledgling Veterans for Peace UK, discussed how young people are militarised and what can be done about it.

Before you enlist: the film

2018 update, USA

“Before You Enlist!” provides a rational voice to counter the seductive and often deceptive recruiting practices of the U.S. military. The message is not “don’t enlist” but rather to provide young people and their families a more complete picture of the life-altering consequences of joining the military – especially in wartime. Latest version: 2018. This short film is from the US so many of the details about recruitment are different from the UK, but the general questions to ask 'before you enlist' are similar.