Armed Forces Day is a propaganda tool for arms firms and the military – and the public are footing the bill
29/06/2019Joe Glenton, The Independent
Joe Glenton in The Independent about the 10th year of Armed Forces Day, an annual day of 'family-fun' and celebration of militarism, with heavy costs to local councils and the involvement of some of the world's largest arms companies.
New report calls for regulation of military marketing that targets young people
27/02/2019ForcesWatch press release
A report published today (27 February 2019) critiques the armed forces’ marketing practice in selling their careers to vulnerable adolescents. This comes in the wake of the Army's controversial new 'Snowflake' recruiting campaign.
Adverse health effects of recruiting child soldiers
27/02/2019BMJ Paediatrics Open
This editorial in BMJ Paediatrics Open (2019, vol 3, issue 1) discusses the issues raised in the Medact report, The recruitment of children by the UK Armed Forces: a critique from health professionals, which brought together evidence highlighting the increased risk of death and injury for those recruited under the age of 18. The authors, Reem Abu-Hayyeh and Guddi Singh, contributed to the content and launch of the report Selling the military: A critical analysis of contemporary recruitment marketing in the UK by ForcesWatch and Medact.
UK army minimum recruitment age should be raised to 18 – survey
10/09/2018
ICM survey was commissioned by campaigners against child soldiers The Guardian
British army ‘explicitly targeting’ working-class recruits, say critics
10/09/2018
Recruitment drive focuses on teenagers seeking adrenaline, says Child Soldiers International
The Guardian
Arms industry spends millions to promote brands in schools
10/09/2018
Defence groups sponsor lessons that promote building and sale of military hardware
The Observer
Girl Guides defend controversial new deal with British army
10/09/2018
Petition launched after members claim partnership with military runs counter to the Guides’ peace ethos
The Observer
Parliamentary mental health inquiry shows youngest military recruits and those from disadvantaged backgrounds face greater mental health risks than others in the forces
24/07/2018
The Defence Select Committee recommended that the Ministry of Defence ‘conducts or commissions further research into female personnel, early Service leavers and recruits under 18 to determine the extent to which they are at higher risk of developing mental health conditions.’
ForcesWatch press release
Warrior Nation – how the power of the military challenges British democracy
25/06/2018ForcesWatch press release
A new report by a leading defence academic reveals how a 'militarisation offensive' – which began in 2006 to create support for the Afghan war - has increased the military's influence on British politics and society. (2)
My thoughts exactly: UK army accused of dictating soldiers’ press statements
09/06/2018
The army has been accused of manipulating teenage soldiers by spoonfeeding them identikit quotes to be used in local and regional newspaper articles extolling life in the military.
The Guardian
