Whats acceptable for Army Recruitment?

Heres a current event for you.

I'm driving home from work the other night, and listening to a commercial station over here in the UK.

During a break, an advert comes on for the British Army. Now I can't remember what it said exactly, but it was along the lines of

"Escape the credit crisis - £16,000 salary, free medical and dental care, guaranteed work, guaranteed pay and a solid pension - join the Army"

So I looked up the British Army website, and lo and behold

Pay Pensions and Allowances - "More in your wallet".

And its struck me that such methods of recruiting are particularly crass, considering theres a damn good chance that you are going to be deployed one day, should you join, and face very real possibilites that you'll be coming home minus one of your limbs, or emotionally scarred for life, or in a body bag. (Admittedly that doesn't happen to everyone, but still the possibility is there)

So - the question is this - is playing on "financial stability" in difficult times a responsible thing for the armed forces to be doing - especially when people are at their most vulnerable with their families to look after and might be tempted without thinking it through logically?

And does such recruiting undermine the armed forces, by bringing in people who may not be naturally adventurous, and thrive on the challenges and difficulties presented to them, but manage to pass basic training and want to stay the course?

I know that Army Recruitment is a big deal in some of the less wealthy areas of the 'states as well, so have at it, and lets hear some of your stories about the more "unscrupulous" army recruiting - I'd love to hear from military folks as well - did you have to serve with someone who really had no idea what they were getting into?


[edit on 3/1208/08 by neformore]

Not that I have some smart answer to your question, but I think one obvious, rethorical question:

What did Germany, UK, USA and others do to sneak out of the last Great Depression?

I think it is so very, very synical and "counter problem-solving" to think that war will set things straight.

I just got out of the military last July of 07, toward the end when I would occasionally help out at MEPS station in Oklahoma city.
I can tell you for 100% certainty that these recruits here in the states are asked to lie about medical records, operations, allergies, and any number of other crazy things.

In addition the recruiters have techniques for forging doctor signatures, making up fake names and documents, and attaining school transcripts.

It isn’t that bad in peace time I have noticed but during war time the recruiting station can be a mad house.
The most ridiculous thing of all is in MEPS stations they have posted on the wall in nearly every room for all to see the penalty for lying under oath and fraudulent enlistment.

So what does the recruiter tell these young kids?
He tells them to lie anyway, stating “yeah they’ll try to scare you by telling you how you’ll go to prison and be fined, it’s all a scare tactic.”

Truth is they’re right to some degree. According to “policy” Those things have to be mentioned but everyone knows the BS goes on.

However I have noticed the special forces recruiters are no joke when it comes to getting the real story.
Then again I could be wrong. They kind of say I don’t want to hear what you did or how you may have been told to lie.
I for one dislocated my knee when I was 14 years old which according to them excluded me from Airborne School.

I was told it never happened, If you get my point.

Basically they have slots to fill and its all a numbers game. Recruiters will play as the kids best friend but its an industry none the less.

Keep in mind I don’t speak for all recruiters, nor was I ever a recruiter myself.

I simply speak as a witness to the craziness that can and often does take place especially during a time of war.

PS: …..I should clarify because I know some think that all military people lie about special forces.
NO, I NEVER QUALIFIED!!!!!!!!! THANK GOD
Though I did try out.

[edit on 3-12-2008 by snowen20]

reply to post by neformore

Whats acceptable for Army Recruitment?

If a nation had money to spare! They could make a army of killer robots for recruitment into the army.

I'm ex-forces. From my experience, someone who joins without total commitment i.e. after just the money / to escape debt etc. will be weeded out in basic training. It's designed to break a person - take them to their physical and mental limit and it works.
The weak usually leave of their own accord or are booted out in the first six weeks.

The Army recruiting campaign may get a few more people through the door of the recruitment office but I doubt it will reflect an increase on the total numbers going through to a Regiment - unless of course they have developed a softly softly approach in basic training, something I believe was beginning to manifest itself in the Navy when I left.

I just got to thinking;

I am Swedish, and next year we will celebrate 200 years of peace (more or less consecutive) and this might be for this simple reason:
when we experience an economic down we cut down on the military. We always cut down on our armed forces since they are the ones that cost too much compared to what use we have for them. Nowadays, one should be very "lucky" to get into the army or whatever. I got the chance and I am glad for it, but I would never participate in any conflict outside our borders. We don't have any known enemies and we should do what we can not to provoce the existance of any in the future either. Thus, we can put our money elsewhere.

I speak from the perspective of a US citizen.

IF our country was behaving in an honorable way in the world; if we were walking the walk instead of just talking the talk; IF our military (including the CinC) were acting with integrity around the world... we wouldn't need these cheap ads that appeal to the fear people have about the economic crisis.

Playing on "financial stability" when people are most vulnerable is, in my opinion, a very low and irresponsible thing to do. As you have pointed out, people who go into the service should be doing it because they want to serve their country - because they're proud and feel a sense of duty and responsibility and gratitude to the country and its people... Not because they need to feed their family and pay their bills.

Most recruiting, IMO is lacking scruples. If we were behaving with integrity in the world, taking care of our military and treating other countries with honor and respect instead of invading them without cause, we wouldn't need these sneaky commercials because willing recruits would be lining up outside the Army offices for a chance to serve.

I just got out of the military and on the subject but something less talked about outside the military is the state of basic training today. It's not just that the incentives for joining have increased but basic training itself has been made easier. See, it's much easier to get out of the military in basic training than to get to your first unit and try to get out. I believe failure to adapt is the correct phrase.

I am not saying that the military overall is bad today I am just staying that the standards have been reduced.