Army Ranks Rocket In Recession

Army Ranks Rocket In Recession

news.sky.com

A silver lining of the downturn is that it is bringing youngsters flocking into forces' careers centres.

After years of struggling to fill the ranks, Army recruitment offices are about the only premises on UK High Streets reporting booming trade.

(visit the link for the full news article)

What's that?

War?

Good for business?

Oh well, as perverse as it is, it appears that the only way to escape the financial crap that has recently hit the global fan, is to join the army, an outfit with recruitment problems, in order to travel to far away lands and kill people.

Or is it a case of the army having recruitment problems so lets cause some global problems (financial anyone?) so that we get these numbers up?

I find the whole idea of joing the army repulsive, especially having been a spectator of some illegal wars over the years (Iraq?).

It is soul-destroying to know that these young people have joined the army, for what is clearly financial reasons, and will probably end up on the frontline somewhere in less than 12 months so they can get their legs blown off by an IED or worse than that, killed.

Countries should be avoiding illegal wars and not spending money illegally occupying other countries. The money saved could then be used to reduce problems at home rather than creating problems abroad.

news.sky.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3/2/2009 by skibtz]

Its the same story with all industries- more applicants for fewer jobs.

The army is always a worthwhile backup to have, and I cannot tell you how much I admire people who join the army instead of claim unemployment benefits.

They have pride in themselves and their country, and should be respected. Their choice should not be diminished or demeaned as "the army preying on the poor".

Could be the whole idea behind the financial crisis.

The Elite have finally realised that they can't take over the whole world with money alone, so they crash the markets to build their army's and take the world by force.

Just a thought!

I like threads that get my imagination working.

Regards S_G

Also:

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
I cannot tell you how much I admire people who join the army

They have pride in themselves and their country, and should be respected.

Agreed.

Although the forces are not for me.

Regards S_G

reply to post by 44soulslayer


The problem is, as a parent, having some MP knocking your door to inform you your child has been KIA - the knowledge that your child only joined the army due to a totally avoidable recession has got to be soul destroying. Your kid is dead because the filthy rich screwed up. Great.

An army is an excellent defence to have. Agreed. Unfortunately we seem to be the agressors. Invading other countries. Occupying other countries. That is not what an army is for. It is there to defend the realm not take away life on foreign soil under the guise of peace when the real cause is protecting financial interests.

I am not a nationlist and I doubt that I am the only one. I also doubt that everyone in the army has pride in themselves and their country when they are killing/raping innocent men, women and children abroad or selling drugs within the ranks, or selling arms and explosives to the criminal underworld.

And while I do not know the true extent of the bad core of the army the fact remains that people sign up to the army knowing that they are going abroad and will be expected to kill people. Not something that resonates with my values in afraid.

And I believe that the army do prey on the on the poor. They have recruitment outlets in Job Centres! I doubt very much the army is made up of millionaires who are just a bit bored of life so they want some action. No. The army needs, and in actual fact, depends on the poor to fill it's ranks. That is a fact that I can't substantiate but common sense tells me that an army barracks looks a lot less like Eton or Harvard halls of residence and more like Wormwood Scrubs.

[edit on 3/2/2009 by skibtz]

I think you'll see more troops joining not just because of the recession but because Bush is no longer in office.

I know of two that have already re-enlisted because of this reason alone.

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
Its the same story with all industries- more applicants for fewer jobs.

The army is always a worthwhile backup to have, and I cannot tell you how much I admire people who join the army instead of claim unemployment benefits.

They have pride in themselves and their country, and should be respected. Their choice should not be diminished or demeaned as "the army preying on the poor".

Amen to that. And just an FYI to the OP, not everyone who joins the Army does so out of a desire to "kill". Only a truly narrow-minded individual would think such. There's also the desire to serve your country, to want to learn valuable skills, to support your family. When jobs are scarce, once thing you can be sure of is if you enlist you will work hard but you will eat, you will receive benefits and you will be paid a modest salary and your "job" cannot be offshored by some greedy corporation.

[edit on 3-2-2009 by sos37]

Originally posted by n1zzzn
I think you'll see more troops joining not just because of the recession but because Bush is no longer in office.

I know of two that have already re-enlisted because of this reason alone.

i guess they didnt get the memo

Obama is a war president

hes already allowed more attacks in Pakistan

fasten your seatbelts

I never said I agreed with them but they are my friends and I support their decisions.

Second, I'm not trying to defend Obama but some battles are worth a lot more than others.

Originally posted by sos37

not everyone who joins the Army does so out of a desire to "kill". Only a truly narrow-minded individual would think such. There's also the desire to serve your country, to want to learn valuable skills, to support your family. When jobs are scarce, once thing you can be sure of is if you enlist you will work hard but you will eat, you will receive benefits and you will be paid a modest salary and your "job" cannot be offshored by some greedy corporation.

[edit on 3-2-2009 by sos37]

thats exactly why i think most soldiers enlist

that want to be someone and make america better, and give their family a life and a future (and pay their bills :lol

reply to post by n1zzzn


Yeah, and Obama's just gonna send them to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pity.

reply to post by skibtz


Yes but you see all that is well and good, but you presented the situation as though the recruits had no other choice but to join the armed forces; as though they were brainwashed/ forced to.

I would like to think that the boys on the front line have made a conscious decision to go and fight for their country. Its a much easier, safer alternative to sit at home and claim the dole, is it not?

Sure, you may not agree with the war. But being in the armed forces is always of benefit to the nation- they are our protectors and our shield. The fact that they are being misused is only a black mark upon the face of the politicians in Westminster.

PS: The rank and file of the army are almost always from a working class background. I doubt they join for financial reasons... its 22k at basic army rate, they could get that from a menial job at home.

The officer elite have always come from Eton, Winchester, St Paul etc.

The rich and the poor, serve side by side in different capacities.

[edit on 3-2-2009 by 44soulslayer]

i have said many times before that the government creates mass unemployment amongst the youth to drive them into the arms of the military... they deny them jobs \ benefits and the only way to get money is to join the war machine...

[edit on 3-2-2009 by fatdad]

Originally posted by sos37
Amen to that. And just an FYI to the OP, not everyone who joins the Army does so out of a desire to "kill".

That issue was never raised my friend!

Only a truly narrow-minded individual would think such.

Agreed. Just as well I didn't then eh?

There's also the desire to serve your country, to want to learn valuable skills, to support your family.

IMO the problem here is that you are serving a private army of the elite. Not your country.

When jobs are scarce, once thing you can be sure of is if you enlist you will work hard but you will eat, you will receive benefits and you will be paid a modest salary and...

...you could be sent home in a bodybag while fighting for the PTB and their needs. Not your country.

There are other ways to serve your country and put food on the table. We are in a recession, not a depression.

your "job" cannot be offshored by some greedy corporation.

The army is the toy of the greedy corporations and they do send you offshore to fight for their dirty gains.

Like the Greeks said...... "The poor fight our wars. It is their form of political power within our society. If the poor do not fight... we make their lives so miserable that they wish they had."

On BBC Canada Newsworld I saw a video of an Canadian Infantryman shooting, fatally wounding an unarmed 50-70 year old Afghan farmer "because they thought he had a knife or a bomb".

The farmer laid dying among his crops, looking at the Canadian soldiers who shot him talking amongst themselves about why it was 'necessary' to shoot him !

They didn't even bother to check his wounds they just stood about, talking as if they just shot a subhuman

This was a farmer, a doddering old man who didn't know English, maybe couldn't understand his country's language, and they wasted him? To hell with these soldiers!

I don't feel sorry for Canadian or American soldiers who lose their legs, lose their arms, lose their lives and their minds in Afghanistan, Iraq.

Good for it I say! Learn a valuable lesson!

If you don't think Afghanistan is the Graveyard of Kings and Empires, then I feel sorry for you!

reply to post by 44soulslayer


The problem is that vulnerable young people probably went to their local Job Centre to look for work. They were then greeted by an Army Recruitment stand. I can't see the army recruitment officer saying:

'have a look around first and see if there are any jobs where you wont need to kill someone.'

Of course not. The tact was look, there are very few jobs around and it's going to get worse. We can guarantee a wage and training. How do I know this? Because I witnessed it less than a week ago.

In my opinion these people are vulnerable and were told 'things were going to get worse'. These people did not walk in to an Army Recruitment centre - they went in to a local Job Centre! That is preying on the vulnerable, and in this case, the poor in my opinion.

I am not ignorant, of course there will be many people that will join the army because they believe they are doing something that is right with positive outcomes. Unfortunately they are being hoodwinked, lined up as pawns for their masters for act of aggression in order to secure oil et al and then shown an early grave.

And what happens when they get home with their physical/mental wounds?

The army in the UK is an absolute disgrace when it come to looking after it's fallen soldiers with financial compensation.

Where is the respect of the country for its wounded? Where is the country's pride for these 'war heroes'?

When it comes to agreeing with war - I agree the Nazis had to be dealt with. I agree that invaders needed to be repelled. But since WWII I do not see any invaders. I do not see any Nazis. I do not see any threat to this country other than the people who are running it and sending 'our boys' to their deaths for money!

And £22k basic is bad? Even when you do not include the tax breaks et al that come with being in the army, that is still good. That is double the minimum wage and only just short of the national average.

[edit on 3/2/2009 by skibtz]

Originally posted by star in a jar
On BBC Canada Newsworld I saw a video of an Canadian Infantryman shooting, fatally wounding an unarmed 50-70 year old Afghan farmer "because they thought he had a knife or a bomb".

The farmer laid dying among his crops, looking at the Canadian soldiers who shot him talking amongst themselves about why it was 'necessary' to shoot him

!

They didn't even bother to check his wounds they just stood about, talking as if they just shot a subhuman

This was a farmer, a doddering old man who didn't know English, maybe couldn't understand his country's language, and they wasted him? To hell with these soldiers!

I don't feel sorry for Canadian or American soldiers who lose their legs, lose their arms, lose their lives and their minds in Afghanistan, Iraq.

Good for it I say! Learn a valuable lesson!

If you don't think Afghanistan is the Graveyard of Kings and Empires, then I feel sorry for you!

And it's this type of view that will always fuel conflict.
In war as a human you have to compassion for all those involved, be the aggressor, defender or bystander. Regardless of your personal stance on "which side" realize that a part of you is in every single being involved and them within you. Then.. compassion is easy after you look past their choices.