End the recruitment of child soldiers to the British Army.
Budgie | 12.01.2011 13:11 | Anti-militarism
Since the start of the war in Afghanistan, 24 per cent of British fatalities have been aged 21 or younger. Many of them will have been young men who enlisted as teenagers.
There are additional ongoing concerns regarding the mental health of young soldiers. Data published in March 2010 highlighted that male army recruits aged under 20 years old had a suicide rate 50 per cent higher than equivalent males in the general population.
In the UK 16 year olds can join the Army, although they are not allowed to go on combat operations until they are 18 years old.
This has become an issue since the 2nd reading of the Armed Forces Bill, which comes around every 5 years, is about to take place.
Therefore it is important that a call for an end of recruitment at this young age and the use of child soldiers.
At 16 a legal commitment is signed, to the armed forces, to serve for 6 years – up until the age of 22.
The right to leave expires after 6 months, usually while the recruits are still on basic training. After this they have no right to leave unless granted a discretionary right to leave by their commanding officer, although many don’t get this granted to them.
These young people are still legally a child and therefore it is argued that they cannot be reasonably expected to make such a long lasting sacrifice and commitment.
The UK is exceptional in recruiting 16 year olds in the European Community. Infact fewer than 20 other countries in the world do this; amongst those that do are places like North Korea, Iran or Zimbabwe.
It is argued tat people with ‘limited’ life chances are those who are targeted and recruited at this young age. Although parental consent is required for those under the age of 18, evidence shows that this is no safe guard; e.g. often the parent signing the forms has never met anyone from the armed forces to talk matters through with.
While the young person is led to believe that they will receive career training, e.g. electrician, this is often not the case and they find themselves in a war zone at 18 with 4 years to serve before the chance to get out.
Since the start of the war in Afghanistan, 24 per cent of British fatalities have been aged 21 or younger. Many of them will have been young men who enlisted as teenagers.
There are additional ongoing concerns regarding the mental health of young soldiers. Data published in March 2010 highlighted that male army recruits aged under 20 years old had a suicide rate 50 per cent higher than equivalent males in the general population.
Source: DASA Suicide and Open Verdict Deaths in the UK Regular Armed Forces 1984-2009, 31 March 2010.
This has become an issue since the 2nd reading of the Armed Forces Bill, which comes around every 5 years, is about to take place.
Therefore it is important that a call for an end of recruitment at this young age and the use of child soldiers.
At 16 a legal commitment is signed, to the armed forces, to serve for 6 years – up until the age of 22.
The right to leave expires after 6 months, usually while the recruits are still on basic training. After this they have no right to leave unless granted a discretionary right to leave by their commanding officer, although many don’t get this granted to them.
These young people are still legally a child and therefore it is argued that they cannot be reasonably expected to make such a long lasting sacrifice and commitment.
The UK is exceptional in recruiting 16 year olds in the European Community. Infact fewer than 20 other countries in the world do this; amongst those that do are places like North Korea, Iran or Zimbabwe.
It is argued tat people with ‘limited’ life chances are those who are targeted and recruited at this young age. Although parental consent is required for those under the age of 18, evidence shows that this is no safe guard; e.g. often the parent signing the forms has never met anyone from the armed forces to talk matters through with.
While the young person is led to believe that they will receive career training, e.g. electrician, this is often not the case and they find themselves in a war zone at 18 with 4 years to serve before the chance to get out.
Since the start of the war in Afghanistan, 24 per cent of British fatalities have been aged 21 or younger. Many of them will have been young men who enlisted as teenagers.
There are additional ongoing concerns regarding the mental health of young soldiers. Data published in March 2010 highlighted that male army recruits aged under 20 years old had a suicide rate 50 per cent higher than equivalent males in the general population.
Source: DASA Suicide and Open Verdict Deaths in the UK Regular Armed Forces 1984-2009, 31 March 2010.
Budgie
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stall in Chester this weekend on this topic
12.01.2011 13:30
adult civilian
hang on...
13.01.2011 11:13
Total rubbish,
The contract is one of several that are offered from 3 years upwards to 22 years, under 18 cant sign the 22 so the maximum they can sign for is 6.
The right to leave after 6 weeks is where the recruit can just say no thanks, not for me and walk in a week, after that there is a slightly harder method, involving metings with the chaplain and senour officers and then transfers to non front line duties.
No one is FORCED to stay in the forces, its volentary, has been since the 60s.
As you can tell, I was in and was very happy, best and most decent employer I have ever had, comradeship that was both good and true. Way better than I have seen on most demos.
I will no doubt now be told that I have been brain washed, but that too is a lie, it made me more aware of the roots of right and wrong.
I do think that there is a prepensity for activists to think that the first world war is still on, and that the conditions of the napolionic war are still in effect.
anon
Why kill?
13.01.2011 13:47
Regarding the second one - Why has L?Cpl Joe Glenton been locked up then?
I do believe that training people to kill is wrong. I believe we suffer a greater risk from climate change and that forces should be trainned up to prevent the amount of havoc it can cause or clear up after it.
?
Refuge
17.02.2011 00:04
Have you never met one whose first 'family' was their Regiment, or who are lost and unable to cope with their retirement when that time comes.
Do not quote the Fascist UN, who rewarded Moslem Indonesia with the newly freed countries of protestant West Papua and catholic East Timor, for murdering about half a million Chinese one morning. Catholics gave enough support to free East Timor. Why are Protestants not liberating West Papua from the genocidal attacks of the Indonesians who are funded by A big Internnational Bank to fly in Moslems to replace killed Protestants and Heathens?
Better to turn your attention to getting the Politicians to enable the Armed Services to educate and train their people so that they can have a comfortable life after service and not form fifty percent of the homeless.
Heathen
Refuge
17.02.2011 00:04
Have you never met one whose first 'family' was their Regiment, or who are lost and unable to cope with their retirement when that time comes.
Do not quote the Fascist UN, who rewarded Moslem Indonesia with the newly freed countries of protestant West Papua and catholic East Timor, for murdering about half a million Chinese one morning. Catholics gave enough support to free East Timor. Why are Protestants not liberating West Papua from the genocidal attacks of the Indonesians who are funded by A big Internnational Bank to fly in Moslems to replace killed Protestants and Heathens?
Better to turn your attention to getting the Politicians to enable the Armed Services to educate and train their people so that they can have a comfortable life after service and not form fifty percent of the homeless.
Heathen
Refuge
17.02.2011 00:07
Have you never met one whose first 'family' was their Regiment, or who are lost and unable to cope with their retirement when that time comes.
Do not quote the Fascist UN, who rewarded Moslem Indonesia with the newly freed countries of protestant West Papua and catholic East Timor, for murdering about half a million Chinese one morning. Catholics gave enough support to free East Timor. Why are Protestants not liberating West Papua from the genocidal attacks of the Indonesians who are funded by A big Internnational Bank to fly in Moslems to replace killed Protestants and Heathens?
Better to turn your attention to getting the Politicians to enable the Armed Services to educate and train their people so that they can have a comfortable life after service and not form fifty percent of the homeless.
Heathen
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