The army, children and the glamour of war

posted by kathy

The army is busy recruiting children - marketing the glamour of war to children as young as 7 - according to a report from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

Certainly children from Beeston Quaker Meeting have been subjected to Ministry of Defence marketing in their primary and secondary schools.

The Ministry of Defence denies that they glamorise war or target children under 16. I disagree.

You can find more pictures of army recruitment activities in Nottingham HERE and HERE. These pictures were taken at half-term in May 2007. The children look younger than 16.

The children of Beeston Meeting were much younger than 16 when army recruiters arrived, unannounced, in their schools. They were expected to listen to recruiters as part of their state education.

Quaker children have, at least, heard alternative points of view.

There's an on-line petition (from school students) opposing military recruitment in schools and colleges. If you wish to sign it, click HERE.


If you are thinking of joining the armed forces - or are in the armed forces - and would like more information based on the Joseph Rowntree report, click HERE for the small, new website called Before you sign up. There are some excellent links which may interest other readers too.