The latest advert for the army makes me uncomfortable

[StealthPolarBear]

Society predicts you won't amount to much but we see your potential.
While I applaud the sentiment, there will be plenty of disengaged young people for whom the army isn't the answer. Can't work through this but this advert is a bit off.

The advert prettyuch says when society has written you off were here.
Clearly it's not like that for many, but there should be no young people having that affirmed by the army. In fairness it does go on to say we see your potential or something

I think though for some young people that is the reality.

My uncle, many years ago was in that situation. Living in B&B with 3 young children, no qualifications, no job and no hope. He joined the army I believe simply because they would take him and no one else would. He spent the next 20+ years in it and rose to the top of the ranks. He found something he could do.
I don't know whether it saved his life, it might well have done. But it definitely saved his marriage and he was able to come out of the dreadful situation the family he was in and have a very good career-as my cousins also have now.

I also remember a fly on the wall documentary about 20 years ago following a group of recruits. When they came to the passing out brigade one lad won something like cadet of the year. His mum said "this is the first time I can be proud of him; he's finally found something he's good at". It was really lovely, she clearly loved him so much and to find he had found something he loved and was good at meant so much to her.

I take your point that the army isn't for everyone. But if they're feeling failed and written on by everyone around, then maybe if it only gets a small number of recruits from that category and turns their life around, surely that's better than none?

Awful lot of vets on the streets or in our prisons. It doesn't work out for them all.

DS is in the Army (joined soon after GCSEs).
No way are they cannon fodder. That's a very outdated view.

They get a lot of special training. Every soldier's death is bad publicity so desperately desired to be avoided.

TonTonMacoute

Are you aware of how tough it is for school leavers at present? Sod all jobs, wages dropped by 15% in real terms since 2010, sod all college places, not eligible for most benefits, leisure facilities severely cut...

So no, there's not many options for them.

For many regular serving soldier roles they don't even have to have GCSEs. So for those who've struggled with academic attainment this is a route to a better career.

Try getting any other job if you've no or minimal GCSEs!

"Awful lot of vets on the streets or in our prisons. It doesn't work out for them all." Absolutely! And that needs to be addressed.

But for many it does, they aren't just dumped out at the end of service. There's resettlement courses, links to advice organisations, support for health issues, cash bonuses, pensions etc

Not saying these work for everyone but they are there.

The thing is though that HM Forces give structure, self discipline, help you gain qualifications, have a clear career path and help develop your skills.

The other thing, though, is that unlike every other job, where your personal health and safety are protected by law, there is no guarantee of this in the military - indeed, in times of war, your personal health and safety are almost guaranteed NOT to be protected. Of course, your life can be put on the line for any cause, even one with which you may vehemently disagree.

If you have given it a great deal of thought and actively chosen to go into the military for your career, then all well and good; but it should never be something that you drift into by default - especially if you're effectively told that, although nobody else thinks you're any good, you're good enough for us (or indeed, as PP have said, you might turn out to be rejected by them too and then where does that leave your sense of self worth?)

I'm not speaking for anybody else, and if he really wanted to do it, having considered it carefully, then I wouldn't stop him, but I would be utterly devastated if my DS wanted to join the military. I don't mind what (moral) job he eventually chooses - teacher, bin man, accountant, supermarket shelf stacker, nurse, shopkeeper, web developer, mechanic - whatever (and I'm not here saying that joining the army is immoral), but I personally would be distraught if he wanted to sign up for the forces. Not judging anybody else's choices or wishes for their own DC, but that's my honest, genuine feeling.

But for many it does, they aren't just dumped out at the end of service. There's resettlement courses, links to advice organisations, support for health issues, cash bonuses, pensions etc

Not a lot of use to you, though, if you finish your career in your early twenties with a Union Flag draped over you in a sombre ceremony at Wootton Bassett.

As I said before, if it's your actively considered choice to join, then great - but however much you might struggle academically, I don't think it should ever be a valid reason to be in any way pressured or coerced into a career where there's a very real predictable possibility of your death in service.

Juxtaposing the suggestion with your otherwise limited (but not non-existent) employment/career opportunities elsewhere only serves to make it worse, IMHO.

You're right that's no use if they are sadly killed in combat, but the likelihood of that is far less likely than potential death home in the "safe" uk..

1 death in combat Per year in the last 2 years (and before you say it yes 1 is too many but the nature of life is that some die)

I'll wager there's far more die in the demographic of men aged 18-25 in the uk of suicide, in rta's and of od'ing on street drugs.

There's risk to everything in life. Modern warfare methods mean that there aren't (thankfully) as many troops needed on a frontline as in previous eras.

DS (in the army) wants to get a motorbike. He drives a lot to see his GF who lives local to us, 7 hrs drive from where he's stationed.

Being a soldier: fine, no worries about that. Riding a motorbike: I hate it.

I dread to think where I would have ended up without the Army.
I grew up in a shitty area, with high unemployment rates, massive teen pregnancy rates, and shitty schooled with even shittier exam outcomes.
I left school at 16 with abysmal GCSE result and no real prospects for much afterwards. So off I popped to the army careers office, filled in the paperwork and thrust it at my mother to sign. She initially refused, so I did the same thing with my dad and he understood exactly why I wanted to go, and signed it without hesitation.
The army gave me a sense of purpose, qualifications I would have otherwise not gained, including several GCSEs that I didn’t pass at school. They taught me to drive a car and paid for my driving license, taught me to drive various other large vehicles, licenses for which are still relevant in the civilian world. The army instilled values and a moral compass in me that I fear I wouldn’t have had without the training and guidance I received.
Through the army I made the best friends I’ve ever had and a few of them are still a huge part of my life.
Having said that, the army also thrust me into situations that no 18 year old should ever have to deal with, and I’ve seen things that I wouldn’t wish on a single person on this earth. I sustained injuries that should have killed me but didn’t.
All in all, from my experiences, while the wording could be better, I think the campaign highlights the stable career opportunity, pretty alright pay, qualifications and sense of belonging available to younge people who otherwise might not get a chance at those things.

DH knows a promising athlete (sport considered somewhat dangerous).
The athlete got severe injury alright... he fell out of a tree on his work apprenticeship (tree surgeon).

I ended up chatting to someone at a boxing tournament who had a similar story about his son. As tree-surg-apprentice a huge limb fell on his son's head.

Being in Army DS is around smokers & heavy drinkers. Bad if DS copies those habits, true.

lljk I’d be interested to see an actual statistic re: smokers in the forces.
I smoked before I joined up, but I know a lot of people who didn’t take it up until they were in the army.
Especially when you’re on basic training, it breaks up the day! We were allowed one cigarette after each meal, and one before bed - and those few minutes everyday just made life feel a little less institutional. Once the first 6 weeks were over and the instructors loosen the apron strings a little, smoke breaks became a time for socialisation in the smoking shelters. There would literally be 60 people all huddled together in a tiny shed - quite nice in the winter!
Again on exercise/ranges/deployments it just gives you something to keep yourself busy. Literally chain smoking out of sheer boredom

I hate the RAF advert where it looks so appealing, fun / exciting. They don’t show people getting shot at or bullied by seniors