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AIBU?

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Original poster

So pissed off at tories putting military youth groups into deprived area schools

351 replies

trashcanjunkie · 10/03/2016 22:36

We live in Newcastle. Yes it's a deprived area. I feel aghast at the fact the only half decent comprehensive school in our area has a cadet group based at school, with fucking army wankers there recruiting kids. The whole army campaign to get them young and 'make them better people' boils my fucking piss. They're cannon fodder who will likely get shipped out to oil wars, and left up shit creek without a paddle, wanting for basic kit etc. Then they either get blown to pieces, die, or come home horrifically injured or psychologically shattered. Now the government are rolling out another military type program and are putting money into sending them into schools in deprived areas.

Fwiw I've nothing against youngsters learning discipline or survival skills etc. I just have an issue with recruiting cannon fodder from 'us plebs'....

OP posts:
Cutecat78 · 11/03/2016 16:15

And OP - YABU.

OH is from the North East and joining the Navy was and has been his saving grace - watch Navy School there are a whole array of reasons YP join - some to be medical professionals etc.

You can go in as an officer - you just need to get a degree first.

Genvonklinkerhoffen · 11/03/2016 16:22

Your insistence at describing it in military jargon terms is nauseating and unimpressive.

I agree Pity

pity I agree with you more than you know, and there is much I want to say but can't. [rolls eyes]

I wonder what job you actually do within the military pinki I get very tired of people saying this sort of thing in the pub; of course the people who really know things which they can't talk about, don't talk about them at all...

I was at RUSI recently and had a very frank and open source chat with a researcher there about Syria. Incredibly knowledgable people and more importantly, open source research.

TheFairyCaravan · 11/03/2016 16:22

Anyway, I'm still waiting to hear why such an excellent employer doesn't equip its troops properly and allows situations like the deaths at Deepcut barracks occur.

You need to direct those questions to Michael Fallon not Mnetters.

MyBreadIsEggy · 11/03/2016 16:24

Where has this idea of homophobia come from?!
The army (from my experience on the job) is chocka block with lesbian women! I only met a few gay men, but that's besides the point. At one point, I was living in a small accommodation block with 18 other women....there was me and one other heterosexual lass living in the whole building! And shock horror we didn't have a problem sharing showers with lesbians Shock

SoupDragon · 11/03/2016 16:26

Where has this idea of homophobia come from?!

I imagine it is left over from when they sacked anyone who was gay.

pinkiponk · 11/03/2016 16:27

I was being honest, there are things we don't know about. I don't know why this is nauseating? I agree re: RUSI, I have some friends that work for them and I had a great brief from them recently on the Sahal region, bloody eye opening.
And I don't bore my friends with this in the pub, I suggest you need new friends.

Cutecat78 · 11/03/2016 16:30

Annoys me when people confuse military personnel with politicians.

TheFairyCaravan · 11/03/2016 16:33

You can go in as an officer - you just need to get a degree first.

No you don't, you can go to officer training with A levels.

Cutecat78 · 11/03/2016 16:34

Sorry I meant fast track.

pinkiponk · 11/03/2016 16:39

My husband doesn't have a degree. There is no difference now, your seniority is now the same (no fast track). So those with just a levels can reach the same ranks at the same speed as those with degrees. (It changed about a year ago).

Cutecat78 · 11/03/2016 16:45

Well I guess that's a good thing even though I am talking out of my arse Grin

maltwisney · 11/03/2016 16:46

As one of the ''Army wankers recruiting kids'', I can speak with some authority on this.
The Army are NOT ALLOWED to recruit directly from the cadets. At all.
The actual number of candidates applying to join the Army who have been in the Cadets is very, very low.
Military preparation Schools also produce few candidates.
We do have Harrogate College for youngsters who wish to join the Army from the age of 16. The kids that go get paid, and get various qualifications before joining the regular Army. It is a fantastic opportunity!
Then we have Wellbeck, which is a 6th form for Candidates wishing to become Officers or Civil Service, have a look at the websites.
I've had some fantastically rewarding moments in my job with and seeing the pride in these kids when they pass Selection.
That said, if you're not physically or mentally fit enough, you ain't getting in.
The Army isn't all about dropping bombs and shooting people! You can be a Musician or a Chef, or a Nurse and still travel the world.
I'm not trying to sell it, as a Mum I'd still be very anxious if my kids decided to join, but I'd support them all the way.
I fell into this job completely by accident and did have some views similar to some posters on this thread.
Since being in this environment my eyes have been well and truly opened.

Cutecat78 · 11/03/2016 16:46

OH always reckons the "better connected" go up faster though....

Genvonklinkerhoffen · 11/03/2016 16:48

Oh pinki you're endearingly naive. Good luck with your career, I would suggest sky lining on the internet is probably not in the best interests of it; women in the military are a small cadre.

HattiesBackpack · 11/03/2016 16:49

I am amazed at some of the backward views being spouted here, i thought mn was fairly forward thinking but a lot of vitriolic being directed at the forces is really surprising me! My DH is forces and I can assure anyone that thinks being in the army is all about running off and joining the killing fields you are very wrong! The modern army, no sorry, forces, does so much amazing work all over the world, much of it humanitarian, and we should all be proud of them as representatives of the U.K. Also armchair critics of the forces in Iraq and Afghanistan you weren't there so while you think you are entitled to have an opinion please be aware it is not an opinion that you have arrived at based on facts and experience.

Jeeves93 · 11/03/2016 17:05

OH always reckons the "better connected" go up faster though....

Probably. "Better connected" gets you up faster in most professions - why would the Armed Forces be any different?

It doesn't have much to do with cadets though.

BertrandRussell · 11/03/2016 17:07

The services have always recruited in underprivileged areas. And it has always recruited in a "see the world, learn a trade" way. It is cynical and unpleasant.

And comparing such a recruitment drive to a private school CCF is disingenuous.

pinkiponk · 11/03/2016 17:13

gen for all you know I'm some unemployed Walter Mitty who's never been on a military base.
So I wouldn't let me get to you, especially not to the point of making you nauseated!

Genvonklinkerhoffen · 11/03/2016 17:15

You're not getting to me, we are finding your quasi veiled military references fairly amusing actually.

If you RTFT, you'll see that I was quoting a previous poster.

pinkiponk · 11/03/2016 17:18

Let's stop derailing the thread then Smile

Jeeves93 · 11/03/2016 17:19

BertrandRussell The services recruit across the whole country. "See the world, learn a trade" is true. You get to do that. Why should they lie? At the end of the day, joining the army is optional. No one is forced into it.

TheFairyCaravan · 11/03/2016 17:21

When was the last time you went in an Army, Navy, RAF Careers Office Bertrand? Do tell!

IPityThePontipines · 11/03/2016 17:27

Hattie - Right. So no one can accurately say the Vietnam War was a complete catastrophe for the US, unless they were actually there, or does this method of assessing history only count for conflicts your husband was involved in?

It's not just "armchair critics" that have an issue with Iraq and Afghanistan either. I doubt hugely the Chilcott inquiry would be taking place had the Iraq war been considered a successful endeavour. It is not a fringe opinion that Western intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan has been far from an unqualified success.

I don't agree with insulting the armed forces, but the idea that their actions are not to be discussed with anything other than fawning gratitude is disturbing.

IPityThePontipines · 11/03/2016 17:28

Hattie - Right. So no one can accurately say the Vietnam War was a complete catastrophe for the US, unless they were actually there, or does this method of assessing history only count for conflicts your husband was involved in?

It's not just "armchair critics" that have an issue with Iraq and Afghanistan either. I doubt hugely the Chilcott inquiry would be taking place had the Iraq war been considered a successful endeavour. It is not a fringe opinion that Western intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan has been far from an unqualified success.

I don't agree with insulting the armed forces, but the idea that their actions are not to be discussed with anything other than fawning gratitude is disturbing.

thatsn0tmyname · 11/03/2016 17:35

I teach secondary and have noticed that some of the 'naughty' boys choose careers in the military. It's as though they want structure and routine to help straighten them out. Military service might be a good idea for youngsters that need direction and structure in their lives and home/ school hasn't managed to provide this. The initiative the OP mentioned isn't about being cannon fodder, it's instiling values and direction in them.