One of the most frequent questions I heard from the public as a spokesperson for the Army Board in 1999 was about bringing back National Service.
At the time, the Chief of Defence was Charles Guthrie, who incidentally has exactly the same background as the new Head of the Army (Guards and SAS). His opinion was that the Armed Forces should be focused on warfighting skills and train for the worst case scenario. This view proved to be prescient as the following decade saw British soldiers, sailors and pilots involved in some of the hardest fighting experienced since the Second World War.
The idea of conscription is to instil a sense of duty and purpose in young people, rather than entitlement and indolence. This is a huge task, which in itself will further dilute the current Armed Forces capability that has been ravaged during the past ten years. It will also distract the MoD from its primary purpose, which at this time of extreme Global tension is both unwise and unhelpful to our Allies.
Attempting to force 18-year-olds to do what they don’t want to do will also open the Services to even more medical problems, litigation claims and negative media than they currently experience.
I believe the purpose of helping young people to escape from their “bubbles” is a tremendous idea, but the Armed Forces are not there as a grown-up guide, or scout movement. We need to deal with the causes and tackle the problem at its root. It is for the Department for Education to teach children in their early years about the importance of team work, loyalty, contributing to society and being the best.
Recruit Training 25 Years Ago
Rupert Wieloch 