british army recruitment

Introduction

The recruitment strategies and policies of the British Army have evolved significantly over time, influenced by various socio-economic, political, and cultural factors. This synthesis examines the key insights from multiple research papers on British Army recruitment, focusing on the themes of recruitment discourses, demographic targeting, material culture, and historical context.

Key Insights

Marketized Recruitment and Self-Enterprise:
- Recruitment messaging in the UK focuses on marketized rhetoric and images of individual self-fulfillment and self-enterprise, drawing on the "war-fighting" tradition.
Economic Factors and Recruitment:
- High levels of civilian unemployment and positive recruitment signals from authorities significantly influence young men to enlist, with ethnic minority recruitment being notably lower than that of white men.
Material Culture in Recruitment:
- Everyday objects and material encounters play a central role in the recruitment process, connecting geopolitical, militarized, and everyday experiences.
Inclusion of LGBTQ and Diverse Demographics:
- The "This is Belonging" campaign targeted traditionally less likely groups, including LGBTQ youth, young women, and religiously observant youth, indicating a shift towards more inclusive recruitment practices .
Historical Recruitment Practices:
- During the First World War, Britain initially relied on voluntary recruitment but later introduced conscription to maintain a mass army.
- Post-World War II recruitment in Nigeria was driven by the need to maintain colonial law and order rather than overseas deployment.
Technological Advancements in Recruitment:
- The British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) system, introduced in 1986, utilized computer-based testing and item-generation techniques to enhance recruitment processes.
Challenges of an All-Volunteer Force:
- The transition to an all-volunteer army in 1961 posed challenges in attracting and retaining sufficient personnel, highlighting the importance of recruitment strategies in organizational functioning.

Conclusion

British Army recruitment strategies have evolved to address various challenges, including economic conditions, demographic diversity, and technological advancements. The focus on marketized rhetoric, material culture, and inclusive practices reflects a broader effort to adapt to changing societal norms and expectations. Historical contexts, such as the reliance on conscription during wartime and post-colonial recruitment policies, further illustrate the dynamic nature of military recruitment. Overall, these insights underscore the complexity and multifaceted nature of recruiting for the British Army.

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British army recruitment

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Recruiting the “enterprising soldier”: military recruitment discourses in Sweden and the United Kingdom

Military recruitment discourses in Sweden and the UK focus on individual self-fulfilment and self-enterprise, but differ in how soldiering is explained, with the UK emphasizing war-fighting traditions and Sweden emphasizing peacekeeping.

Accounting for army recruitment: White and non-white soldiers and the British Army

High unemployment and positive signals from authorities encourage recruitment into the British Army, but ethnic minority young men's willingness to consider an Army career is only a quarter of that of white men.

Ephemera(l) Geopolitics: The Material Cultures of British Military Recruitment

British military recruitment is shaped by material encounters and everyday objects, highlighting the centrality of materiality and everyday objects in geopolitics and militarism.

‘Can I Be Gay in the Army?’: British Army recruitment advertising to LGBTQ youth in 2017–18 and belonging in the queer military home

The British Army's recruitment campaign for LGBTQ youth in 2017-18 showed progress, but hesitancy in representing a legibly gay male soldier suggests limits to the institution's inclusion of sexual difference.

Army recruitment video advertisements in the US and UK since 2002: Challenging ideals of hegemonic military masculinity?

US army recruitment ads show women and people of color as equal team members, while UK ads show more women and focus on physical strength, highlighting a rejection of hegemonic military masculinity.

Military Recruiting and the British Labour Force during the First World War

By the end of the First World War, Britain had successfully raised a mass army through voluntary recruiting and compulsory military service, with nearly five million men entering the army and a further half million entering the other services.

The Roman Army in Britain and Britons in the Roman Army

Roman army recruitment in Britain is similar to that in other provinces, with some differences, but similarities also exist.

‘Sufficient Reinforcements Overseas’: British PostWar Troops' Recruiting Policy in Nigeria, 1945–53

Britain's postwar recruitment in Nigeria, 1945-53, was primarily driven by restoring colonial law and order, rather than overseas deployment, despite postwar militant nationalism.

The British Army Recruit Battery Goes Operational: From Theory to Practice in Computer‐Based Testing Using Item‐Generation Techniques

The British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) successfully transitions from theory to practice, demonstrating a true score model for reliability in computer-based testing.

Some Implications of the British Experience with an All-Volunteer Army

The British experience with an all-volunteer army suggests that the United States may face recruitment challenges similar to those faced by Great Britain.

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