Jamming army recruitment 'fair' in Co. Down

down | anti-war / imperialism | news report Wednesday February 15, 2006 01:33 by medya gofor - INNATE +4477 3781 9569

Peace activists lobby army recruitment fair

Peace activists with the INNATE network lobbied a British Army recruitment fair at Kinnegar Base, Holywood, Co. Down yesterday, Sunday 12 February.
Information leaflets were distributed to potential army recruits and others attending the event.

Come on now folks, this way fer yer barmy jobs

Peace activists lobby army recruitment fair

Peace activists with the INNATE network lobbied a British Army recruitment fair at Kinnegar Base, Holywood, Co. Down yesterday, Sunday 12 February.
Information leaflets were distributed to potential army recruits and others attending the event.

Rob Fairmichael, co-ordinator of the INNATE network explained, 'many new recruits are not aware of the full implications of army life. I know that some young people, especially young men come out of the British Army after a number of years and they either regret the experience or feel that it was not of the benefit to them that they had believed it would be'.
'Somebody who joins the army at 16 (years old) and who doesn't know their rights about leaving will find that they can't leave until they're 22 and they can't buy themselves out. There's an independent and confidential advisory service for people in the Armed forces who find themselves in situations like this. It's called At Ease and they offer expert advice on the Queen's Regulations for the Army and the Manual of Military Law'.

Peter Doran, academic and green activist said, 'recent news of British Army brutality in Iraq presented this (brutality) as an exception, something outside the norm but what we have to remember is that the whole military machine conditions the young men and women who join the army and is designed precisely to licence this type of activity . . . the sanctioned activity of the military is every bit as brutal, every bit as dehumanising, not just to the victims but to the young people who are recruited to be part of the machine'.

The information leaflet text was:

JOINING THE ARMY –
EXCITING FUTURE
OR DULL ROUTINE?
Thinking of joining the army – in any shape or form – then think twice!

Joining the army- either as a full-time or part-time soldier – may seem exciting but what does it offer? Possibly reasonable pay, possibly a trade, but at what cost?
- Your life will not be your own. You will have to obey orders, even ones you disagree with, unless you want to risk punishment.
- You can be sent to fight in an illegal, immoral war such as the UK and USA have been fighting in Iraq. Not only is there the risk of injury or death but this war has made the world a more dangerous place by encouraging Islamic extremists (even the CIA agrees with this! And British army generals were opposed to the war). Ironically, military intervention has made sectarianism blossom in Iraq.
- You can be uprooted frequently to be stationed elsewhere, meaning that it is difficult if not impossible to put down roots – and family life (if you have a family) will suffer.
- Recruiting propaganda depicts the exciting sides of army life – but most of it is dull routine – more a “dog’s life” than a “man’s life” (whether you’re a man or a woman).
- If you’re full-time in the army you may have a major adjustment when you leave. Institutionalisation is a major problem for some people leaving the army, making it difficult to adjust to civilian life.

You have alternatives!
- There are training opportunities enabling you to gain skills without joining the army.
- If you want to serve your country, there are many different, exciting and more peaceful ways to do so.
- You can travel and live elsewhere without joining the army and being ordered where to go.
The person giving you this leaflet would be happy to talk to you about all of this.

And if you do join the army, there is a confidential advice service called At Ease which may be able to help you with advice and counselling. It’s at www.atease.org.uk and you can phone 0207 247 5164 on Sundays between 5pm and 7pm or e-mail info@atease.org.uk They point out that if you join the army when you're under 18 years of age you may find yourself stuck with army life until you're 22 years old unless you clearly understand the procedure for leaving during your first year of service. If you join under 18 you can't buy yourself out.

This leaflet is produced by INNATE, phone 028 – 90647106, e-mail innate@ntlworld.com and website www.innatenonviolence.org This is a network which specialises in looking at nonviolent alternatives to violence.
Thank you for reading this. Do talk to the person who gave it to you if you would like

Jamming army jobs fair tactics planning . . .