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Counter-recruitment

Counter-recruitment refers to activity opposing military recruitment, in some or all of its forms. Among the methods used are research, consciousness-raising, political advocacy and direct action. Most such activity is a response to recruitment by state armed forces, but may also target intelligence agencies, private military companies, and non-state armed groups.

The view that war is immoral - see .

pacifism

The view that some military organizations are a tool of - see anti-imperialism.

imperialism

Evidence from Australia, Canada, France, the UK, and the US that abusive behaviour such as , racism, sexism and sexual violence, and homophobia are common in military organizations.[1] See, for example, Women in the military and Sexual orientation and gender identity in military service.

bullying

Evidence from the UK and US that and employment lead to higher rates of mental health and behavioural problems than are usually found in civilian life, particularly after personnel have left the armed forces.[2]

military training

Evidence from Germany, Israel, the UK, and the US that sanitise war, glorify the role of military personnel, and obscure the risks and obligations of military employment, thereby misleading potential recruits, particularly adolescents from socio-economically deprived backgrounds.[3]

recruiting practices

Evidence from Germany, the UK, and elsewhere that recruiters target, and capitalise on the precarious position of socio-economically deprived young people as potential recruits.

[4]

The fact that some armed forces rely on children aged 16 or 17 to fill their ranks, and evidence from Australia, Israel, the UK and from the Vietnam era in the US that these youngest recruits are most likely to be adversely affected by the demands and risks of military life.

[5]

The rationale for counter-recruitment activity may be based on any of the following reasons:


Armed forces spokespeople have defended the status quo by recourse to the following:

and analysis of military recruitment practices, and of the effects and outcomes of military employment.[1][2]

Research

Legal advocacy (aimed at changing legislation) and (aimed at changing policy) to regulate or limit the scope of military recruitment.[7][8]

political advocacy

Consciousness-raising to raise awareness and concern about practices and the effects of military training and employment.[9][10][11]

military recruitment

Providing information to potential recruits about the risks and obligations of ,[12][13] or discouraging enlistment.[14]

enlistment

Satirising the propagandistic glorification of military personnel.

[15]

Examples of counter-recruitment activity are:

In Canada[edit]

In response to the Canadian Forces' role as a member of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, an anti-war movement developed in Canada which has tried to utilize counter-recruitment as a part of its efforts. In particular, Operation Objection emerged as the umbrella counter-recruitment campaign in Canada.[20] Operation Objection claimed to have active counter-recruitment operations in 8 to 10 Canadian cities.[21] However, coordinated attempts at counter-recruitment activism in Canada have been fairly limited as of late, and for the most part, unsuccessful.


In the 2005–06 academic year at York University, the York Federation of Students, a federation representing ten of the university's student unions, clashed with a Canadian Forces recruiter forcibly removing the recruiter and the kiosk from the Student Center. York University maintains that the Canadian Forces have the same right to recruit as any other employer participating in career fairs on campus.[22]


On October 25, 2007, an attempt by the student union at the University of Victoria to ban Canadian Forces from participating in career fairs on campus failed when the student body voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the Canadian military to participate in recruitment and career development activities available to students. Approximately 500 students, five times the usual attendance, appeared at the Annual General Meeting of the University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS), and voted to defeat the motion proposed to stop the Canadian Forces from appearing on campus at career development events, with an estimated 25 votes in favour of the ban. Those voting against the ban argued that the ban was a restriction on freedom of choice and an infringement of students' free speech, that it went beyond the mandate of student government, and that student union executives should not be advocating policy that does not reflect the views of the fee-paying student body.[23][24][25][26]


In November 2007, the Minister of Education for Prince Edward Island, Gerard Greenan, was requested by the Council of Canadians to ban military recruitment on PEI campuses. The Minister responded that military service "is a career and... we think its right to let the Armed Forces have a chance to present this option to students."[27]

Antimilitarism

Military recruitment

Recruit training

Military personnel

Women in the military

Children in the military

Sexual harassment in the military

The 2004 Official US Military School Recruiting Program Handbook

Mennonite Central Committee

founded in 2004, deals with the larger issue of militarism as it affects young people.

National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth

Hagopian, A.; Barker, K. (2011). . American Journal of Public Health. 101 (1): 19–23. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.183418. PMC 3000735. PMID 21088269.

"Should we end military recruiting in high schools as a matter of child protection and public health?"