There are plenty of bone questions that people in all jobs get asked. We get some really special ones. Unfortunately, it isn't acceptable for British soldiers to throat punch members of the public. Shame really. Some of these deserve it.
Have you ever killed anybody?
Of all the things that a soldier gets asked, this has to be the most common. There are a couple of standard responses that are reeled off, over and over, but the message doesn’t seem to filter through to the rest of the population.
First, it is rude to ask somebody that question.
Second, if a soldier has, they probably don’t want to talk to a complete stranger about it.
I’ve got a mate in the army. Do you know him?
Despite what is going on with all the redundancies, the army isn’t so small that we all know each other. There are still around 100,000 soldiers serving, and that is equivalent to a city the size of Carlisle, so the chances are that we haven’t heard of your friend. What’s more, the chances of us knowing which Smudge or Jonah you’re talking about is even slimmer. Every Smith and Jones shares those nicknames.
Have you been to Afghanistan?
Funnily enough, not every soldier in the British Army has been to Afghanistan. Many have, and a large majority of them have earned their medals, but there are plenty of other jobs that soldiers do. Britain has a presence in Northern Ireland, Germany, The Balkans, Georgia, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Iraq, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Brunei, and the Falklands, need I go on?
Soldiers serving in these places are performing serious, essential, and often-times dangerous work that goes towards protecting our country’s interests. When Afghan finally comes to an end, we will continue to work all over the world.
Isn’t the army all about getting shouted at and beaten up by your superiors?
There is a lot of robust training in the British Army but the days of Corporals and Sergeants physically abusing people have long gone. I have seen some tough love but I can honestly say that I’ve never seen somebody getting punched or kicked as a form of unsanctioned punishment. That would constitute an abuse of power and possibly bullying. We have a strict approach to both of these things and we don’t stand for it anymore. If you’ve seen a lot of instances of this kind of treatment in the media, doesn’t that mean that we’re cleaning house?
Have you fired the P90/G36/G3/M16/M249/M4A1 etc?
This question inevitably comes from the Call of Duty fan club members. In the minds of the spotty, smelly, teenage boy youth of today, all soldiers are capable of sprinting everywhere, doing full CQB with a full pack, all the while carrying every weapon under the sun. The chances are that these youngsters have heard of more weapon types than your average soldier. After all, we don’t have the benefit of fighting as members of all the world’s various armies. If you’re wondering kids, kit is heavy, ammunition is heavy too, and if you fire it, you have to clean it. The less we have to carry, the better.
Doesn’t the army just use you and then spit you out?
I can’t speak for anybody but myself. In my career, I’ve kept the balance of crap jobs and good jobs pretty even. There have been times that I have felt like I haven’t been treated well but there are many employers in Civvy Street that will treat you a whole lot worse. In the army, there is a really good welfare system, a tried and tested redress route, comprehensive rehabilitation from injury system, lots of paid leave, plenty of in-work benefits, a close knit family environment, and lots of other things that make the job worthwhile. Like I said, I can’t speak for everyone. Life can throw some curve balls. We all react in different ways.
Aren’t you really poorly equipped?
The army provides their soldiers with all the necessary kit and equipment that is required for the job at hand. There have been some occasions where the army has got it wrong, but those occasions are a lot less frequent nowadays. What you get given is tested to a point where the MOD can say that it is sufficient. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best you can get. Many soldiers supplement their issued kit with stuff that they have bought themselves. We are a long way from where we were before Afghan, and there is still a long way to go, but most of the things we buy for ourselves we could probably survive without.
Aren’t you all womanizing misogynists?
There are women serving in the army and they do their jobs just like the men do. There are still some roles that women can’t undertake but that is down to government policy. The job is seen as a masculine one but that isn’t really the case. Certain roles require a bit more finesse and others require a bit of muscle. It really comes down to deciding who the best person for the job is. The lads train hard and play hard but so do nurses. The British Army is such a large and diverse organisation that it is a naturally a mirror of society in general. If there are lads in Civvy Street, there will be lads in the army.
Isn’t the army full of racists?
Despite organizations like the English Defense League and the British National Party using ex soldiers to promote their messages, the British Army is really not a racist organisation. In fact, the British Army is amazingly ethnically diverse due to the amount of foreign and commonwealth soldiers that serve. If the army was racist, it wouldn’t function. Equality and diversity is a major part of our values and standards and the attitudes that we have to the people that we work with are much more forward thinking than those held many civilians. If you can do the job, and are a good team member, you’re ok. Race doesn’t come into it.
Don’t you beat up gays?
I’ve been asked this question a few times and it really gets me angry. Perhaps the army of old did things like that but in this day and age, such bigoted behavior has no place in society, and if the army is going to tell the world that it is the best, it needs to be the best in all aspects. Just like race, somebody’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with the job. There is no discussion needed. Zero tolerance on bullying and harassment, just get the job done.
Aren’t you stupid if you joined the army?
Maybe 100 years ago but not now. The army is no longer a career of last resort. Many people are looking towards the armed forces because of job security and academic progression. The army offers soldiers the opportunity to gain recognized qualifications that will benefit them when they enter the civilian job market. Civilian employers also benefit by employing service leavers because soldiers, sailors, and airmen have a work ethic and a value systems that often outperforms their civilian competition.
No comments:
Post a Comment