British Army Unveils Latest 2020 Recruiting Campaign: ‘Army Confidence Lasts A Lifetime’

Daily Mail: 'Snowflake' army ads were the most successful in a decade, top brass reveal as they now try to win recruits with the promise of a Love Island body

* The campaign claims that signing up provides 'confidence that lasts a lifetime'
* The posters warn that fake tan and make-up are only 'quick hits' of confidence
* The eight adverts, targeting those aged 18 to 24, aim to widen Britain's Army
* Numbers are at an all-time low due to failure to recruit enough in previous years

A controversial Army recruitment campaign aimed at 'snowflakes' was the most successful in a decade, it has been revealed.

Following the campaign, 90,000 people applied to join the Army, meaning it is 90 percent towards meeting its annual recruitment target, which runs until April.

Now Army chiefs hope to build on 2019's success with a campaign aiming to lure young adults who want 'Love Island-style' bodies.

Despite being widely mocked at the time, the 'Your Army Needs You' campaign took September's monthly total number of recruits starting basic training to the highest since 2009.

The impressive statistics were revealed ahead of the 2020 'Army confidence lasts a lifetime' campaign.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is a weird ad campaign. Apparently if you fail the physical you get to go to boot camp for four weeks. The Army is not social work with guns and camouflage, but they are making it sound like that.

More News On The British Army Unveiling Its Latest 2020 Recruiting Campaign

Army Recruitment Campaign Highlights 'Lasting Confidence' Of Service Career -- Forces Network
Army urges under-confident young people to sign up -- BBC
Overweight, unfit or shy? The British army still wants you -- The Guardian
Army chiefs say controversial 'snowflake' recruitment campaign was most successful in a decade as new series is launched -- The Telegraph
British army battles for the hearts of snowflakes and bloggers to fill jobs gap in 2020 -- RT

The British Army Is Going To Cut Its Tank Force Even More

David Axe, National Interest: British Army Is Planning to Upgrade Just 148 of Its 227 Challenger 2 Tanks

A problem?

The British Army is planning to upgrade just 148 of its 227 Challenger 2 tanks, according to The Times.

The proposed cut to the armored force -- the British Army’s second major reduction in tanks since 2010 -- would make the U.K. ground-combat branch the 56th biggest tank-operator, The Times estimated.

Cutting tanks could jeopardize London’s plan to revamp its armed forces for high-tech combat with a major world power such as Russia.

As recently as 2010 the British Army possessed 316 of the 408 Challenger 2 tanks it originally acquired starting in the late 1990s.

Deep cuts across the U.K. armed forces in 2010 eliminated not only 89 tanks, but also two aircraft carriers, two amphibious ships, four frigates, an army brigade, a third of the army’s artillery and all of the air force's Harrier jump jets and maritime patrol planes. Uniformed manpower dropped by 30,000.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The diminishing of the British military continues.

The British Military Deploys Tanks Through The Channel Tunnel As A Test

.@BritishArmy moving tanks through Channel Tunnel in long-planned test tonight – means we can move kit by rail as well as sea & air. pic.twitter.com/cjj4LMsq7x

— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) January 17, 2017

NBC: British Tanks Roll on Channel Tunnel Test Run Amid Trump, Russia Fears

LONDON — Tourists know the Channel Tunnel as the undersea railroad that allows cheap and easy trips from Britain to mainland Europe.

But in the dead of night this week, Britain's military sent five tanks down the 30-mile "Chunnel" to test whether it would be an effective route for forces if deployed to places such as Eastern Europe amid tensions between Russia and NATO.

The fact that Wednesday's exercise came two days before President Trump's inauguration appears coincidental; the British army told NBC News the test had been planned for a year.

Read more ....

Update: British military tests tanks in Channel tunnel: report (The Hill)

WNU Editor: I am willing to bet that in the event of a conventional war with Russia .... the entrances to the Channel Tunnel will be a priority target for Russia and will probably be destroyed by missile strikes within a day or two.

Update: Some are labelling this as a publicity stunt .... ‘A CHEAP STUNT!’ Russian colonel SLAMS UK's decision to send tanks through Channel Tunnel (Express).

British Army Accused Of Racism Because Of One Tweet

A screengrab of the British Royal Army’s official Twitter account shows a tweet depicting a soldier during a jungle training exercise in Costa Rica. The tweet was criticized for its resemblance to racist “black-face” makeup, and removed. BRITISH ROYAL ARMY

The Independent: British Army accused of racism after official tweet shows soldier wearing 'blackface' camouflage in jungle

'Being a soldier in the jungle requires a robust sense of humour,' the tweet read

The British Army is facing accusations of racism after a photo was posted from its official Twitter account showing a soldier wearing camouflage that critics compared to “blackface”.

“Being a #soldier in the jungle requires a robust sense of humour,” the tweet read, showing a troop pulling a face while wearing dark face paint and pointing a gun.

The message was deleted minutes after it was posted on Wednesday morning amid a storm of criticism.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A sign of the times .... on social media everyone gets offended over something nowadays.

More News On Outrage Over A British Army Tweet

U.K. army apologizes, deletes tweet blasted as racist -- CBS
British Army accused of racism over blacked-up soldier tweet -- Daily Mail
British Army under fire for 'racist' tweet that showed a soldier with black face paint -- The Telegraph
British Army in race storm after posting tweet of ‘blacked up’ soldier in the jungle -- The SUN

The British Army To Drop To Its Lowest Numbers In 250 years

Soldiers of the British Army's 2 Signals Regiment parade marking completion of the unit's eight month Afghanistan tour of duty, in York, northern England May 24, 2013. Reuters/Nigel Roddis

IBTimes: British Army Could Be Slashed To Its Smallest Number In 250 Years By End Of The Decade

Up to 30,000 British army troops could be laid off in coming years, reducing the army’s strength to just 50,000, according to a leading British defense policy think tank. If this happens, the country’s army would be reduced to its lowest numbers since the 1770s, when the U.K. lost its American colonies.

The report, released by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), reportedly analyzed the budget plans of the main political parties in the U.K., and provided a “pessimistic” and “optimistic” forecast for the country’s military, according to media reports. Malcolm Chalmers, the organization’s director of U.K. defence policy studies, reportedly warned that because no party had so far promised to safeguard the defense budget, the military could face a massive cull during the next parliament.

More News On Reports That The British Army Is going To be Cut To Its Lowest Numbers in 250 Years

British Army could soon be reduced to smallest size for nearly 250 YEARS, report warns -- Express
British Army 'could be reduced to just 50000 troops', defence expert warns -- The Independent
Thousands of soldiers may lose jobs whoever wins election, thinktank warns -- The Guardian
British Army could be cut to just 50000 over next four years, report warns -- The Telegraph
Armed forces face loss of 43000 personnel, think-tank warns -- Financial Times
Defence cuts 'could put up to 30,000 military jobs at risk' -- ITV News
British Army May Shrink to Smallest Number in 250 Years -- Sputnik

The British Army Wants More Muslim Soldiers

Reuters/Nigel Roddis

The Guardian: British army aims to recruit more Muslims after worries over low numbers

Number of Muslims in army only 0.54% compared with 4.4% in UK population, with low representation linked to UK role in conflicts involving Muslims

More News On The British Army Trying To Recruit More Muslim Soldiers

British Army Seeks To Recruit More Muslim Troops -- SKY News
British Army to recruit more Muslims in a bid to tackle Islamic extremists -- Express.co.uk
British Army Calling for More Muslim Soldiers to Counter Extremism -- Sputnik
More Muslims needed in British Army, urges military chief -- RT
Chief of General Staff Says UK Army Lacks Ethnic Diversity -- Sputnik

Britain's Fleet Of Apache Helicopters May Be Scrapped

The British Army's fleet of Apache attack helicopters could be cut back or even scrapped outright, defence sources have admitted

Britain's 66 Apache Helicopter Gunships Could Become Redundant After America Opts For An Updated Model -- Daily Mail

* Britain's AH-64D helicopters face becoming redundant because the U.S. has decided to stop using it
* It means technical support for the British fleet will be withdrawn in 2017

Britain's American-made Apache attack helicopters could be cut back or even scrapped outright because the U.S. is set to upgrade it's fleet.

The Army has used Apache gunships since 2001, seeing action in Afghanistan - where current pilots include Prince Harry and in Libya.

Despite the helicopters' successes on the frontline, defence sources suggested that the Army Air Corps fleet of 66 Apaches could eventually be cut to around 50 aircraft fit for operations.

Read more ....

Update #1: British Army's fleet of Apache helicopters 'could be scrapped' -- The Telegraph
Update #2: Army's Apache fleet faces cuts -- AFP

My Comment: And let me guess .... the British do not have the money to get the 'updated' version .... so I guess more cuts are coming down the pipeline.

British Army To Split Into Two Forces

Army To Be Split Into Two Forces As Major Restructuring Expands Special Operations -- Daily Mail

* Troops to be divided into emergency response and long-term engagement branches
* Move follows plan to cut personnel numbers by a fifth

The British Army is to be split in two as military chiefs seek to cope with budget cuts and keep pace with modern warfare.

The new-look forces will shift their focus to covert special operations, surveillance, intelligence and cyber security.

The drastic restructuring comes as part of an overhaul that will see personnel numbers hacked down by a fifth over the next eight years, from 102,000 to just 82,000.

Read more ....

Update: Revealed: plan to split Army into two forces -- The Independent

My Comment: The focus will be on Special Forces .... with the hope that there will be no major land wars in the next few years.

The Future Of The British Army?

British Army Will Have To Rely On Civilian Drivers, Reserves And Foreign Armies -- The Telegraph

The British Army will have to rely on civilian drivers, reserves and foreign armies to fight wars in the future as the MoD plans a swathe of cuts to support solders, it can be disclosed.

In the most significant reforms the Army in half-a-century The Daily Telegraph has learnt that as few as five infantry battalions totalling 2,500 soldiers will be cut but a further 17,500 jobs will go mainly from logistics troops, engineers and artillery.

Military commanders have condemned the move as creating an “unbalanced Army” that will be reliant on a “Tesco’s just in time” supply tactic for campaigns.

The reforms have been forced on the Army after it was forced to reduce from 102,000 to 82,000 under defence cuts.

Read more ....

My Comment: The British Army will have no choice .... they have become just a shell of its former self.

Cutbacks Have Shrinked The British Army To It's Smallest Size Since The Crimean War

Cutbacks Shrink The Army To Smallest Size Since Crimean War As Gurkhas Bear The Brunt Of Latest Military Cuts -- Daily Mail

* Gurkhas expected to bear the brunts of cuts as MoD announces it is looking to shed 400 of the soldiers - more than one in tens soldiers from its brigade
* Lieutenant colonels, brigadiers and captains among those facing the chop
* Joanna Lumley, who led justice campaign for Gurkhas, slams 'tragic' move

The Ministry of Defence has announced it is axing another 2,900 soldiers - reducing Army numbers to their lowest since the Crimean War.

The latest round of redundancies will see it shrink to about 97,000, its smallest size since the conflict in 1853. Its official strength in April last year was 101,300.

The dramatic cuts prompted a backlash from the military last night, with warnings they would compromise Britain’s ability to maintain a powerful presence on the world stage.

Read more ....

My Comment: And even more cutbacks are coming.

British Army Chief Is Forced To Borrow A U.S. Helicopter During Afghanistan Visit

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt (centre), saluting as the coffins of soldiers are driven through Wooton Bassett last week

From The Daily Mail:

Hostilities deepened between the Army and the Government yesterday as General Sir Richard Dannatt demanded more troops and helicopters for Afghanistan.

The Chief of the General Staff revealed he has been forced to travel around the war zone in a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter because of the lack of British aircraft.

Labour responded by dismissing Britain's top soldier with a four letter insult and accusing him of harbouring ambitions for a Tory peerage and a ministerial post in a Conservative government.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess that it is only a matter of time before the Brits ask the Americans if they can spare a dime.

But what is deplorable is for some Labor MPs to insult the Army Chief with four letter insults when he made his request for more troops and equipment. The fact that they have not been reprimanded by the Prime Minister tells me that the PM has either lost control of his caucus, or he is in agreement with them.

Either way .... I feel sorry for the British commanders in the field .... they have been abandoned by their government.

Christopher Harkett, 150th British Death In Afghanistan, Had Been There Only A Week

Photo: LCpl Christopher Harkett died while on foot patrol yesterday

From Times Online:

The 150th British soldier to die in the Afghanistan campaign had been in the country for only a week when he was killed on Saturday. Last night the Ministry of Defence said that two more soldiers had been killed.

The pair from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, serving with 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, died in an explosion in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand. They were travelling in a Jackal, an off-road armoured vehicle, at the time. Next of kin have been informed.

Read more ....

More News On The 150th British Death In Afghanistan

The 150th hero falls in the war on the Taliban as defiant Defence Secretary says: ‘I believe we can succeed’ -- The Daily Mail
The tragic milestone of the 150th British soldier to perish -- Mail Online
Tribute as 150th soldier is killed in Afghanistan -- The Herald
Taliban kill 150th British soldier in Afghanistan -- Sunday Mail
150th soldier to die in Afghanistan 'will always stay young' -- Scotsman