Youngsters taking a gap year or not in university yet could get paid to join the UK’s “Citizen Army” under bold plans suggested by a former military boss.
A month-long summer course would bring the new recruits up to speed on what it is like to be in the army to encourage them to join the reserves later in life. General Sir Patrick Sanders, former chief of the general staff for the British Army, raised the idea after stating the UK needs to form a “Citizen Army” to be ready for the possibility of World War Three.
The idea was floated among others in a brainstorming session with senior figures of the Ministry of Defence, the Times reported. He is also said to be considering forcing regular troops who have left the Armed Forces to then commit to yearly training to keep their skills ready in the event of being called to fight.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps does have the power to recall former soldiers to serve, if it is less than 18 years since they left and they are under the age of 55.
The policy known as the “reserve liability” means former service personnel can be called on in times of national danger or a “great emergency”.
In a speech last week, Gen Sanders said: “Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.
“We need an Army designed to expand rapidly to enable the first echelon, resource the second echelon and train and equip the citizen army that must follow.
“Within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000, folding in our reserve and strategic reserve. But this is not enough.”
His speech came after Mr Shapps in a speech last week said the world is “moving from a post-war to pre-war world” and the UK must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.
But Downing Street ruled out any move towards a conscription model, saying that Army service would remain voluntary. Known as the draft in the US, the UK compulsory enlistment in the Armed Forces was called National Service, which ended in 1960.
Those that had deferred their service due to education or career still had to complete it – with the last UK conscript being discharged in 1963.
But a total of 86 countries still have conscription models in place. Russia is frequently mentioned as one of the major players in the event of a world war, and more than a quarter of a million young Russian men between 18 and 27 are conscripted every year.
The Russian Ministry of Defence website is uncompromising in its description of what it will be like for new recruits. It says service is “not a fun ride, no matter where you find yourself serving your country, but being a real man is being able to take the pain and hardship. This experience will make your further civilian life so much easier.”
Officials in Sweden are also warning of the possibility of war and are urging its citizens to sign up. Earlier this month, its civil defence minister told a defence conference “there could be a war in Sweden”.
Carl-Oskar Bohlin encouraged Swedes to sign up to serve, asking the public “have you considered whether you have time to join a voluntary defence organisation? If not – get moving!”
