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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| New Army recruitment adverts 'won't appeal to new soldiers' | New Army recruitment adverts 'won't appeal to new soldiers' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Critics have said an Army recruitment campaign, which promotes the emotional support given to troops, will fail to target those most likely to sign-up. | Critics have said an Army recruitment campaign, which promotes the emotional support given to troops, will fail to target those most likely to sign-up. |
| New radio, TV and online adverts seek to address concerns potential soldiers might have about religion or sexuality. | New radio, TV and online adverts seek to address concerns potential soldiers might have about religion or sexuality. |
| They ask: "What if I get emotional?", "Can I be gay in the Army?" and "Do I have to be a superhero?" | They ask: "What if I get emotional?", "Can I be gay in the Army?" and "Do I have to be a superhero?" |
| Retired Colonel Richard Kemp said the new £1.6m recruitment campaign will not solve the Army's "recruiting crisis". | Retired Colonel Richard Kemp said the new £1.6m recruitment campaign will not solve the Army's "recruiting crisis". |
| It comes just weeks after Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson halted plans to scrap the Army's "be the best" slogan and its historic crest. | It comes just weeks after Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson halted plans to scrap the Army's "be the best" slogan and its historic crest. |
| According to the Mail on Sunday, the the Army was considering changing the phrase after criticism it was "dated, elitist and non-inclusive". | According to the Mail on Sunday, the the Army was considering changing the phrase after criticism it was "dated, elitist and non-inclusive". |
| A 'broader base' | A 'broader base' |
| The new adverts, which are all voiced by serving soldiers, are part of the Army's "belonging campaign". | The new adverts, which are all voiced by serving soldiers, are part of the Army's "belonging campaign". |
| In one, a Muslim soldier explains how the army has allowed him to practice his faith. | In one, a Muslim soldier explains how the army has allowed him to practice his faith. |
| General Sir Nick Carter, head of the Army, said the traditional recruit had been young, white men, aged from 16-25, but demographic changes meant there were now "not as many of those around as there once were". | General Sir Nick Carter, head of the Army, said the traditional recruit had been young, white men, aged from 16-25, but demographic changes meant there were now "not as many of those around as there once were". |
| "Our society is changing and I think it is entirely appropriate for us therefore to try and reach out to a much broader base to get the talent we need in order to sustain combat effectiveness," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "Our society is changing and I think it is entirely appropriate for us therefore to try and reach out to a much broader base to get the talent we need in order to sustain combat effectiveness," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| He said applications to the British Army had gone up by 30-35% in the last nine months. | He said applications to the British Army had gone up by 30-35% in the last nine months. |
| "What is interesting is we are now getting new types of applicant and that's why we need to adjust the approach we are using to how we nurture them into the Army." | "What is interesting is we are now getting new types of applicant and that's why we need to adjust the approach we are using to how we nurture them into the Army." |
| Sir Nick said "Be the best" remained the Army's "institutional slogan" but the current advertising campaign focused on notions of "belonging and team-building". | Sir Nick said "Be the best" remained the Army's "institutional slogan" but the current advertising campaign focused on notions of "belonging and team-building". |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent | By Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent |
| These are not the kind of recruitment adverts most people would probably expect from the Army. | These are not the kind of recruitment adverts most people would probably expect from the Army. |
| The emphasis is on the emotional rather than the physical, a sense of excitement, and the usual images of military hardware. | The emphasis is on the emotional rather than the physical, a sense of excitement, and the usual images of military hardware. |
| Some will see them as a sign the Army has gone soft by focussing on people's worries. They will question whether it's another sign of pandering to political correctness. | Some will see them as a sign the Army has gone soft by focussing on people's worries. They will question whether it's another sign of pandering to political correctness. |
| But like most large organisations, the Army wants to be seen as modern and a reflection of the society it represents. | But like most large organisations, the Army wants to be seen as modern and a reflection of the society it represents. |
| That means an emphasis on being open to all - regardless of gender, race, religion or class. | That means an emphasis on being open to all - regardless of gender, race, religion or class. |
| It fits in with the head of the Army General Sir Nick Carter's mantra of "maximising people's talent" regardless of background. | It fits in with the head of the Army General Sir Nick Carter's mantra of "maximising people's talent" regardless of background. |
| But he also insists that combat ethos and fighting power remain the Army's priority. These adverts just might not give that impression. | But he also insists that combat ethos and fighting power remain the Army's priority. These adverts just might not give that impression. |
| However, Colonel Kemp - the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, who served in the in the Army until 2006 - said while the adverts were aimed at a number of minority groups, they missed out the Army's core recruitment pool. | However, Colonel Kemp - the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, who served in the in the Army until 2006 - said while the adverts were aimed at a number of minority groups, they missed out the Army's core recruitment pool. |
| "I think what the army needs to do in order to deal with its recruiting problem is not to specifically appeal to minorities - of course, the more people from all parts of society who join the better. | "I think what the army needs to do in order to deal with its recruiting problem is not to specifically appeal to minorities - of course, the more people from all parts of society who join the better. |
| "But it's even more important than that to fill the army up with people who want to fight and want to be soldiers. And this, I don't think, will do that." | "But it's even more important than that to fill the army up with people who want to fight and want to be soldiers. And this, I don't think, will do that." |
| Instead, he called for the Army to focus on retention problems and deal with its "impenetrable" application process and the "horrific bureaucracy" surrounding it. | Instead, he called for the Army to focus on retention problems and deal with its "impenetrable" application process and the "horrific bureaucracy" surrounding it. |
| Major General Timothy Cross, who retired in 2007, said the Army was "really struggling" with recruitment and should not be trying to be "jolly nice to people". | Major General Timothy Cross, who retired in 2007, said the Army was "really struggling" with recruitment and should not be trying to be "jolly nice to people". |
| The new adverts come against a backdrop of the Army straining to retain and recruit soldiers for a number of years. | The new adverts come against a backdrop of the Army straining to retain and recruit soldiers for a number of years. |
| A report, compiled by Conservative MP Mark Francois, last year warned the armed forces were "hollowing out" due to recruitment issues, blaming high employment rates and demographic changes within the UK. | A report, compiled by Conservative MP Mark Francois, last year warned the armed forces were "hollowing out" due to recruitment issues, blaming high employment rates and demographic changes within the UK. |
| He said problems seem "unlikely to abate in the years immediately ahead" and the scale of the challenge must "not be underestimated". | He said problems seem "unlikely to abate in the years immediately ahead" and the scale of the challenge must "not be underestimated". |
| Between April 2016 and March 2017, 8,194 soldiers joined the British Army. | Between April 2016 and March 2017, 8,194 soldiers joined the British Army. |
| However, 9,775 left during the same period, with family life and "opportunities outside the forces" among the reasons given. | However, 9,775 left during the same period, with family life and "opportunities outside the forces" among the reasons given. |
| About 10% of members of the UK regular forces are women, and 7.5% come from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) communities. | About 10% of members of the UK regular forces are women, and 7.5% come from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) communities. |
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