UK army 'years off' full strength despite recruitment drive

Today's British Army recruitment is a far cry from its former days, when regiments would send out recruiting parties (officer, drummers, sergeants) to "drum up" recruits at pubs and public markets. Today they have to contend with unfit snowflakes, but back in the day they had to take drunks, prisoners and less than mentally competent men. Unlike the Royal Navy, the Army rarely used press gangs to get its men - they were all volunteers, even in wartime - so regimental recruiting parties were constantly busy looking for men who needed three hots and a cot. After they were recruited and joined their regiments (there was no centralized recruit training), recruits were put in an awkward squad and remained there until they were proficient at military appearance and drill.

While in England this past month I saw some of the TV commercials and they are really effective. England’s problem - like ours - is that further education is so easy and so people are not opting seek the military as a stepping stone.

You know the mantra - “let the military grow you up until you start on towards your career.” People are bypassing it now.