The military is the only job where people are asked to kill. Here’s how to make the system fairer

Remembrance Day is a national opportunity to reflect on the burdens that soldiers bear. But as we pause to remember the sacrifices of the past, we should also consider those who will serve in the future. 

The military is not just a job like any other. As general Sir Michael Rose puts it, “no other group in society is required either to kill other human beings, or expressly sacrifice themselves for the nation.” Rose’s remark identifies two kinds of burden. Most obviously, members of the armed forces face a risk of being killed or injured, as well as of psychological trauma and mental illness. But there are also moral burdens. The use of armed force is inherently ethically risky. Members of the armed forces may be commanded to participate in wars that turn out to be morally unjustified. Or they may be placed in high-pressure situations where mistakes can lead to civilian deaths. Veterans have written movingly about this ethical burden, and we have explored it in our own research.

A decent society is one in which the benefits and burdens of social cooperation are shared fairly. This standard should be applied to the burdens of military service. Of course, many people who serve are proud of the sacrifice they have taken on. We can acknowledge this, while nonetheless reflecting on whether Britain’s approach to filling the ranks is as fair as it could be. We think there’s reason to be sceptical.   

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One reason is that the burdens of British military service are concentrated on the (very) young. Britain is an international outlier in recruiting 16-year-olds (and the process of joining can begin even earlier.) Roughly a quarter of army recruits sign up before their before their 18th birthday (and younger recruits are more likely to serve in riskier frontline roles).

This practice has led to significant criticism, including from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Young people are more vulnerable to the physical and moral risks associated with service. Their brains are still developing, rendering them more vulnerable to trauma and less well-equipped for difficult ethical decision-making.

The risks of service track other kinds of vulnerability too, since recruitment efforts are concentrated on economically deprived parts of the country. These recruits are more likely to have experienced childhood adversity and educational disadvantage. These are all factors that exacerbate the risks of service.

The long-term effects of a stressful childhood can affect cognition and self-control, overloading a person’s ‘cognitive bandwidth’ [the mental capacity for paying attention, processing information and carrying out tasks] and increasing the likelihood that decisions are made based on emotion rather than rational evaluation.

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Of course, a credible army requires sufficient boots on the ground (and there have been calls to increase Britain’s defence capacities in light of growing security concerns).

But we should explore ways of making our current recruitment practices fairer without compromising military effectiveness. 

Most obviously, we could move to a model that only recruits adults. Many other developed countries do so and do not struggle to meet their defence commitments. A 2018 poll suggests that a majority of the British public agree. Moreover, research suggests that a ‘straight 18’ recruitment policy may be more cost-effective than the status quo.    

It’s more challenging to avoid concentrating burdens on the poorest, but we should challenge the common claim that military careers aid social mobility. There is little real evidence for this, especially when it comes to the youngest and most deprived recruits.

Those who have served are less likely to go to university, to be in skilled roles after leaving the forces, or toor to avoid homelessness. At the least, we owe our potential recruits accurate information – rather than anecdotes – so they can make an informed decision about signing up.  

Finally, we could do more to compensate those who serve for the burdens they take on: better pay and working conditions, improved mental healthcare, a supported pipeline into further education and so on.

This would not only improve fairness, but also help to keep boots on feet, since the supposed ‘recruitment crisis’ is as much a retention crisis. 

It’s hard to figure out what a truly fair recruitment system would look like – partly because few people have bothered to try. But when we display poppies and attend Remembrance services this year, we can still reflect on how we might make our system a little less unfair in the future. 

Who is enlisting – and from where 

In 2023, fewer than one in 10 applicants ended up joining the armed forces. Over half dropped out during the recruitment process. 

The average time between application and enlistment for the army is eight months. 

More 16-year-olds are recruited to the army than any other age. 

The British armed forces recruits over 2,000 16- and 17-year-olds a year. 

The UK is one of the few countries to sign up recruits at 16. The others include Bangladesh, Guinea-Bissau, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Zambia. 

The Child Rights International Network found recruitment of under-18s was 57% higher in the most deprived areas than the least deprived. 

The massive cost of recruitment

The armed forced spent over £50 million on marketing in 2024-25 – with the British Army almost doubling its spend from the previous year. 

The British Army has started sponsoring football coverage on Sky Sports and Channel 4. 

Campaigns have highlighted education opportunities. The army is top of TheSunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeships Employers. 

90% of soldiers start an apprenticeship in 39 schemes – from dog-handling courses to combat medical technicians and cyber engineers. 

The government has called on gamers and coders to enlist, with a fast-track process for cyber specialists. 

A new collaboration with the British Esports Federation was launched this year to boost recruits with digital skills – the army has esports groups that compete in Call of Duty tournaments and recruiters are a frequent sight at gaming conventions.

Drilling down the numbers

180,780 – number of personnel in the UK forces.

13,520 people joined the armed forces in the past 12 months.

14,020 people left the armed forces over the same time period. 

Recruitment has increased 13% year on year.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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