0:03 (English) OT commercial spokesperson (Victor)
We can't offer you an epic opening scene, with models posed like marines.
12:09
We can't offer you the opportunity to suddenly rise out of the water, holding some weird futuristic weapon
00:21
(Baked in English Subs)But we can offer you our reality. An education that leads to a job where you can make a difference. For real.


0:29
OT Per-Olaf Stålesjö, army personnel manager (Mark)
(English) We are analysing our target groups, what values are important to them, what will attract them, and try to get that in our commercials. But I think what changed a little bit in our way of presenting ourselves from this more macho thing "We want you” to more, a little bit lighter, little bit other scenes, so to say.

 
0:54
Sweden suspended conscription in 2010.  Since then,as in many other European countries, the military has had to fight for recruits. Their strategy: carefully targeted advertising campaigns designed to improve the Army's image. They position the Army alongside other large employers, hoping to attract the brightest and best candidates. The Swedish army needs between four and five thousand new recruits each year in order to fulfill its obligations. But those that feared the volunteers would become an army of “Wanna-be Rambos” have yet to be proven right.

01:32
OT Lars Hammarlund, director, recruit-training (Victor)
(English)
I was afraid that we should have this over-interested military... young people looking for this, but a survey done last year with the first course, and compared to the last testing during the conscript system, showed that their tests in intelligence, strength, physicals, and health, was better than during the conscript system


02:00
02:02
Mikael Holmström is a journalist who has reported extensively on Sweden's military policy.  He was disappointed with the lack of public debate over the ending of conscription, especially in light of surveys that put public disapproval of the decision as high as 63%. In addition to the military, many Social Services in Sweden also benefited from conscription.  According to Mikael, drastic social consequences have to be anticipated for its abolition.

02:28
OT Mikael Holmström, journalist and author (Max)
I think it was a big mistake, not discussed at that time, especially as we have many unemployed youth, many immigrants with integration difficulties. I know from my own experience as a conscript, the military service integrated people. As a group - whether highly-trained professionals or young men who have never been away from home - all came together. It was a kind of social training, and we made ​​a service to society.

02:56
02:58
Andreas Svensson received his basic training in 2008. After his national service was complete, he volunteered and is now in the second year of his officer training, with a good salary and future prospects. As an officer, he can remain in the army until retirement, whereas regular soldiers complete six to eight year contracts. For maximum efficiency, the army would ideally retain soldiers for the full duration of their contract, but this often isn't the case.
03:29
OT Andreas Svensson, trainee officers (Victor)
As a professional soldier you start on 1,800 euros, which for Sweden is very little. So you can't feed a family. You can just about manage alone. To save money, you can rent a room with a bed and wardrobe in the barracks, but otherwise it is just as expensive as civilian life. After eight years of work, a soldier earns about 2,200 euros a month. This prospect, as an incentive to remain in the military, is simply not enough.
04:08
04:11
Hard work for little money. And those who sign as professional soldiers are obliged to participate in foreign missions. Sweden is represented in peacekeeping operations under NATO command in Chad, Somalia and other conflict zones.  Maximum deployment abroad lasts for six months: whilst it acts as a deterrent to some, some young men, like Andreas, see it as an opportunity to gain valuable experience:

04:44
OT Andreas Svensson, trainee officers (Victor)
As a soldier - especially as an officer - it is important to have experience in real crisis situations. It doesn't necessarily need to be in war zones, but to work in countries under real threat is important. We are primarily responsible for the protection of civilians. Such experiences raise the skills of the individual - though you would not wish to have too many problems.
05:10
05:11
The Swedish Army has an annual budget of around 4.1 billion euros. Money has been saved by reducing troop levels, through excluding the possibility of a real threat on Sweden. The individual branches have been tailored to current requirements. This means that equipment and personnel should be especially suitable for operations abroad. The soldiers of the future are specialists in certain situations:
05:41
OT Kristina Swaan, Swedish Navy (Christa)
(English) The special thing with womens teams is if you look into a country like Afghanistan, or any other country for that matter, the whole population is very important. You have to consider the cultural differences. You can't go, if you take Afghanistan for a example, you can't go, a man, a male officer or soldier he can't go into a house and talk to the women and if you have female Soldiers, they actually can reach the other half which is very important. 06:17
06:18
The government wants the Swedish military to be involved in future NATO missions. Critics fear that this path leads towards NATO membership. Although Sweden is non-aligned, the neutrality is not  enshrined in the Constitution. A huge media debate is not yet anticipated - military issues play only a minor role in Sweden's public life. Whether the new forces may also cover civil defence and disaster relief has yet to be seen:
06:48
OT Magnus Christiansson, political scientist (Mark)
Yes, that's the big question. Ultimately it depends on the defense budget. The transition from a slightly cumbersome conscription apparatus to flexible professional task forces is the main objective. The tasks and the resources available are not yet balanced, and their reconciliation remains a great challenge for the military. The main problem is that a military system cannot be rationalized as in private business. With every additional conflict, you either have to add resources - or you have to adjust the mission.
07:28
Isolator / Denmark (5.5 sec)
07:34
"Forsvarets Dag" is the name of the Danish version of compulsory service. All male citizens over eighteen years old are tested for suitability and Denmark continues conscription - but hardly anyone is drawn against their will. The Army needs roughly 4,800 military recruits annually, and this is achieved almost exclusively through volunteers:
07:59
OT Enrico Schou, Head of Recruitment (Victor)
(English) The secret of our success lies primarily in the fact that the number of required recruits was lowered. And it's easier to fill a smaller concert hall. But the situation in the Danish society concerning unemployment also makes the situation better. We cannot prove it exactly, but it could be that someone who does not find a job or a training place is considering to apply for the military, because here he has a chance at an education and an income. We don't know the figures, but it might be one reason.
08:48
08:50
Around sixty percent of each cohort is accepted, and the normal basic training lasts four months. The young men are well informed. Denmark is a NATO member state; its soldiers fight in many foreign missions on the frontline. But this fact doesn't seem to affect the decision of the many recruits, who continue after basic training to become professional soldiers.
 Lasse is a student, aiming for a civilian career. Since conscription intervenes if not enough volunteers come forwards, he could yet be drafted. The draft is carried out through the drawing of lots by all those who meet the requirements.
09:39
OT Lasse Skaaning Husbjerg, student (Mark)
Well my plans don't involve the army at all. But if I must, then I will serve a minimum of four months - and then continue studying.
I am a bit nervous - I think I do I would be upset if I would get a low number - but, shit happens, I suppose.
09:58
10:05
The system is simple: Anyone who draws a number less than 5,000 may face compulsory military service. The lower the number drawn, the higher the likelihood of a call-up.
10:18
OT woman (Christa)
One thousand eight hundred and two.
10:20
OT Lasse Skaaning Husbjerg, student (Mark)
That's a low number.
10:22
Question from the off: (Christa)
Are you disappointed?
10:24
OT Lasse Skaaning Husbjerg, student (Mark)
(English) Well, so and so. The chance was there, it's 150-ish. So it's still not a huge chance, and then if it does, I can postpone beginning until I have my Bachelor's. And I will probably want to take a break then anyway. So, slightly annoyed, but it'll do.
10:50
10:53
Basic military training is not considered a waste of time in Denmark. This is mainly the result of a strong educational initiative in the armed forces. And the army has apparently won ​​new appeal with some young students as a beacon of personal development:
11:09
OT Dyreborg Niels Nielsen, student (Max)
(English) I thought about making a career in the amry before. Because the leadership training is very popular in the private sector. And I think it's good when young people learn to accept stand up and to respect authority, because in these days and times we  young people perhaps believe that we are the gods of the world, and not have to accept authority.
11:39
11:43
And the Danish army stands up for its good pay - a conscript earns 1,300 euros a month:
11:53
OT Enrico Schou (Victor)
(English) For an ordinary private, a constable, it's doubled up - ie 2,600 euros a month. When you go into international service it's nearly doubled again to 5,600 - and that's including various salaries because you are abroad that has been negotiated. For a young man who has an ordinary job, that is actually quite a high wage.
12:25
12:27
Those who want to serve with the Royal Danish Guard undergo a longer training period of up to twelve months. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of candidates. In general, the armed forces enjoy a high status in the Danish society.
12:43
OT Esben Sachmann, Recruit "Royal Guard" (Max)
(English)I was not disappointed, but a bit confused. I didn't know what to think, and I've talked a lot about it with my friends because we got this defence day, and all my friends didn't get in - and then I got in. So I was a bit confused  but then I chose the royal Guards because another friend was there and told us, it's great there.
13:08
13:09
The Danish military also focuses on missions abroad. As part of this realignment - as in Sweden - the quantity of troops has been greatly reduced.
This reduction has not put at risk civil protection and disaster relief missions.  Since 1950, for these domestic interventions,  the army has been supported by the so-called "homeland security". Through this system, if required, more than 50,000 volunteers are available within a short time.
------------------------------------------
13:41
Belgium map
13:44
NATO founding member Belgium was the first country in Europe to abolish the military draft. The transition to a professional army was not entirely without problems.


13:54
OT Johan Peeters, Chairman Personnel Management (Victor)
(English)
At the beginning we were not prepared for it - we didn't have a grand plan to switch to a professional army. A lot of the conscriptions had to do certain jobs which they used to do. So we had to find somebody else to do those jobs. and the higher ranking privates were not happy because they became low ranking privates again and had to do these jobs

14:21
14:22
These days, jobs such as kitchen duty or cleaning service are outsourced: private service providers supply the soldiers with spaghetti and red wine.
Far more difficult to manage is another problem: the Belgian army is getting too old.
 
14:38
Many Belgian soldiers are "50 plus", even if that isn't obvious at this military academy. Unlike in other volunteer armies, the Belgian army doesn't employ on the basis of short tours of duty. Instead, a soldier can remain in the forces until retirement. And this endangers the efficiency of the army.

14:55
(English)OT Johan Peeters, Chairman Personnel Management (Victor)
For the infantry, special forces and many functions in combat need to be fit. You need to be well trained. And at a certain age, above 45, you  get physical problems. Many of our soldiers are as old or older. We again have to look at youngsters and fill in with young people.

15:22

15:22
The use of short contracts is being discussed in Belgium. But what can be done for those who would have to leave active military service, at the latest, in their early 40s? There are no professional prospects.

15:38
In this military strategy class, young lieutenants are prepared for coveted foreign missions.

15:48
(English)Dave Warnier, instructional officer (Max)
The army has become more and more popular. Belgium has always had a rather anti-militaristic tradition. That has not changed that much, but the army itself enjoys prestige again - for what we are doing in Afghanistan, Lebanon, we were with our fighter jets in Libya - it's more high profile, real missions, not just waiting in the barracks for nothing to happen.

16:13


16:14
(English)OT Matthieu de Naeyer, Student Military Academy (Patrick)
Every officer is ready to leave to go to Afghanistan. That's part of our job so we know we will do it.
16:21

16:22
OT Patrick Descey
Patrick Descey, bon jour! (OPEN)
16:26
Patrick Descy had a long career in the Belgian air force. Now he is a military union representative. He takes a critical view of the specialization of the Belgian army on foreign deployment.

16:37
OT Patrick Descy, Military union representative (Markus)
Many officers have made their regret that conscription was abolished very clear. We now have a very small, highly specialized military, which is designed for missions abroad. But we have forgotten to protect our own citizens. In the event of a natural disaster or a chemical accident as in Seveso, or a nuclear accident as in Fukushima, no one is there. It is very dramatic.
17:09

17:10
The Belgian military faced a dramatic problem of a completely different kind recently: namely a neo-Nazi group in the army called 'Blood and Honour'.  The right-wing soldiers had stockpiled weapons and explosives, and then planned attacks against state institutions. Ten military personnel were arrested.

17:30
OT Patrick Descy, Military union representative(Markus)
This has made people afraid. These soldiers had access to weapons, to ammunition. They had important functions, one of the ten was even an officer. This would always be a cause for concern, but in a professional army it is much more dangerous. That such extremist groups have access to weapons is alarming: that is, there is a risk within the army of attacks and bombings.
17:59

18:05
How can the military ensure that extremist groups cannot position themselves in such key positions of state power again?

18:14
(English)OT Johan Peeters, Chairman Personnel Management (Victor)
We have a two-day selection. On the second day there is an interview with psychological tests. Everyone has to meet certain criteria - criteria that were introduced to prevent this problem. But of course, no system is perfect, and sometimes such individuals slip through the test and pass the selection process
18:45

18:45
OT reporter (Christa)
The right-wing extremists have even trained on military territory. Why is that no one has noticed?
18:54
OT Johan Peeters, Chairman Personnel Management (Victor)
It is normally forbidden to train on military grounds, during the week and on weekends. But on weekends, the site is not monitored around the clock. In between, so you can secretly, do exercises. We are dealing with now. We tracked these guys and withdrawn from circulation, and they quit the army at his moment.

19:21
19:22
Although the military were themselves partly responsible for the discovery of the neo-Nazi group in the ranks, there nevertheless remains a bitter aftertaste.

19:31 End Belgium
---------------------------------------
19:32 Map UK
OPEN Trooping the Colour parade etc.
19:42
Her Majesty's Armed Forces, as they are officially known, are one of the most professional and operationally strongest military forces in the world. Since the 1960s, there has been a volunteer army presence around the globe enforcing British interests. They are a showcase for the ups and downs of a professional army.

20:03
Thousands of British soldiers are shipped overseas every year on combat or peacekeeping missions. When they retire with between 3 to 10 years of military experience some succeed in civilian life, whilst others slip into relying on social welfare.

20:21
William Gilpin belongs to the first group.  He was a Tornado pilot for nine years in the Royal Air Force, taking part in combat operations in Iraq and Bosnia. He now advises the government on the security of their computer systems, working out of an office based in a prime central London location. He believes his military training has benefited him in civilian life.


20:49
(english)OT William Gilpin, an IT consultant, ex-Royal Air Force (Markus)
There are some skills that are translatebable into the civilian world: for instance, mission focus, I would say; understanding that the mission is the most important thing. In large organisations people often forget, they think that the important thing is procurement regulations something like that. What you learn in the Air Force is that the mission, the ultimate aim of the organisation is actually what it's all about. And you keep that in your mind, and you are able to contribute that to a wider team has that in mind, it can pass on to a team in a civilian context, then that's very useful.
21:08
 
21:10
OT William Gilpin, an IT consultant, ex-Royal Air Force (Markus)
I left when I was thirtythree ... Ch I left the military at 33 and that seemed to me to be young enough to start a new career. I think if you get any older it's difficult to adapt from the institutionalisation that you get in the military to life in the civilian world.

21:22
21.23 (school)
21:25
After leaving the military many soldiers join the teaching profession. Discipline and leadership skills are in high demand in schools. Kevin Faulkner was also in the RAF - he now teaches geography. The school he teaches in is located in a working class area of Birmingham; 95% of children are British Pakistanis and Indians, or from Commonwealth territories in Africa and the Caribbean.

21:54
(English)OT Kevin Faulkner, teachers, ex-Royal Air Force (Max)
I joined when I was very young when I was 16 1/2. Before that I was in the Air Cadets, and so it seemed logical move from cadets into employment in the RAF. Further education wasn't available to me at that time because I didn't come from a privileged background 

22:14

22:15
His students do not come from privileged backgrounds either. Unemployment is high in Birmingham, and the outlook for these children is poor - for many here, the military is the only option. In his school cadet training is offered as an optional subject, funded by the Defense Department, in preparation for a possible military career.


22:37
Neil Macintosh is a biology teacher, and tries to create a barracks atmosphere in the classroom. He wants to teach the children discipline and esprit de corps - virtues he is convinced set individuals up for life. Here he has introduced the cadets course as an optional subject, following the traditions of Sandhurst, which he himself attended.
22:56 cadet training (OPEN)

23:05
A few students have put on their uniforms and show us what they have learned as cadets.

23:14
(english)OT Neil Mackintosh, teachers, ex-army officer (Victor)
There is a huge number of benefits for us we use it to offer personal development for our boys. we use it as a real vehicle for teaching them life skills that they may need them anytime and anywhere, not just in the military. We teach them to be responsible citizens, leadership skills, managing other people, taking responsibility for their own lives. It's fantastic.
23:34

23:34
Neil trains these students for military situations, such as an attack in Afghanistan. But unlike here, in the real battlefield  soldiers are losing lives every few days.

23:41
OT Neil Mackintosh, teachers, ex-army officer (Victor)
That is always a concern of course for  everyone who goes to the military. But it is a highly respected profession in this country. And the boys have a free choice. We've been going twelve years here, and only about 10 young people who have been through the whole of cadets in taht time and joined as professional soldiers, sailors or airmen.
24.04

24.05
These four young men all hope to join the military.

24.08
(English)OT Theo Belnavis, students, 17 (Patrick)
First of ave .. I would definitely like the army, the air force, I want to be a pilot and fly Apache helicopter. For me one thing I would like to do is perhaps even join the REME, the royal electrical mechanical engineers, to also get a trade so if anything does happen I've got something to fall back on.



24.24
(English)OT reporter (Christa):
As a soldier in Afghanistan, would you risk your life?

24.28
(English)OT Abdul Khalid, students, 17 (Markus)
I mean why not. We are trained up for this to jump in the real thing. Why shouldn't we serve our country. We are not here just to sit on our sofas.

24.40

24.41
The director of the school is less enthusiastic about the cadet training. Jane Goetschel is a German teacher, and has two sons herself.

24.48
OT Jane Goetschel headmistress (German)
I am not a friend of the military. My attitude towards combat troops is rather negative. One must also consider that some may later decide to go into the military and then work in Afghanistan or Iraq, and that's very dangerous.

25.24
OT reporter (Christa)
Would you send your sons to the cadets?

25.26
OT Jane Goetschel headmistress
No, no, I would never accept this risk.
25.14

25.14
Hundreds of British soldiers have so far lost their lives in Afghanistan.

25.18
Gerry Bennett and Michael Hardy look healthy, but following their military service their circumstances have deteriorated, and they have had to seek assistance from “veteran's-Aid”.

25.28
(English)OT Hugh Milroy, Veterans Aid (OPEN)
Hello
25.29
Gerry OT
It's Gerry and Mick
25.30
OT Hugh Milroy
Yeah, do come in.



25.30
Gerry served for six years in Northern Ireland, and Michael for four in Afghanistan and Iraq.


25.39
(English)OT Gerry (OPEN)
Hello, good morning, is it good?
OT Hugh Milroy, Veterans Aid
Yeah, thanks, come in
etc.
25.44

25.44
Their time in the military was followed by unemployment, crime, prison, homelessness, heroin addiction, and alcoholism. For those who previously had no training, jobs afterwards are difficult to come by.  By their mid to late twenties, many former British soldiers are in the street.

26.04
(English)OT Gerry Bennett, ex-soldier (Victor)
When I left the army, I had an accident I was run over by a tank and it was my Army career finished then, and I was in hospital for a year and I the whole world was against me, you know, because of my accident, and I couldn't get a job because of my injured legs, you know, so I just turned to crime.
26.24

26.24
(English) Michael Hardy, ex-soldier (Mark)
I joined the Army in 2000 straight from school at 16. There was nothing for me up in Newcastle so it was, Join the army, and I wasn't in trouble, so I joined the army. It was hard, very hard. I spent six months in Afghanistan, came home and then we went out to Iraq in 2003. I have seen friends killed, and you think about it, but I think you think you're lucky because it's not you. But, like, I won't watch the news and that because you hear about lads out there getting killed now or blown up or injured - because it's just like, it's not me now.
They see you as an invading army. And it's hard for them, because they don't want you in their country. And we really don't want to be there, but we are sent there to do a job so we've got to do it.
27.29


27.31
Questions over the value of missions and the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder are found in every army. But regardless of whether an army is volunteer or conscript based, the central issue remains how much value a society attaches to its soldiers.

END at 27.49