Originally Posted by
Timelord
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
But surely we can agree that lowering vetting standards to encourage more BAME entrants to officer training and Intelligence Corps is a bad idea. That proposal is what prompted Shapps’ intervention.
I would suggest that you are also guilty of "Post hoc ergo propter hoc". You have made the explicit connection between different standards being applied automatically means a lesser standard is being applied. You have to start with the question of what is the standard and why were the various criteria chosen. My personal experience in the military was a lot of the standards were there because they had always been there or a product of the attitude that new entrants "had to do them because I did". Forget the human rights component of going after BAME applicants, the reality is that the number of young white males in all Western Societies is dropping rapidly. The current Military population is underrepresented by individuals who are BAME. So does that mean that if you are BAME you are probably not good enough for military service or the military has not made an effort to draw from the entire population ? Recruiting from the entire population is quickly becoming non optional, especially if you want to grow the military in light of an increasingly perilous world security situation.
I am totally against quota's but I am 100% in favour of inclusive recruiting and that means making sure the recruiting and vetting standards reflect legitimate requirements not just legacy practices. This also means that increased risks may have to be taken. One of my officers on my last ship was a very petit female. She kept on failing the PT test and the system was working to release her. I pushed back strongly because she was an excellent ships officer, one of the best Junior officers I have ever commanded. I was challenged with the comment well supposed the bridge is hit and on fire with everyone else killed could she drag your unconscious body out ? I said I honestly don't think so but I am OK with that based on all the other strengths that she brings to the table and therefore I am comfortable with the risk. Like it or not I think that commanders will have to get used to balancing the risk v reward if they want effective numbers.
I saw a picture of one of the Ukrainian army computer geeks. He was very pudgy and had a lot of tattoo's and sure didn't fit the military ideal for body type, but he brought a skill set that created kinetic effects that you are not going to get any other way. I am pretty sure he wasn't going to get sent home because he couldn't do 15 push ups.
Finally with respect to the Anti Woke Russian Army. Yes they are undoubtedly "Anti Woke" but that is expressed in a master race mindset. That is one reason why they have no problem with the large scale slaughter of the lesser humans from prisons and the far reaches of the Russia. This is the dark side of the calls against a woke conspiracy diminishing the armed forces.
Finally my comments on this post are not meant to imply intolerance by everyone with reservations on the current policy changes , but there is no doubt in my mind there is a racist, bigoted, misogynist subset of the "anti- woke" brigade. This has the potential to damage the institutions in a very unfortunate way.