The British Army has released a series of videos which tells potential recruits that it is okay to be emotional, gay and religious in the army.

This is in an effort to drive recruitment from a more diverse range of society.

In one of the videos, the campaign positively answers the question “Can I be gay in the army?”.

The campaign, which cost £1.6 million, also focuses on addressing questions: “Can I practise my faith in the army?”, “Will I be listened to in the army?”, and “Do I have to be a superhero to join the army?”

Backlash

The British army has come under fire for appearing to bow to political correctness in the new campaign.

There have also been accusations of ‘false advertising’ with some saying the campaign misleads the audience by suggesting the army offers help to those mental health problems.

Peace and security campaigner, Reem Abu-Hayyeh who works with the charity Medact has said that if the army was genuinely worried about recruits’ mental health they would stop recruiting people under the age of 18.

“It is a positive step that the armed forces are thinking about how to be more inclusive and show that soldiers’ emotional health is a priority,” she said. “However, our research shows that young people recruited to the military are at higher risk of post-traumatic stress, self-harm and suicide.

“The UK is one of the very few countries that still recruit 16-year-olds into the armed forces. The best way for the forces to protect young people is not to recruit under-18s at all.”

Retired Colonel Richard Kemp, told BBC Breakfast:

“The army, like the rest of government, is being forced down a route of political correctness,” he told BBC Breakfast. “What is most important is that the army is full of soldiers. It is of secondary importance that they reflect the composition of society.”