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Defence Secretary urges journalists to become military reservists

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has urged journalists to become military reservists – claiming their skills are becoming more “relevant” as the nature of warfare evolves.

According to a report on the Politics Home website, Mr Williamson has issued a call to arms to people such as reporters who “really understand about getting messages across”.

He has also called on the Armed Forces themselves to do more to attract journalists and people with IT and cyber skills in to the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Politics Home reports that Mr Williamson, pictured, argued the skills of reporters were “more relevant today than anything else” when Britain’s enemies are using propaganda to “change the narrative”.

Gavin Williamson

He said: “We need to be asking the question of how you get the private sector more engaged in actually encouraging reservists, getting people to join the reserve forces.

“In this age where there’s so much disinformation, where Britain’s enemies will use Twitter, will use every angle they can do to change the narrative – people who’ve traditionally thought about joining reserve forces, we want them to come in – but actually, it’s looking to different people who maybe think, as a journalist, well what are my skills in terms of how are they relevant to the Armed Forces?

“Actually, they are more relevant today than anything else, having those skills, whether it be journalists, those people with amazing cyber and IT skills, those people with the ability to really understand about getting messages across.

“Warfare is evolving so much and it’s about trying to get a different generation, a different type of people to start thinking ‘I’ve got something to add to my reserve forces.”

Mr Williamson added: “We have to start changing the Armed Forces in terms of actually attracting those people as well.

“Sometimes people see the Armed Forces as being quite traditional in terms of its approach. We need to make sure that people in cyber are incredibly welcome. Those skills have a vital and pivotal part in terms of what we do as an Army, Navy and Air Force.”

3 comments

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  • May 1, 2018 at 3:05 pm
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    F.F.S!!!!!!! (as the yoof of today say) It is May 1st, not April 1st?
    M’right honourable member is a plank! There’s enough redundant journos to fill the jobs full time.
    Ummmm…where do I sig up and can I have a gun please? A big one?
    😉

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  • May 2, 2018 at 9:51 am
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    Toggy, here’s the plan. Following the Highfield School of Warfare tactics, the togs go over the top first. No guns, just the odd telephoto lens which you can use to bash the enemy over the head (years of practice) should you get close enough. The net result will be a vast reduction of togs. Next will be the reporters, armed with fully-loaded student loan debt and 100wpm shorthand. Don’t worry, the bosses will be right behind you. About 30 miles behind, just like Colonel Melchett.

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  • May 2, 2018 at 1:07 pm
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    @Idle Rich Ohh you do make I laff! If this wasn’t so close to the truth it would be hysterical!
    Still want a gun ‘though! Did drill with a Lee Enfield, and range shot SLRs (my god they kick) and the plastic plank (L85, not the aforementioned h’onourable member)
    Hell, I’m over-qualified! 😉

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