A report by a committee of MPs has rejected proposals to raise the minimum age of military recruitment to 18. But Forces Watch, an NGO working on ethical issues around the armed forces, has suggested that the wording of the report reveals a lack of clarity over the law in this area, even among MPs and senior officers. The MPs on the Committee on the Armed Forces Bill disagreed with each other over raising the minimum age of enlistment from 16 to 18. In the end, the majority were opposed to an increase and they recommended no change. The Committee reported that they have raised concerns with the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen. Sir William Rollo. Forces Watch has suggested that William Rollo's evidence was itself unclear as to which provision this refers to. In law, a Discharge As Of Right (DAOR) applies to recruits under 18 for only the first six months of service.

Pray: for our young soldiers that God would protect them and that the military authorities who make decisions on their behalf would be given wisdom. (Jas.3:13)

More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/14331