UK opens door for Army of Asians

Under new rules announced on Wednesday by British Armed Forces Minister John Reid, young men and women, who were living in the United Kingdom, although their parents were not British, would now be eligible to join the armed forces.

In addition, the government in a desperate bid to draft Asians and Africans, have also now relaxed the five-year residency rule for new recruits to the armed forces provided they passed rigorous security vetting and entrance tests.

All three wings of the British armed forces — royal navy, air force and army are faced with acute manpower shortage with some units operating withalmost 30 per cent less staff.

The relaxation of nationality laws follow a vigorous media compaign launched by the Ministry of Defence in ethnic minorities to boost military drafting from Asian and African communities here.

A British defence ministry announcement said, "Henceforth even if a foreign national has lived at the same address in this country for at least three years and comes through security vetting, he or she would be eligible for enrolment in the armed forces".

Reid was quoted as saying that the new relaxation in nationality laws would help to boost recruitment particularly in the army, which is short of about 4,800 trained soldiers.

The bid to woo Asian and African communities comes in the wake of little interest shown by youth at large for a career in the armed forces, particularly in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Under the new rules, the defence ministry announcement said that more people from ethnic background would come forward to joint British armed forces.