scholarly journals Regendering the Canadian Armed Forces

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-25
Author(s):  
Victoria Tait
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Military Service ◽  
International System ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Military Organizations ◽  
Gender Culture ◽  
Humanitarian Operations ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
The Military

Although feminist scholars agree that there exists a systemic relationship between masculinity and militarism, the exact contours of that relationship are debatable. Most feminists argue that as a primary goal, the women’s movement ought to seek approaches for the abolition of militarism, rather than using women’s participation in the military as a means of enhancing gender equality. Despite admonitions about the dangers of pursuing gender equality through military service, feminists must also weigh these concerns against women’s advances within the military and the use of the military in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, both of which are essential to the Women, Peace and Security agenda. This article therefore turns a critical feminist lens on theories of military re-gendering. I explore whether military organizations that have traditionally valorized militarized masculinity can be transformed—both at an individual and systemic level—to embrace an egalitarian iteration of masculinity and contribute to a more peaceable international system. To examine the possibility of regendering in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), I review 17 interviews that I conducted with members of the CAF from 2017-2018 using theories of military regendering. My analysis indicates that servicemembers are engaging in critical examination of the military’s gender culture, and their position within that culture. By critically engaging with questions about the relationship between gender and militarism, military personnel may be participating in the incremental—and fragile—process of improving the gender culture of the CAF.

scholarly journals “The Strength behind the Uniform”: Acknowledging the Contributions of Military Families or Co-Opting Women’s Labour?

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-71
Author(s):  
Leigh Spanner
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Military Families ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Military Family ◽  
Operational Effectiveness ◽  
Organizational Goals ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
The Military

Since 2008, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has called the military family “the strength behind the uniform.” The contributions and sacrifices of military families, and in particular spouses, are now formally recognized as essential to operational effectiveness, such as the ability to deploy troops quickly and easily. This represents a departure from previous eras, which took for granted the “naturalness” of a gendered division of labour in military households in support of organizational goals. Making visible and valuing this work parallels recent efforts by the CAF to improve the wellbeing of its people and advance gender equality in the organization and on operations. This article considers the gendered labour and power implications of formally recognizing the contributions of military families and spouses to the CAF. What does recognizing the military family as “the strength behind the uniform” mean for women and the gendered labour relations in military families? By drawing on analyses of policies, programs, and institutional rhetoric, alongside interviews by military family members, the article argues that in formally recognizing the family’s contribution to operational effectiveness, the CAF is co-opting the labour and loyalty of women spouses in military families. The institutional emphasis on “taking care of its people” obscures the ways in which the service required of military families is gendered and relies on women being constrained by traditional gender norms. These findings have implications for the genuine wellbeing of military families and for assessing feminist progress, or lack thereof, within the CAF institution.

THE PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF YOUTH AS AN IMPORTANT FIELD IN TERMS OF ESTABLISHING A POSITIVE IMAGE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE

2019 ◽  
pp. 60-64
Author(s):  
O. Sokolina
Keyword(s):  
Military Service ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Extreme Conditions ◽  
Military Organizations ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
Patriotic Education ◽  
Important Field ◽  
Military Institute ◽  
The Military

The article provides an analysis for the engagement of youth as an important field in terms of establishing the positive image of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The social-psychological peculiarities of youth have been determined. It has been pointed out that in the process of establishing a positive image of the Armed Forces of Ukraine it is of crucial importance to fall back on the up-to-date needs and values of the youth.It has been stated, that currently the mass-media in Ukraine as well as civil and volunteer organizations are conducting activities on establishing the positive image of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The example of the Military institute at the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University demonstrates the activities performed by a civil organization aimed at engaging and involving the youth, the prior tasks of which are the following: the establishment of a system of interaction with youth (civil) military organizations, the provision of practical knowledge, abilities and skills to cadets in accordance with the abovementioned spheres of activity, the training of cadets to be able to provide first medical aid under extreme conditions, the training of cadets to be able to act mutually as a part of a stainable group under extreme conditions intensifying the patriotic education.The main results of the educative efforts is to be the readiness of a young individual to perform military-patriotic activity as an internally integral phenomenon, which includes the five main elements − the educational, physical, psychological, social and spiritual that is demonstrate d by a positive attitude towards the military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.It has been pointed out that the establishment and the development of the system of national-patriotic education will facilitate the fortification of principles of love and honor to the Motherland, its history, language, culture, science sports, national and universal human values.

Issues of medical examination and selection of citizens for military service under a contract in Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

2022 ◽  
pp. 48-52
Author(s):  
Sergey Aleksandrovich Kuzmin ◽  
◽  
Lyubov Kuzminichna Grigorieva ◽  
Margarita Vadimovna Mirzaeva ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Medical Examination ◽  
Federal Law ◽  
Stage System ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Military ◽  
Selection Of

In the context of the reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and a significant increase in the proportion of military personnel doing military service under contract, the issues of manning the troops with healthy, physically developed citizens with high moral and business qualities are of paramount importance. Of particular importance in the selection of candidates for military service under the contract is the conduct of laboratory and instrumental studies, professional and psychological selection, determination of the level of citizens’ physical fitness. The Federal Law «On Military Duty and Military Service» defines a two-stage system for medical examination of citizens entering military service under contract, which is necessary as a barrier in order to prevent citizenswho do not meet the necessary requirements for military personnel from entering the Russian Armed Forces. At the first stage (preliminary examination), the military and medical examination of citizens was carried out by specialist doctors working in medical organizations of the outpatient-polyclinic link of municipalities at the place of citizens’ permanent residence. Medical specialists of the regular military medical commission of the military commissariat of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation participated in the second stage (final examination) of the military medical examination. During the five-year period under study, 5,133 citizens (72.9 %) were selected out of 7,043 candidates for military service under contract, who fully met all the criteria for defenders of the Fatherland.

Are Military and Medical Ethics Necessarily Incompatible? A Canadian Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 639-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Rochon ◽  
Bryn Williams-Jones
Keyword(s):  
Medical Ethics ◽  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
Core Values ◽  
Dual Loyalty ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Military Institution ◽  
The Military ◽  
Military Physicians

Military physicians are often perceived to be in a position of ‘dual loyalty’ because they have responsibilities towards their patients but also towards their employer, the military institution. Further, they have to ascribe to and are bound by two distinct codes of ethics (i.e., medical and military), each with its own set of values and duties, that could at first glance be considered to be very different or even incompatible. How, then, can military physicians reconcile these two codes of ethics and their distinct professional/institutional values, and assume their responsibilities towards both their patients and the military institution? To clarify this situation, and to show how such a reconciliation might be possible, we compared the history and content of two national professional codes of ethics: the Defence Ethics of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Medical Association. Interestingly, even if the medical code is more focused on duties and responsibility while the military code is more focused on core values and is supported by a comprehensive ethical training program, they also have many elements in common. Further, both are based on the same core values of loyalty and integrity, and they are broad in scope but are relatively flexible in application. While there are still important sources of tension between and limits within these two codes of ethics, there are fewer differences than may appear at first glance because the core values and principles of military and medical ethics are not so different.

Numbers Assigned in the Vietnam-Era Selective Service Lotteries Influence the Military Service Decisions of Children Born to Draft-Eligible Men

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Johnson ◽  
Christopher T. Dawes ◽  
Matt McGue ◽  
William G. Iacono
Keyword(s):  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Causal Link ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
Selective Service ◽  
Vietnam Era ◽  
The Military ◽  
The U.S

Previous research has reported correlations between the military service records of parents and their children. Those studies, however, have not determined whether a parent’s military service causally influences an offspring’s participation in the armed forces. To investigate the possibility of a causal relationship, we examined whether lottery numbers issued to draft-eligible men during the U.S. Vietnam-era Selective Service Lotteries influenced the military participation of those men’s children. Our study found higher rates of military participation among children born to fathers whose randomly assigned numbers were called for induction. Furthermore, we perform statistical analyses indicating that the influence of lottery numbers on the subsequent generation’s military participation operated through the military service of draft-eligible men as opposed to mechanisms unrelated to service such as “draft dodging.” These findings provide evidence of a causal link between the military service of parents and their children.

scholarly journals Medical and social problems of the military service of women

2005 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-131
Author(s):  
Y. V. Tsvelev ◽  
V. G. Abashin ◽  
V. F. Bezhenar'
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Medical Engineering ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Demographic Situation ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Military

The reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) in the current unfavorable demographic situation is accompanied by the involvement of a significant number of women in all types and branches of the armed forces in various positions associated mainly with the specialties of military humanitarian, medical, engineering, legal and other profiles.

scholarly journals The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members' experience with social services in the military: an exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felisha K. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Utilization Of Services ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Regular Force ◽  
The Military ◽  
Depth Interviews

The aim of this study was to critically explore the strengths, limitations, barriers and gaps in social services within the CAF in relation to delivery, access and uptake of social services while employed in the CAF. The study provided CAF members an opportunity to express their thoughts, ideas and opinions based on their lived experiences, and to explore creative responses and solutions to issues members face with social services in the CAF. Presented are the findings from data collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with recently released CAF members. Themes that emerged from the research captured the lived experiences of the participants and were related to: differences between components (Regular Force vs. Reserve Force), perceived need and its effect on utilization of services, significant improvements in services post 9/11 and Afghanistan, organizational and systemic influence, impact of service providers, and better promotion of social services to the greater CAF community.

scholarly journals ACTUAL PROBLEMS OF PREVENTION OF SUICIDE IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATIO

2019 ◽  
pp. 50-58
Author(s):  
V. K. Shamrei ◽  
K. V. Dnov ◽  
V. I. Evdokimov
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Early Detection ◽  
Behavioral Disorders ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Somatoform Disorders ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
International Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Addictive Disorders ◽  
The Military

Relevance. The level of suicides, according to several authors, is one of the most significant indicators of mental health in society, including in the armies of the world.Intention. To analyze suicides and their existing prevention system in the Russian Federation population and Armed Forces in 2007–2018.Methodology. Mental disorders and behavioral disorders (F00–F99 by Chapter V, the International Classification of Diseases of the 10th revision) were analyzed according to 3/MED Form in the military units, where ≥ 80 % of the military personnel served. The longterm trends of the main statistical indicators of suicides and mental disorders among military personnel compared to the Russian population have been established.Results and Discussion. In 2007–2018, the level of suicides in the Russian Armed Forces was (12.00 ± 1.35) per 100 thousand military personnel and was 1.7 times lower than in the population of Russia (20.12 ± 1.56) per 100 thousand (p < 0.001). The level of suicides seems to decrease among the military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces. When analyzing the longterm incidence of mental disorders and the level of suicides in the personnel of the Armed Forces of Russia, no significant correlation was found. At the same time, in a cohort of officers and ensigns, a statistically significant correlation was established between the level of suicides and the general incidence of the Chapter V diseases (r = 0.87; p < 0.01), including stressrelated neurotic and somatoform disorders (F40–F48; r = 0.72; p < 0.01), mental and behavioral disorders associated with the use of psychoactive substances (F10–F19; r = 0.89; p < 0.001). In the military conscripts, there was a correlation between the level of suicides and general morbidity related to Chapter V diseases (r = 0.72; p < 0.05), including personality and behavior disorders in adulthood (F60–F69; r = 0.81; p < 0.01) and organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders (F00– F09; r = 0.76; p < 0.05). It was revealed that among the officers and military personnel under the contract, family and domestic causes of suicide prevailed in contrast to the draft servicemen. Meanwhile somatic and mental diseases as a predominant cause of suicide accounted for a relatively small proportion.Conclusion. Psychoprophylactic measures should be aimed at early detection of servicemen prone to suicidal behavior, effective assistance in resolving militaryprofessional difficulties and domestic problems, as well as at improving their adaptation to military service. Special attention should be paid to the early detection of people with addictive disorders, especially alcohol abusers.

Respect for gender equality as a component of civilian democratic control over the military organisation of the state

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Yuliia Yu. Bobrova ◽  
Yuriy O. Bobrov
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Gender Balance ◽  
Democratic Control ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Impact

The analysis of numerous scientific publications demonstrates the great relevance of gender studies at the current stage of Ukrainian social development, in almost all spheres of social relations. As for ensuring equal participation of men and women in the functioning of the military organisation of the state, the implementation of such a gender balance contributes to improving civilian control over it through the possibility of developing the capacity of regulatory bodies in gender issues, promoting dialogue between the community and control bodies, and drawing public attention to the problems of accountability of institutions of this organisation. The main purpose of this study is to highlight the state of gender equality in the military organisation of the state through the lens of civilian democratic control. The study determined the state of legislative regulation of the concept of military organisation of the state and civil democratic control. The study analysed the introduction of a gender perspective in Ukraine in the subject matter and the dynamics of establishing a gender balance in the military organisation of the state; the impact on existing trends of legislative initiatives. It is stated that the modern Ukrainian army is mostly “male”. Despite the fact that women are allowed to serve in the military, they do not take part in making socially important decisions, they do not hold high military positions, and career growth is challenging for them. The study identified the main problems of implementing gender equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other structures of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, which are more based on social stereotypes of pre-defined roles for men and women. Civil control over the Armed Forces is described as a socio-political process in this area

Working together to address sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Brown ◽  
Heather Millman ◽  
Bethany Easterbrook ◽  
Alexandra Heber ◽  
Rosemary Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Sexual Misconduct ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Military Members ◽  
Physical Health Problems ◽  
Working Together ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Military

LAY SUMMARY In 2015, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) implemented Operation HONOUR to eliminate sexual misconduct (SM) in the military. Sexual assault, inappropriate sexual behaviours, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination are all types of SM. Experiencing SM can result in depression, substance abuse, physical health problems, and even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite Operation HONOUR, SM still happens in the CAF. At this time, many groups are working together to address SM and to support those who have experienced SM. Canadian-based researchers, policymakers, military members, Veterans, and clinicians are collaborating to identify new approaches to training, culture change, research, and treatment relating to SM in the CAF. The end goal of working together is to minimize SM in the CAF and ensure the health and safety of all CAF members and Veterans.

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