Are the Armed Forces Understood and Supported by the Public? A View from the United Kingdom. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hines, Lindsey A.; Gribble, Rachael; Wessely, Simon; Dandeker, Christopher; Fear, Nicola T.
• Is Part Of: Armed forces and society. Volume 41:Number 4(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 688
• Page End: 713
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: public opinion -- UK armed forces -- civil–military gap; Sociology, Military -- Periodicals; Sociology, Military -- United States -- Periodicals; Armed Forces -- Periodicals; United States -- Armed Forces -- Periodicals; 306.27
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X14559975
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0095-327X

Abstract

Despite the importance of public opinion in supporting the military and their missions, little is known about how the UK public perceive their Armed Forces. This article reviews and evaluates available research and opinion poll data of public attitudes toward the UK military and situates the evidence within the civil–military gap literature. Current evidence suggests public regard for the UK Armed Forces is high despite low levels of support for the Iraq and Afghanistan missions. Public understanding of the work of the Armed Forces is limited. Nonetheless, the United Kingdom's long history of military deployments may have given the public an "intuitive understanding" of the basic realities of the military compared with other European states. There are indications of differences in attitudes between the UK Armed Forces and wider British society, but no firm evidence that the civil–military "gap" has become a "gulf" as claimed by some military leaders.