Abstract:

When we began our engagement with the British Army in 2020, many young people's reference point for what being in the Army might be like was a reality TV gameshow. In the UK, the contemporary image of the combat soldier in popular culture and the professional reputation of the Army was very much defined by the legacy of Britain?s involvement in the War on Terror, and specifically experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan following 9/11 (Akam, 2021).