The Value and Values of Participation: Officer Cadets in UK University Service Units

• In Event: 106 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session I
  In Refereed Roundtable: A. Table 15. Military Sociology

Abstract

In the UK there is a University based, or affiliated, officer training programs designated as University Service Units (USUs). Their similarities and difference USUs are described in relation to the more familiar Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in the USA. ROTC has been, unlike mainstream sociology, focused on issues of ‘Values’, particularly the normative, yet abstract, ‘values’ of the American Armed Forces of duty, honor, and selfless service to the USA. This top down focus on military values, the acquiring of ‘military capital’, overlooks the opinions of the cadets and what they believe they will obtain, what they see as the value, as in valuable, about participation in ROTC and similar organizations.
This paper reports on research in current USU student cadets reasons for participation in their respective Navy, Army and Air Force USU. Rather than focusing on what HM Forces believe is their value to these student cadets it inquires as to what they consider their reasons for participation and what they consider of ‘value’ to them. The research is based upon a 100% population survey of approximately 5000 student cadets with a response of 36% (approx.).
Our research suggests that looking at participation in terms of values of the provider organisations, need to be supplemented by an understanding of the value the participants put on their participation. We have investigated this in relation to their reasons for joining USU and suggest that value in terms of ‘utility’ is a useful explanatory tool.

Authors

• k. neil jenkings, Newcastle University

• Alison Williams, Newcastle University

• Rachel Woodward, Newcastle University