Squaddies: Portrait of a SubcultureThis remarkable book is the first ever sociological study of an operational army unit. The author, himself a former regular soldier, observed a group of raw recruits to the British Army during their basic training, accompanied a unit on an exercise in Canada and also went with it to the dangerous 'bandit country' of South Armagh.John Hockey paints a memorable picture of the subsculture of private soldiers in today's regular infantry, and he shows vividly how this conforms and conflicts with the formal demands of the military organisation.Anyone who wants to know more about the working of the army at grass-roots level will find this book essential reading. |
Contents
Chapter Two Military Law Interpretation and Application | 12 |
Chapter Three Basic TrainingOrganisational Socialisation | 21 |
Its Unofficial Face | 44 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
action activities amongst American Army ballache barracks Basic Training Battalion behaviour Bessbrooke blokes brawling civilian combat command Company concerned conduct conflict consequences constraints context Corporal Crossmaglen cynical degree demands Depot described deviance display drill duty equipment example fashion fatigues field exercise formal fucking humour imposed individuals infantry informal inspection instance instructors interpretation involved junior NCOs lads Lance Corporal looking after number masculine military law NAAFI negotiated order normative code Northern Ireland noted occasion offence official operational organisational goals parade participant observation particular patrol peers perceived performance period PIRA Platoon practice private soldiers private's problems punishment rank recruits Regimental Regimental Police relationship result role Royal Green Jackets rules sanctions sangar scrounging Second World War self-image senior NCO Sergeant similar situation skills skiving social socialisation soldierly solidarity South Armagh squaddies Stouffer stress subordinates superiors Training Team troops U.S. Army unofficial weapon whilst