Would society benefit from a more military mindset?
The Army Careers Office in Inverness, in Lower Bridge Street, has long been a highly militarised incursion into the town and city centre. When I knew it and visited it over the decades as part of my newspaper job it had "Army" stamped all over it. It was run by men who could never be mistaken for sympathetic counsellors. They spoke in clipped tones, exuded the jaw-jutting bearing of drill sergeants, and moved with the spare efficiency of men on a mission. A pretty impressive bunch, in other words.
This had a purpose. It sent out a message to potential new recruits. They had just stepped off civvy street and were in an entirely different place. "You're in Army territory now, son."
I haven't been there for a long time, but the careers office soldiers on and still has an important role to play. Lower Bridge Street has changed and next to it now is a restaurant where people can relax, pile on the calories, and enjoy themselves. That seems more in keeping with the times we live in.
Or have things drastically changed? So you might think if you've followed PM Starmer's transformation from a rabbit caught in the headlights to a war leader prepared to "put boots on the ground" in Ukraine.
Inverness has had strong military connections. The Queen's Own Highlanders were fondly regarded as "our regiment" and when they were stationed at Fort George the town was aware of their presence, and older people in particular were proud of the fact.
In the mid 1980s a group of publicans announced they were banning squaddies from their premises because of trouble that had been caused by their presence. There was an outcry as public opinion lashed back against such a ban on young men ready to fight and die for their country and a truce was agreed.
But now the Queen's Own has been merged with other regiments, and those military links seem nowhere near as strong as they were. Who'd be liable to join up anyway? There are weekend warriors around the city centre and they might retain some natural aggression once they'd sobered up. But are they army material with the potential to absorb discipline?
The prevalence of any kind of military mindset is difficult to identify in society these days. Far from getting up at five in the morning to shine their boots till they can see their faces in them many people - including young people - don't want to get up and do any work at all. And those who are keen and industrious are deemed to be of very sensitive disposition. Students at the UHI for example have been confronted with a "trigger warning" about depictions of "graphic fishing" in a novel. Such frontline idiocy was not the fault of the students. But it does indicate the soft-touch or soft in the head mentality around these days.
Keir Starmer and those of his ilk have played a huge part in creating that. And north of the border we have an SNP government seemingly dedicated to creating their version of a "wellbeing society" where work is a regrettable intrusion on a life of leisure.
Based on that, careers offices everywhere might have to be very careful in dealing with potential new recruits nowadays. If they tried to firmly convey the need for discipline they could be accused of bullying and harassment.
And heaven only knows what they'd say when asked if there was any chance of the Army moving on to a three-day week.
