Editorial Comment:

Abstract: In the past 4 years, the Ministry of Defence has embarked on a concerted effort to encourage ethnic minorities living in the United Kingdom to consider a career in the British Armed Forces. In view of the diverse nature of Britain’s minorities, there has been an emphasis on targeting specific groups rather than treating ethnic minorities as one distinct group. Among those targeted have included Blacks of African and Caribbean origin. This article identifies the perceptions that the main Black groups in Britain have of the British Armed Forces. More significantly, the article aims to extract opinions on areas such as the extent to which respondents would consider a military career, factors that influenced the propensity to join, the extent of a family history of military service, and the degree of awareness among respondents of Ministry of Defence initiatives aimed at attracting minorities.