Gerri Peev: One industry that won't tank in the recession

WANT big bonuses? Forget Goldman Sachs and join the Army. At least, that's what the forces recruiting sergeants are wanting to spin to anyone feeling slightly crunched by the (lack of) credit.

An ad in a national newspaper today bears the big banner: "WE STILL OFFER BIG BONUSES". It goes on to boast that soliders enjoy six weeks' paid holiday, free healthcare, a competitive pension and subsidised rent. For good measure it adds: "Most of all, you'll have the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of people all over the world. There can be few greater rewards than this." It invites interested candidates to text 'Recruit' to a number (I won't give that out. They can take out an ad in The Scotsman first). The MoD can no doubt save on advertising in the near future though: recruitment levels for the military all round are bound to surge with the economic downturn.

I remember having dinner a year or so ago with a minister who bemoaned the fact that the then buoyant economy and rampant job choices made it a struggle to entice youngsters into the armed forces. With Jock Stirrup, the Chief of Defence Staff, now making clear that more troops will be needed in Afghanistan, the renewed interest in the armed forces as a career option will be welcome.

Paradoxically, the more "progress" Nato makes in the country, the more troops it needs to guard the newly pacified territory. As the Defence Chief himself said: "We have to be very careful in our choice of words when talking about Afghanistan. Terms like winning and victory have no place in the lexicon there."