Introduction

This chapter represents the theoretical and methodological contribution to memory and military recruitment research undertaken through the analysis of British and German army officer cadets’ professional identity. The latter is explored with a focus on the British Army and Bundeswehr cadets’ impetus to enlist and the role that their understanding of history played in their occupational decision-making. The core argument of the research undertaken is that Kayß argues that officers are more connected to the history of their country than other professional groups. A short introduction to the history of the British and German Army up until 2014 and the officer training courses in Britain and Germany will demonstrate that many differences between British and German cadets go back to how their countries presently deal with their military pasts. The empirical data sample collected at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Offizierschule des Heeres, survey and interview proceedings, as well as participants and measurements of the study are introduced. The chapter also expands on the data processing, research realisation, limitations and ethics. The overall analysis undertaken provides an empirically rich analytical framework that enables a rigorous understanding of the preconditions for officer enlistment in Britain and Germany.