In army parlance it is known as "gatekeeper reluctance": the resistance by parents to the idea of their offspring being sent to fight in an unpopular war. In the mind's eye lurks such tragic figures as Rose Gentle from Glasgow, whose 19-year-old son, Gordon, died in Iraq in 2004 in what she dismisses as "a war about oil". The Ministry of Defence refers to the issue of army recruitment as "a difficult challenge" rather than "a crisis" but the facts speak for themselves. Last year 14,000 trained soldiers left the British Army and only 12,000 joined, despite a large increase in spending on recruitment. The infantry is more than 2000 below strength.

In army parlance it is known as "gatekeeper reluctance": the resistance by parents to the idea of their offspring being sent to fight in an unpopular war. In the mind's eye lurks such tragic figures as Rose Gentle from Glasgow, whose 19-year-old son, Gordon, died in Iraq in 2004 in what she dismisses as "a war about oil". The Ministry of Defence refers to the issue of army recruitment as "a difficult challenge" rather than "a crisis" but the facts speak for themselves. Last year 14,000 trained soldiers left the British Army and only 12,000 joined, despite a large increase in spending on recruitment. The infantry is more than 2000 below strength.

Against this backdrop, The Herald reports today that controversial recruitment visits to schools are to be abandoned in favour of an internet-based package. Though the MoD points out that forces' presentation teams only visit schools by invitation, there have been allegations in both Scotland and Wales that the military deliberately targets secondaries in deprived areas, where youngsters have fewer choices. The perception that the conflict in Iraq is an unjust war is heightened by the idea that the front line is being bulked out by the least fortunate in society.

Some youngsters will always volunteer for the army, mostly boys who enjoy fighting (or think they do). But in a society where the emphasis is on choice, others will weigh up the options and most will find an army life wanting, especially the infantry, which does not teach many life skills relevant to civvy street. Well-ventilated concerns about the inadequacies of weapons and basic equipment, and the stress of repeated operational deployments provide further obstacles to recruitment. A failure properly to address allegations of bullying in training establishments such as Deepcut is another negative factor.

If Britain's standing army is not to atrophy further, the MoD and its political bosses must realise that getting and keeping boots on the ground is more important than expensive technology. Despite the unpopularity of the conflict in Iraq, the Americans have not experienced the same recruitment problems. This has much to do with pay and conditions. In Britain, poor basic pay and generations of under-investment in living accommodation are a large part of the difficulty. Trying to get a toe-hold on the property ladder is a particular issue. Unless we address these matters urgently, the next time Britain needs its servants in uniform, they will not be there in such numbers.