Army chiefs have told troops they must no longer answer the phone saying ‘How can I help you Sir’ – as they cannot be sure of the gender of the person on the line.
Colonel Steve Davies said the greeting was ‘outdated’ and ‘unnecessary’ after a soldier raised concerns they could be offending comrades by assuming they were male.
He said soldiers should instead say their rank and name followed by ‘how can I help you?’
Army chiefs have told troops they must no longer call be ‘Sir’. Pictured: Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson with members of the Household Cavarly at Horse Guards
A soldier had complained in a letter to a military magazine that despite the Army ‘correctly’ placing importance on inclusion and gender-related issues, troops were still answering the phone with ‘Sir’.
The soldier also claimed troops feared ‘risking offence’ by greeting an officer with the word ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’ when the officer could be gender neutral.
It comes just days after it emerged that military top brass were also ordering troops to use gender-neutral words at a top training base. Phrases such as ‘mankind’ and ‘sportsmanship’ were banned amid fears they upset women and trans groups.
In a two-page guide, written by the Joint Equality Diversity and Inclusion unit – nicknamed ‘Jedi’ – soldiers were asked to say ‘shopper or homemaker’ instead of ‘housewife’, while ‘fairness’ was deemed an apt alternative to ‘sportsmanship’.
In the latest letter, published in Soldier magazine, the unidentified soldier wrote: ‘Isn’t it about time the Army considered abolishing these Victorian-style greetings? I believe a new system should be looked at which is more up to date and lessens the risk of embarrassment or offence to us all.’
The soldier noted that the MoD had ‘correctly’ placed importance on ‘diversity, inclusion and gender-related issues’ and said it was vital to ‘bring everyone’s attention to the way we greet and speak to each other’. The soldier added: ‘For example when the telephone rings I must answer with the name of my department, my name, followed by “how can I help you Sir?”
A Colonel called the greeting ‘Sir ‘outdated’ and ‘unnecessary’ after a soldier raised concerns assuming gender could be offensive. Pictured: Trooping of the Colour 2013
‘Presumably we say “sir” because regimental sergeant majors and officers were once all male, harking back to a time when only men were allowed to serve in the military.’
The soldier also took issue with the convention of junior ranks addressing officers as ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’, writing: ‘Secondly, when I see an officer walking through the barracks I must greet them with the word “sir” or “ma’am” but am I not risking offence here by assuming someone’s gender or implying that they actually see themselves as having a gender?’
Colonel Davies, assistant head of employment in the Army responded by saying he disagreed with the point on addressing officers as ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’.
In a two-page guide soldiers were also asked to say ‘shopper or homemaker’ instead of ‘housewife’. Pictured: Prince Harry marching with soldiers in the 52nd Brigade
But he conceded that the convention of answering the telephone using ‘Sir’ was indeed old-fashioned.
He replied to the soldier: ‘The use of gendered terms when greeting officers as you walk around barracks reflects a convention that is used in many important sectors of British society, including the monarchy, judiciary and parliament.
‘I would disagree that the British Army is somehow out of step with the community in this regard.’ And Colonel Davies said that using the term ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’ was ‘both appropriate and polite’.
He added: ‘However I agree that the convention of answering the telephone using “sir” without knowing who one is speaking to is now considered outdated and arguably unnecessary. The opening gambit of saying your rank and name followed by “how can I help you?” is both respectful and applicable to all callers and should be adopted.’