# Localized military recruiting--when did it end? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2015, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235 "2015-10-11T02:55:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/1 "2015-10-11T02:55:02Z")
There are many cases of military units who recruited from a specific area, such as the volunteer companies of the American Civil War or the “Pals Battalions” of WWI Britain. When did armies stop recruiting their troops from specific cities or regions, and why? Are there any military forces today that prefer to find their soldiers from a specific locality? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/2 "2015-10-11T04:11:39Z")
The British Army still has Gurkha units that recruit from certain regions of Nepal. Does that count under your definition? ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/3 "2015-10-11T04:28:38Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The British Army still has Gurkha units that recruit from certain regions of Nepal. Does that count under your definition? Yes. Basically, I’m looking for recruitment that’s limited to a specific area of a country, no matter how big that area is. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/4 "2015-10-11T04:53:54Z")
British Army still recruits regiments with a local identity. As does the successors of the erstwhile British Indian Army, the Indian and Pakistan Army. In all three cases, while the regiments nominally carry the name of a region and do recruit heavily from said region, they do have troops from outside. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/5 "2015-10-11T08:36:05Z")
The Irish Guards recruit mainly in Ireland and the Irish areas of English cities. They also have recruits from Eire although they are not allowed to actively recruit there. The answer to the OP’s question is that, basically, it hasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/6 "2015-10-11T10:38:32Z")
US National Guard units are localized . PA National Guard, for example, is (mostly) people from PA. The organization, itself, is still part of the national military. In practice, people in the individual units tend to be from places really close to where the unit has its armory, making it even more localized. For the most part, nobody wants to have hours of driving to get to weekend drill, you see, so they join nearby units. Reserve units become localized for much the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/7 "2015-10-11T13:13:28Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > British Army still recruits regiments with a local identity. As does the successors of the erstwhile British Indian Army, the Indian and Pakistan Army. In all three cases, while the regiments nominally carry the name of a region and do recruit heavily from said region, they do have troops from outside. Yes, this is a continuing feature of the British Army. Another “local identity” regiment is the [Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Watch), nicknamed the “Ladies from Hell” for their former practice of wearing kilts into battle. Afaik, one does not _need_ to be Scottish to serve in the Black Watch, though I’m sure it helps socially. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/8 "2015-10-11T13:15:42Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The British Army still has Gurkha units that recruit from certain regions of Nepal. Does that count under your definition? Are the Gurkha units officially open to anyone eligible to serve in the British Army, or are they restricted? Like, if some teen boy from the Hebrides tried to enlist in the Gurkhas, would he be allowed to do so or would he be told to go apply for the Black Watch, strolling through the green fields on a summer’s day, watching all the country girls working at the hay? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/9 "2015-10-11T13:35:25Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Are the Gurkha units officially open to anyone eligible to serve in the British Army, or are they restricted? Like, if some teen boy from the Hebrides tried to enlist in the Gurkhas, would he be allowed to do so or would he be told to go apply for the Black Watch, strolling through the green fields on a summer’s day, watching all the country girls working at the hay? They are recruited only from Nepal. The officers are from the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/10 "2015-10-11T13:36:02Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Are the Gurkha units officially open to anyone eligible to serve in the British Army, or are they restricted? [This](http://www.army.mod.uk/gurkhas/27835.aspx) seems to indicate that to enlist in a Gurkha unit, you have to be from Nepal: > [@](#): > > Gurkhas should continue to be selected and recruited in Nepal, and remain Nepalese citizens throughout their service. > Formed units consisting entirely of Gurkhas except for British officers and a few specialists, should be retained as the Brigade of Gurkhas; and Gurkhas should be recruited only to those units. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/localized-military-recruiting-when-did-it-end/734235/11 "2015-10-11T17:51:14Z")
My platoon, in basic training, was all from Nebraska in 1981.