America here. I think that mandatory service is fine. Living in a largely democratic country should come with a price tag, not just be something that you get for free. E.g., immigrants that naturalize have to put a lot of effort into naturalization; as a result, they’re usually much more personally invested in their civic life, on average, than typical citizens. Maybe ppl here would care more about fixing the country instead of just making sure they got theirs if they had to work for a year or two as conscripts.
Mandatory military service teaches you how kill. Why not build communities by having 1 year social working instead, certainly that teaches you more about your community.
Unfortunately. Mandatory military service is critical to many countries survival. You NEED to have a population that understand the basics of how to organise a defense.
It’s the difference between being a country or being a province.
I will quote a Major in his response to why we don’t practise defense coming from the west.
“it’s possible we might be attacked from the west, but it would be a very long and strange route for the Russians to take”
Not just kill; being in the military tends to teach people to work together, even if it for mindless, stupid make-work projects. Hell, most people in the military–in the US–are in support roles, rather than being front line combat troops. That said, I thnk that mandatory service should be expanded to include roles like peace corps, habitat for humanity, food banks, etc.
Sadly, I am too old as well. I tried to join a number of years ago, but was unable to due to a medication I was on. Waivers would have let me join during GWOT, but I was pretty opposed to our wars of choice.
America here. I think that mandatory service is fine. Living in a largely democratic country should come with a price tag, not just be something that you get for free. E.g., immigrants that naturalize have to put a lot of effort into naturalization; as a result, they’re usually much more personally invested in their civic life, on average, than typical citizens. Maybe ppl here would care more about fixing the country instead of just making sure they got theirs if they had to work for a year or two as conscripts.
Mandatory military service teaches you how kill. Why not build communities by having 1 year social working instead, certainly that teaches you more about your community.
Unfortunately. Mandatory military service is critical to many countries survival. You NEED to have a population that understand the basics of how to organise a defense.
It’s the difference between being a country or being a province.
I will quote a Major in his response to why we don’t practise defense coming from the west.
Not just kill; being in the military tends to teach people to work together, even if it for mindless, stupid make-work projects. Hell, most people in the military–in the US–are in support roles, rather than being front line combat troops. That said, I thnk that mandatory service should be expanded to include roles like peace corps, habitat for humanity, food banks, etc.
I think there should be mandatory service, but not necessarily military service. Something like the old Civilian Conservation Corps.
But I’m also old enough that this policy wouldn’t affect me directly, so take that as you will.
Sadly, I am too old as well. I tried to join a number of years ago, but was unable to due to a medication I was on. Waivers would have let me join during GWOT, but I was pretty opposed to our wars of choice.
A year in retail too, while we’re at it.
Truth. The time I spent in retail made me much more patient.