Mandatory military service

[Hendog]

Some European coutries have, I believe, a 2 year mandatory service in their military. I've often thought this would do us well here in Canada, and likely in the States, in helping to instill some sort of values and work ethic into the population. Many today don't get that at home. Another thread pointing out the indiscriminate theft for metals got me thinking this way again. All in favour?

EDIT; I can't spell Mandatory

[RANDY P]

Switzerland does that. Every household has a firearm too.

[cgarr]

Just what all these snot faced little kids need now a days, YEP!

[Jim Richards]

I'm OK with that.

[Mo_Gearhead]

During my stint in the military (1969-71) we had an unpopular war and an equally unpopular draft.

I enlisted ...but had to serve with many that didn't. The wailing/crying/moaning/bytching by MOST of the draftees was pathetic. They DIDN'T want to be there! NOT a pleasant environment.

Unless we have another World War, I say leave the military to those that want to serve their country in that manner and let those that live under that umbrella of security, provided by others, live with their decision to abstain.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

as long as its mandatory service for the children of the politicians with no exceptions, im for it too.

[Tobra]

Mandatory federal service, military(except USMC) or peace corps if you are not into guns. Revive the CCC or whatever for domestic service. First two years after HS, I am down 100% with this idea and have said so for many years.

[s_wilwerding]

I would certainly say that those who don't finish high school should be conscripted. I don't know about where you live, but where I live, I don't feel particularly comfortable with high school dropouts around, as they tend to engage in risky and dangerous behavior.

Not only would it probably cause high school attendance to increase, but it would do a lot of good for the people who do dropout.

BTW, I don't know if you guys have seen the preview for the new PBS show Carrier, but they show life on-board a carrier (the USS Nimitz, IIRC) for nearly a year. Most of the younger people they interview say that they probably would have ended up dead or in prison if they would have stuck doing what they were doing instead of joining the service.

[Overpaid Slacker]

Further to Mo's point -- maybe not front-line "military" service per se, but some kind of national service. Whether it's some sort of national guard / disaster response / red cross / whatever. It'd instill some of the discipline and sense of community, w/o diluting our defense with whiners.

You'd probably pick up more vols in the military, as, if I had to serve anyway, at least they'd let me blow shyt up in the "real" military.

JP

[Rikao4]

would be great, BUT
our list of who, and what would excempt..i.e. fat,gay,stupid,lesbian,illegal, democrat,rich parents.
would bring you right back to what we have.
Something for the general community would be great..
but please keep the crybabies out of the military.

Rika

[71T Targa]

I think it would be great. Follow the years of service with an equal or greater amount of 'state' paid college education and we might start getting back on track. ie, you do two years of service, you get four years of college paid for.

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: "would be great, BUT our list of who, and what would excempt..i.e. fat,gay,stupid,lesbian,illegal, ..."
__________________________

Follow up: We are standing in the Recruiting Center in Kansas City (1969). Some volunteers/enlistees, some draftees, all branches represented (standing in our separate groups), almost ready to board the busses to the airport.

In walks a Marine Sgt. ...talks with the guy in charge, turns to us and says, "Which of you are Marines?" Our group raises our hands. He looks at our (few) number. Says, "Who is here because they were drafted?" Many hands go up in other groups. He walks over to the largest group that was headed for the Army. Looking them over, he points to four of the tallest, most fit examples: "You, you, you and you ...step over there ...you just joined the Marine Corps!"

One guys legs collapsed and he sank down ...had to be helped to our group.

PLEASE ...NO mandatory military service for the timid!!!

EDIT: One more and I'm done. We had a draftee in Nam that when on leave, told us he would not be back.(??) He robbed a bank and went to jail rather than return to the bush. (see above plea)

[scottmandue]

I wonder how a poll of teenagers would come out on this subject?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by phred68

I think it would be great. Follow the years of service with an equal or greater amount of 'state' paid college education and we might start getting back on track. ie, you do two years of service, you get four years of college paid for.

Now that is a great idea!

Two years of service=four years of college.

I'm not a big fan of "mandatory" anything... this is America damn it!

[jyl]

In principle I would like mandatory military service. However, I don't currently trust our government to use our military wisely. The Iraq war is Exhibit A. So I'm with Jared - if the children of all elected officials are included and required to be assigned to active combat units (no Texas Air National Guard like Bush), then I'd support it.

[alf]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Mandatory federal service, military(except USMC) or peace corps if you are not into guns. Revive the CCC or whatever for domestic service. First two years after HS, I am down 100% with this idea and have said so for many years.

I am good with that. All Male & Female citizens to serve the country for 2 years. Military, Police, Peace Corp or Ameri Corp. Non-citizens that want to be citizens could volunteer in.

[svandamme]

most of Europe has done away with mandatory service, and most who actually did it mention a lot of boredom, waste of time, and drinking...it stopped the year before i turned 18 and i was perfectly happy with that, there are better things to do then tool around in kaki's, wasting 18 months of my life doing effall, just because it's mandatory

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by jyl

- if the elected officials are included and required to be assigned to active combat units (no Texas Air National Guard like Bush), then I'd support it.

fixed it for you

[allaircooled]

I tend to agree with Mo on this one. I just got out of the military after serving 11.5 years in the Navy. It's all volunteer and its still full of whiners. Don't get me wrong, there are still many who are proud to be there (I was one of them) but I can only imagine how bad it would be if everyone was forced to enlist.

[Seric]

Israel does that as well, as they should. If I were hated by millions of people surrounding me, I would learn how to fight to. As for the U.S.? To many whiny hippies run the country now...