Should military service be required?

[Doc Dan]

I was the first of those who did not have to register for the draft. They gave a short range of a month or two that did not have to register and then it was back to registration. After that, they made it permanent. What I noticed was a change in the behavior and attitude of young men and women. I have an idea that required military service would be good for American men and women.

What do you all think?

[Ankerson]

I think a lot of that attitude depends on what part of the Country and what social class people come from.

But I do think even that is starting to make less difference these days.

I have actually heard people as in actually been in front of them when they said they would never join the Military or fight for this Country under any circumstances. :rolleyes:

But they were all YOUNG as in late teens, early 20ish or so.

I do personally believe the GOV needs to do something positive to start turning this around.

Not sure what that SOMETHING would be exactly.

But I do believe that some military service is good for people.

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm not even that old (37) but I think it would be good for some of these younger, snow flake kids I see these days...but at the same time, I think they would fail miserably and depending on their duties could put themselves or others in danger.

[Ankerson]

I'm not even that old (37) but I think it would be good for some of these younger, snow flake kids I see these days...but at the same time, I think they would fail miserably and depending on their duties could put themselves or others in danger.

That's the thing, one never knows what someone will do or not until they NEED to.



They would have to make it through boot camp and training.

[The Mastiff]

Not military service. I recall the end of the Carter administration and the first couple of the Regan admin. That is when our military turned itself around from what it was with the new army becoming the best in the world. When I was first in the entire NCO population was left over Vietnam era guys many of whom couldn't read and write, were not at all professional or proud to be a soldier and who were stuck at E5 or E6 and happy not moving up. The barracks were dangerous places with crimes committed fairly often, drug use and racial problems. From Friday night to Monday morning the place went to **** and in a lot of units the NCO's and officers were afraid to go into entire floors or areas of the barracks.

two years into the next administration new weapon systems were coming online and many of the old left overs were gone or going because there were now mandatory up or out rules and education became more available and required.

The fact is the mandatory drafting of people that didn't want to be there stressed the whole system and brought in people unsuited to be soldiers. It became a refuge for those who couldn't make it outside. By the late 80's they were gone and a very good group of people who wanted to be soldiers were doing just that.The difference was amazing. Unless we are in a Ww2 type struggle where we need 15 million more in uniform staying all volunteer is the best way to do it.

There should be some kind of service for free education or free health benefits.

[TkoK83Spy]

I know when I graduated high school in June of 2001, sadly...a lot of the kids from my class that enlisted in the military only did so, because they didn't think they had any other options. Maybe they weren't the smartest kids and didn't apply for college, or their family didn't have money for college, or they just weren't sure what they wanted to do with their lives.

Then obviously September 11th of that same year happened and I really wonder what ever happened to bunch of my classmates that I had never heard from again, particularly those that enlisted.

[Ankerson]

Not military service. I recall the end of the Carter administration and the first couple of the Regan admin. That is when our military turned itself around from what it was with the new army becoming the best in the world. When I was first in the entire NCO population was left over Vietnam era guys many of whom couldn't read and write, were not at all professional or proud to be a soldier and who were stuck at E5 or E6 and happy not moving up. The barracks were dangerous places with crimes committed fairly often, drug use and racial problems. From Friday night to Monday morning the place went to **** and in a lot of units the NCO's and officers were afraid to go into entire floors or areas of the barracks.

two years into the next administration new weapon systems were coming online and many of the old left overs were gone or going because there were now mandatory up or out rules and education became more available and required.

The fact is the mandatory drafting of people that didn't want to be there stressed the whole system and brought in people unsuited to be soldiers. It became a refuge for those who couldn't make it outside. By the late 80's they were gone and a very good group of people who wanted to be soldiers were doing just that.The difference was amazing. Unless we are in a Ww2 type struggle where we need 15 million more in uniform staying all volunteer is the best way to do it.

There should be some kind of service for free education or free health benefits.

I really think that the people in the Military should really want to be there, or at least made the choice to go in themselves.

Personally I wouldn't want someone around that was forced to be there etc. covering my back in a combat zone.

Then there are the other issues like you said, they would become problems again even more so than they already are now from what I have been hearing.

Issues in the Military as of late from what I have been reading.

That's all unless WW3 started then all bets are off and they need to draft.

[standy99]

Voted no only because I know the people who look after the enlisted have enough trouble with the ones that do enlist.

But do think it would be good for disciplinary reasons for many. So a yes vote also.


Maybe a environmental force. It certainly needs some fighting for at the moment.

[The Deacon]

Don't think it should be required, but do think the right to vote should be contingent on having completed a period of government service, either in the military or in some "public good" capacity.

[Naperville]

If the US military can only reach 60% of their manpower goal then the other 40% should be drafted.

But lets not stop there. We need another Joe McCarthy, and this time with teeth. There are too many socialists and Marxists in the US. It's time to put an end to this, it is way out of hand.

[Doc Dan]

If the US military can only reach 60% of their manpower goal then the other 40% should be drafted.

But lets not stop there. We need another Joe McCarthy, and this time with teeth. There are too many socialists and Marxists in the US. It's time to put an end to this, it is way out of hand.

While I agree with you, let's not get political or Kristi will chop us off. Let's stay with the topic of discussion. :)

[James Y]

I voted no, because I feel that, unless there is a WW3-type situation, IMO, the military should be filled with volunteers who really want to be there. Not every person is suited to military service; that’s a fact. There is no use in trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

However, I do feel there should be some other public service required. Meaning some kind of service that helps others less fortunate than themselves. Or if they ARE one of the less fortunate, some kind of community improvement services. What those would be exactly, I don’t know. But something that gets young people out of their own little worlds and opens their eyes, their minds, and their experiences.

I spent nearly a decade living in Taiwan, where every Taiwanese male must serve a mandatory 2 years in the military. They do so either right out of high school, or after university (if they do attend university). Most want to get into the Air Force, because conditions are supposed to be better, but of course, that doesn’t happen for everybody. Everybody who’s talked about their time in the service to me stated that the living conditions were really bad. One guy I knew there went into the service healthy, and came out two years later with all kinds of physical health problems due to the living conditions there, which he described to us. He was never the same again, physically or mentally.

TBH, it didn’t seem to make people better human beings. Maybe it did for some, but you can say that about many things besides the military.

Jim

[ChrisinHove]

The only people I know who were conscripted were my fathers generation, who either fought indescribable boredom in barracks for the duration or indescribable terror fighting terrorists/freedom fighters in far flung colonial wars, and an Israeli chap I worked with one summer, who had gunshot wounds up his arm and leg from the invasion of Lebanon. He was only a couple of years older than me, and made me appreciate my own good fortune at a time when my housing situation, career and relationship had all crashed due to recession.

Once you have all these soldiers, what would you do with them?

Civilian attempts at this sort of thing here have proven popular as a dating / holiday camp for middle class young people, whilst taking funds from more worthy social causes.

I suspect Doc is really hankering for an Intergalactic Commando Corps....

[JD Spydo]

I voted NO because not everyone is cut out for the military. Now under severe circumstances like a major world war or a really devastating war that has huge amounts of casualties>> under those types of circumstances I believe an emergency draft could well be in order.

But even with that said I still think that not everyone can handle military life. Let's just hope it doesn't come to anything like that.

[Ankerson]

The only people I know who were conscripted were my fathers generation, who either fought indescribable boredom in barracks for the duration or indescribable terror fighting terrorists/freedom fighters in far flung colonial wars, and an Israeli chap I worked with one summer, who had gunshot wounds up his arm and leg from the invasion of Lebanon. He was only a couple of years older than me, and made me appreciate my own good fortune at a time when my housing situation, career and relationship had all crashed due to recession.

Once you have all these soldiers, what would you do with them?

Civilian attempts at this sort of thing here have proven popular as a dating / holiday camp for middle class young people, whilst taking funds from more worthy social causes.

I suspect Doc is really hankering for an Intergalactic Commando Corps....

Chris,

There is also that problem.

Granted there should and needs to be a certain amount of people in the Military to maintain the numbers they need to have.

But once you start getting way over those numbers things can start to get out of hand.

You have to house, clothe, feed (3 Meals a day), ongoing training, provide medical care and keep them occupied.

Otherwise you just have a bunch of people sitting around doing nothing 24/7/365.

I never agreed with cutting back the Military, it is always a mistake and it always costs a fortune and takes YEARS to rebuild it so maintaining the numbers they need is best.

[vivi]

Conscription is only morally justifiable if all military endeavours are as well.

I do not feel that is the case for my country, so I voted a hard no.

[soc_monki]

Absolutely no. I could post many, many reasons, some political (a no no here), others not political, but really its a long list and im on a phone and about to take my son to his yearly check up. Still, having people who want to be there is better, imo, than forcing service without a doubt.

That's all I'm going to say.

[James Y]

I would like to add to what I said earlier, that just because someone isn’t suited to the military doesn’t make them ‘less than’ someone who is. People have different goals in life, and for many people, there are better ways to develop discipline and to serve others.

Also, I would be a hypocrite if I said yes. In 1980, at age 17 and before my senior year of high school, I had to register for the draft, apparently the first class year that was required to do that in several years. I remember NOT wanting to actually be drafted. Not because I was scared, or I wasn’t disciplined, but because I had definite plans and goals I was aiming for right after high school, and they didn’t include the military. I ended up not getting called up. And guess what? I turned out just fine.

As long as I’m meeting all of my responsibilities and am not adversely affecting anybody else, I HATE people trying to control me (or wanting to force me) to do what THEY want, with no clear or certain benefit to me; especially when I already know what’s best for my own life. There’s too much of that already. (BTW, this is different from expecting others to abide by basic safety measures during this pandemic, but that’s another topic).

Jim

[austrian_spyder_fan]

In Austria we still have universal conscription (for all male until 35years). And after it reserve service until 50 years (officer 65).
But we are a small and neutral country. And we have only 6 months duty now (former 8 months and earlier 9 months and more).
So you make the basic training and you're done.
I was 8 months motorist (truck) at the air force.
Learned a lot for life.

But you also can stay and get a professional.

[Halfneck]

While joining the Army was a good thing for me, I voted No. While being in the Army gave my life some focus, some job skills, and helped pay for college, I saw quite a few soldiers that were not cut out to be in the Army. I can only imagine how worse it could be if service was mandatory. Last thing I want is someone who is a complete screw-up near me with live ammo & grenades.

Same time I think a lot of people could benefit from military service. It helps get you in good physical shape, and can give you some job skills.

Echoing Deacon, I also like Heinlein's idea in Starship Troopers that in order to vote you must of completed government service. Personally I believe it should be mandatory for government officials. I find it silly that someone who has no concept of the military's job being able to make decisions for them and/or send them to war.