Poll: Compulsory Military Service

[OldNewNewOld]

We live in a world where war is possible each day. Every country needs to have a somewhat decent army if for nothing, then to at least "scare" away the potential enemy and to tell them that even if they win, it won't be a free run.

Now, compulsory military service is highly situational. A country like to US, China, Russia... well, they don't have a need for something like that. There are always enough volunteers who are ready to join the army. Country like my country or pretty much every country on the balkan, Switzerland, Luxemburg... such small countries could benefit from compulsory military service. Those countries have a small population and an ever smaller army. Honestly, what kind of army can my country have if it has close to 4 million citizen? My whole country has less citizen than a single city in the US or even Germany which is tiny in comparison with the US. We can neither pay a big army, nor can we find enough volunteers. The only option is to have every capable citizen go through a compulsory military service to at least learn the basics of how to use different weapons so even if the army isn't big, the people themselves are more capable of defending themselves.

Honestly, I hate the army. I have what it is in the current world. But it's necessary. Even outside of war an army is necessary. With the recent floods in my country, the army did the most in keeping the citizen safe, saving lives, helping during the reconstruction. If we still have a compulsory military service, I believe less people would have died, more soldiers would have come to the rescue.

All in all, it all depends on the country and government.

 

[Flames66]

No. Being forced to serve the state against your will in any way at any time is always morally reprehensible. Human being are not the property of the government they happen to be born closest to and no one has the right to tell them what to believe or who to fight for.

No. No country has the right to conscript anyone ever, under any circumstances. It's disgraceful that many 1st world democracies, such as Finland, still conscript their populace(even worse that they only conscript males: intense gender-bias there).

No. Purely because I believe the individual has a right to their own life and being - through no choice of their own - born into this system should not give the govt. the right to violate this.

I appear to have been Ninjad.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

As someone from a country with compulsory military service and having served my 9 months, I'm on the "hell yes" camp. My time had an undeniably positive effect on my life, and so does it on many others. I've heard tons of stories about guys who're a total wreck in their civil lives getting their shit together in the military. For most people the military is the last Great Equalizer, the place where top grade students and school bullies alike are stuck together in an equal position and just have to learn to get along. It's also one of the few places where merit and skill alone can get you to high positions, promotions etc, and where you learn practical and survival skills like pitching a tent, map reading and so on. Probably the most common thing for a group of men who're total strangers is to talk about their military service. It also teaches you that sometimes you just have to wade through shit and get things done, and everything bad has an eventual end.

Call me a gun toting fascist, that's my 2 cents.

Edit: I find all these comments about free will, freedom of speech, individuality, choices etc. fascinating. I think when the shit really hits the fan and it's Do or Die, that shit is the first thing to fly hurtling through the window.

 

[Gameguy20100]

No.

Not everyone has they physical ability physiological ability or even the time or want to do it.

Forcing people into things particularly something as serious as Military life can very easily lead to disaster.

Besides it could have some very bad effects on people particularly a scrawny git like me.

I would probably get beaten up by my teammates.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

No.

Not everyone has they physical ability physiological ability or even the time or want to do it.

Forcing people into things particularly something as serious as Military life can very easily lead to disaster.

Besides it could have some very bad effects on people particularly a scrawny git like me.

I would probably get beaten up by my teammates.

Military service does not equal military life or getting sent into a conflict zone unless you're in an actively warring country like the USA. It's preparing for war, not getting sent to one. Most of the time you'll be exercising, learning about your specific discipline or just lazing around the barracks. You getting beaten up by your roommates would only mean them getting chewed out, having their leaves cancelled and generally getting a ton of shit dumped on them. And you have to be a real asshole to annoy your roommates to that point anyway. It's not like you, or they, have anywhere else to go. That's IMO one of the more positive aspects I learned about time in the military: everyone just needs to get along, one way or another. Besides, the military is a great place for scrawny gits to get exercise, since there's lots of facilities and opportunities for it.

 

[zumbledum]

wow over 88% of escapists fail at basic reading comprehension.

 

[conmag9]

Hmmm...

Military: We should conscript people for (lists reasons, some of them might even be slightly rational)

Civilians: Yeah, we're not too keen on brutal training regimens, the risk of death and the killing of our fellow man.

Military: Too bad! Now, here's your high-power weapons. I'm sure nothing could go wrong with giving you, a person who really doesn't want anything to do with them, high powered killing devices.

Putting aside any concerns about the lack of free will, risks and morality of conscription...it's just asking for trouble if you do it on a wide enough scale.

 

[Auberon]

If military service is automatic active duty, then yes. And, as mentioned, not all of the tasks are warfare. Scribe (or clerk, whatever's the official term), chef, driver (who mostly just slack off latter half of service), medic to an extent, supplies and respective corporals.

Of course everyone risks being shot or bombarbed at if war actually happens.

 

[Augustine]

Some countries, who will remain nameless, send most of their "army" to help in various areas of need, most never even touch a gun.
Said countries have some of the most robust economies. Coincidence?

Even Romans used Legions to build superb roads that still stand today.

 

[default]

No way, fuck off. That is a violation of basic human rights and should only be implemented in times of really massive tragedy where there is no other alternative. In any other time if I or anyone else doesn't want to be in the military or support the government for whatever reason, then we have the right as human beings walking this earth not to. And do you really think some guy who doesn't want to be there and is totally miserable is going to benefit from any of the 'life skills' or 'discipline' the military teaches you? You get the majority of those skills from working your first jobs and living on your own for the first time anyway.

Sorry to sound like an asshole, I'm just very opposed on this on all fronts unless the situation desperately calls for more organised helping hands.

 

[Jacco]

I think a distinction should be made between military service and and national service. The military isn't something I support forcing people into unless it is a time of extreme danger- (fighting Nazi's or a genocidal, theocratic, technologically superior, federation of aliens bent on the destruction of humanity for instance). What I can and do support is that everyone is required to serve the state in some way for X number of years. That can range from joining the military to serving as a receptionist for the IRS. I think that by providing a common underlying experience for every citizen, we would see far less division and frankly, stupidity, from the uninformed. That way anyone who wants to serve can do so in some capacity, even if they are physically or mentally handicapped.

Israel gets along quite nicely with a system like this.

 

[Jacco]

No way, fuck off. That is a violation of basic human rights and should only be implemented in times of really massive tragedy where there is no other alternative. In any other time if I or anyone else doesn't want to be in the military or support the government for whatever reason, then we have the right as human beings walking this earth not to. And do you really think some guy who doesn't want to be there and is totally miserable is going to benefit from any of the 'life skills' or 'discipline' the military teaches you? You get the majority of those skills from working your first jobs and living on your own for the first time anyway.

Sorry to sound like an asshole, I'm just very opposed on this on all fronts unless the situation desperately calls for more organised helping hands.

Joining the military does not always mean supporting the government. It just depends on the nature of the state being talked about. Most US troops will absolutely tell you that they support the United States, not the United States Government. That is to say that they support the ideas, principals, and culture the United States as a country represents, not the people currently running (or ruining, if you prefer) it. They have no loyalty to anyone in Congress beyond the fact they ARE in Congress. If a Senator (or even the President) tried to rally them to a personal cause, they would kindly tell them to fuck off-- and rightfully so.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

As a serving officer of Her Majesty's finest I would find this insufferable. I have had people work for me who don't want to be there, and it is a horrid experience. It is really hard to motivate someone who was forced to be there, especially if you are motivating and having to trust them with a rifle, guarding your FOB at 0300 on a cold morning at the end of a 16 hour+ shift. Even if it is only simulated, this is a difficult feat.

If they were to do something like this I would want them far away from me and my team.

 

[newfoundsky]

I think a distinction should be made between military service and and national service. The military isn't something I support forcing people into unless it is a time of extreme danger- (fighting Nazi's or a genocidal, theocratic, technologically superior, federation of aliens bent on the destruction of humanity for instance). What I can and do support is that everyone is required to serve the state in some way for X number of years. That can range from joining the military to serving as a receptionist for the IRS. I think that by providing a common underlying experience for every citizen, we would see far less division and frankly, stupidity, from the uninformed. That way anyone who wants to serve can do so in some capacity, even if they are physically or mentally handicapped.

Israel gets along quite nicely with a system like this.

Israel's system is necessary. But only JUST so.

Would NOT doing any of that count as treason?

And why the state? Why not forced conscription into the Peace Corps, after all, benefiting humanity is infinitely better than benefiting Utah, or Germany, or Israel.

 

[Jacco]

I think a distinction should be made between military service and and national service. The military isn't something I support forcing people into unless it is a time of extreme danger- (fighting Nazi's or a genocidal, theocratic, technologically superior, federation of aliens bent on the destruction of humanity for instance). What I can and do support is that everyone is required to serve the state in some way for X number of years. That can range from joining the military to serving as a receptionist for the IRS. I think that by providing a common underlying experience for every citizen, we would see far less division and frankly, stupidity, from the uninformed. That way anyone who wants to serve can do so in some capacity, even if they are physically or mentally handicapped.

Israel gets along quite nicely with a system like this.

Israel's system is necessary. But only JUST so.

Would NOT doing any of that count as treason?

And why the state? Why not forced conscription into the Peace Corps, after all, benefiting humanity is infinitely better than benefiting Utah, or Germany, or Israel.

By "state" I meant the country, not individual states like Utah. The Peace Corps isn't really the same thing. While it is good in theory, my line of thinking was to make everyone go through a kind of boot camp to be eligible for service. It would provide a common, shitty experience for people to rally around and bond over in the same way that Reservists and Active Duty military personnel don't see each other as "less" because they still had to complete boot camp.

 

[newfoundsky]

I think a distinction should be made between military service and and national service. The military isn't something I support forcing people into unless it is a time of extreme danger- (fighting Nazi's or a genocidal, theocratic, technologically superior, federation of aliens bent on the destruction of humanity for instance). What I can and do support is that everyone is required to serve the state in some way for X number of years. That can range from joining the military to serving as a receptionist for the IRS. I think that by providing a common underlying experience for every citizen, we would see far less division and frankly, stupidity, from the uninformed. That way anyone who wants to serve can do so in some capacity, even if they are physically or mentally handicapped.

Israel gets along quite nicely with a system like this.

Israel's system is necessary. But only JUST so.

Would NOT doing any of that count as treason?

And why the state? Why not forced conscription into the Peace Corps, after all, benefiting humanity is infinitely better than benefiting Utah, or Germany, or Israel.

By "state" I meant the country, not individual states like Utah. The Peace Corps isn't really the same thing. While it is good in theory, my line of thinking was to make everyone go through a kind of boot camp to be eligible for service. It would provide a common, shitty experience for people to rally around and bond over in the same way that Reservists and Active Duty military personnel don't see each other as "less" because they still had to complete boot camp.

I know what you meant, but I don't see how it matters really. Boot camp wasn't that awful for me, personally. It is absolutely not for everyone though, and that is evident as all hell considering the wash out rate (15%), and even after I only knew that I had to solute certain people, say certain words, and fold clothes a certain way. Boot camp, unless you are a marine, is nothing more than a test of how much you are willing to put up with.

Which is why the Peace Corps would be better if you are going to force anyone to do anything. There is a difference, that I find huge, between "You WILL learn to fold your clothes this way" and "You WILL give these people vaccinations".

Honestly, if everyone had to join the Peace Corps, we would all be better off. International Service instead of national service.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Probably not. I can see the potential benefits there, but some people literally wouldn't be able to survive even one year of boot camp.

Mandatory one year of retail service, maybe?

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Probably not. I can see the potential benefits there, but some people literally wouldn't be able to survive even one year of boot camp.

...what military has their recruits attend boot camp for an entire year? Even the U.S. Marines only go through Basic for thirteen weeks.