Poll: Should National Service be introduced

[AMCization]

As a military brat, being born to a service man, raised by them, and spending most of my live surrounded by barb wire. I may be slightly more bias to the concept of National Service than others.

My father left the army 6 years ago, and since then, I have been in civilian life. In my personal opinion, many of todays problems, I think could be partially, or even fully cured by National Service. it worked for our Grandfathers, and their dads, and so on.

2 years, discipline, friends, travel, possibly find a calling. It could help sort out yob culture, show the reality behind violence. I don't want to sound like the fascist everyone associates with National Service Nowadays.

Also, I am open to people showing my the downsides of it. Personally, I can't think of many, other than preference.

(I am not aware in concrete about other countries outside the UK, as I don't want to assume certain countries don't have it when they might)

 

[Nimbus]

Define "National Service". It is not a commonly used term. Are you talking about a form of drafting?

 

[Berethond]

Israel has universal conscription.
But, the problem with conscription, is that the people will never be as loyal as volunteers.

Also, I would probably be ineligible, so I might not be the best person to ask.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

I think the pros outweigh the cons here. It's a good idea, and would go some way towards curbing quite a few social issues (unfit population, lack of respect, etc.)

 

[TwistedEllipses]

Nope, not everyone is suited for the army and will get anything beneficial from it...

 

[neolithic]

My primary concern, is that by forcing someone to do it. You end up with a lot of people who don't want to be there. And in the case of protecting the man next to you's life, I don't want someone who doesn't want to be there to be protecting my ass.

It's precisely why volunteer military is better. Now, not everyone one wants to be there wholeheartedly, it may be their only option in their mind. But, they weren't told they have to do it or else. They chose of their own free will to do it.

 

[bue519]

2 years, discipline, friends, travel, possibly find a calling. )

With the possibility of getting shot to death and becoming addicted to narcotics. No thanks.

 

[PersianLlama]

I see you live in Britain, so that doesn't quite affect me. If this happened in the U.S. I'd move to Canada. Sorry, I'd rather get an education and my life set up, than fight for whatever my "country" decides to bone next.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Well it's pretty unpopular with the British army for one thing. Maybe some sort of community service...

 

[sallene]

EDIT - nothing to see here, just a jackass that got wrapped up in a topic he should have known to leave well enough alone.

 

[PurpleRain]

Personally, I can't think of many, other than preference.

*Ahem* Lack of rights. The fact that I would never serve in the military, nor do I care for a piece of dirt.

Forcing people into the army without their permission is against free will and a true example of a military gung-ho dictator country. The less soilders, really, the better.

 

[nolongerhere]

This is basicly conscription, so I'm against it. The only time I'd fight in the army would be if the country was invaded, and my family was at risk. I'd fight for them, no one else.

 

[oliveira8]

Wait! I have a quote for this:

"The pioneers of a warless world are the youth who refuse military service."-Albert Einstein

And I have another one too!

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."-Albert Einstein

Clever bastard he was.

 

[asinann]

Nope, not everyone is suited for the army and will get anything beneficial from it...

National service, at least the concept of it, doesn't require military service. It's just 2 years working for the government in some non-profit getting paid to do what would otherwise be volunteer work. Military service I imagine could be substituted for it though.

 

[JRslinger]

I don't think it's right to force people to join the military against their will. However if you are a nation like Israel I can appreciate why national service happens.

 

[dmase]

The problem is the government would have to pay for the benefits they all recieve such as accidents during basic and combat, college, assisting in finding work, and the benefits go on. I think that all our service men should get these benefits but covering the expenses for that large an army would be hard to do.

 

[new_age_reject]

Hell no, we have enough meat-heads who sign themselves up for it as it is.
There are other ways of teaching people respect instead of making them shoot people in illegal wars with unfit equipment. I will never fight in our army.

 

[sallene]

EDIT - redacted, dont mind me.