Absolutely Not.

The reason mandatory service will not work is because what do you do with someone who refuses to play? They show up as required but they don't do what they are supposed to do. Put them in jail?

The idolized image of the DI providing specialized wall to wall counseling to fix the problem recruit is a fantasy in today's world. The DI who lays a hand on a recruit today will be brought up on charges and career ended.

The root of all motivation in todays military is that they want to be there and can be kicked out. Forcing someone into any kind of (not military) conscripted service without a way to deal with this would undermine the entire program. Now you are reading this and thinking well lets just bring back the old school discipline but really, we as a society would never accept seeing little Susan being beaten around in order to force compliance.

And of course, how will it be paid for?

Mandatory Service for the greater good- Sort of like Taxes taken for the greater good.

Is there really a difference?

I lived under the draft during my teenage years and signed up as everybody else did. At the time Vietnam was raging with greater and greater body counts reported daily. Myself and my hangout friends were very nervous waiting for that letter. We had decided that we would enlist if any of us got the letter. We knew we could at least we pick our branch of service. As it turned out the lottery was done and all of us were higher numbers meaning that Uncle Sam would only call on us if Red Chinese openly crossed the border as an fighting army not just "advisors". So we sat it out, none of us went into the service and continued to "play" on the streets. I may have been safer in the service as I was shot once, stabbed, fell off of a building, got STDs and really don't remember 1967-69 too well. Both of my sons enlisted in the service after HS and for them it was a super choice. The oldest (member of this forum) is a former Marine Sqt which his MOS carried over into civilian life as did his younger brother former Navy NCO, I'm very proud of them and their service. Between the two of them they saw many of the hot spots pre/post 9/11 and they both came home with ten fingers and ten toes and no holes. Given the youth of today and how many are sorta lost a mandatory service, be it military or civilian, would be a good thing if nothing else it would give them a path to follow for the rest of their life. Chris

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
As I've stated before, I wouldn't make military service, or any sort of public service, strictly mandatory for everyone across the board. But I'm in favor of requiring some period of obligatory structured public service, either military or civilian, before certain civic privileges are earned, like voting or holding public office. (Robert A. Heinlein-style.)

This could be military service, or civilian service in something like the National Health Service, Civilian Conservation Corps, Americorps, etc.

I'd allow working in certain public service fields to also qualify, like LE/Fire/EMS, teaching, nursing, etc.

Don't want to serve your nation/community and contribute to the common good? That's fine. That's your choice. But you don't get a say in how it is run.

This right here.

While we'll always have a small percentage of slackers who'll probably never come around, a program like the above would prove to be a benefit to many young men and women, as well as our country.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
there was just some celebrity on some talk show , speaking of safety and world travel

he said Israel was the safest place he'd ever visited.

they got some stuff going on over there

Yes they do. They also have well armed and well trained soldiers on nearly every street corner, especially in Jerusalem. Other parts...not so much. But it's still very safe.

I only felt threatened once when I was there, when some muslim asshole threatened to "cut my fucking throat" because I wouldn't buy one of his knick-knacks while wandering through the old city. He was screaming at me in arabic which was translated by an Iraqi that was in my group.

The police/IDF took care of the problem in no time flat as they were standing about 20 feet away. I don't think that the rest of that fella's day turned out quite like he expected.

I think making a draft work in a country with some semblance of individual rights requires a degree of civil cohesion we've likely lost. Short of doing it immediately after something like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, with the explicit intent to avenge such, trying to impose a military draft would evoke a huge backlash of protest and non-compliance. It's one thing for LE to chase down a small percentage of draft dodgers. It would be entirely different if a large percentage simply refused to comply, and had a large number of enablers/supporters who'd protest / lobby on their behalf. We started to see this at the tail end of Viet Nam. It was essentially what forced us out of that war.

As far as a non-military compulsory civilian service, I think you'd see a lot of the same thing. There would be vast non-compliance, and the cost of funding it, and trying to ride herd on the ones refusing to play would make it not worth the cost.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
I used to believe in an all volunteer army/navy military.

But as I've seen the country drifting farther and farther apart, I realize that we have little in common as Americans. A common experience, such as two years of military service might help. It works for the Israelis.

The military wants the best of society, not the worst. These people would likely be useless and disruptive. Also, back in the day, the military could use methods of persuasion that aren't available now to force troublemakers to get with the program. And even with that, they were still probably more problematic than they're worth.

quote:

Originally posted by side_shot:
we should have something in place for youth offenders you go to jail or learn a trade help fix the crumbling infrastructure go in the military

No. No matter how well intentioned the Leftists would just mess it up or corrupt it for their own ends.

No, I want to live in a free country where I am free to do what I want without it being mandated.

I served 26 years in the military and would not have wanted to be surrounded by people that didn't want to be there.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
I think making a draft work in a country with some semblance of individual rights requires a degree of civil cohesion we've likely lost. Short of doing it immediately after something like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, with the explicit intent to avenge such, trying to impose a military draft would evoke a huge backlash of protest and non-compliance.

But, but, but, it’s good for you. Everyone will be better off for having done it. We want everyone to be better, don’t we?

That’s generally what the progs tell us when they have dreamed up some new program.

However, “Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” C. S. Lewis

No.

I didn't need a civil service post (military or otherwise) to develop a work ethic, discipline, or love of country. Making me work alongside others who don't have those traits is just legislating to the lowest common denominator.

You would also be taking away 2 to 4 years of career time from the most productive members of society, and also be paying 2 to 4 years of wages to some that what will eventually become the least productive members of society. The ultimate result is a progressive tax--burdening the people at the top with the hopes of helping those at the bottom.

Instead of mandatory civil service we should just eliminate handout type welfare programs, and implement a civil works program. The fact that we pay people to do nothing while litter, graffiti, or potholes exist is insane.
Every single person receiving government benefits should have to work for those benefits, no matter how trivial the job. Drugged out, mentally insane? Sure, sit here at this table and watch these flowers grow for 8 hours a day. Mother of 12 and no childcare? Sure, sit here at this child care center, with your kids, and sing and read to them for 8 hours a day.

I don't care if my street gets striped for the 13th time this year, or that someone is literally just continuously walking a quarter mile loop and picking up trash at the park--we should absolutely not be handing money to people in exchange for nothing.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
No, I want to live in a free country where I am free to do what I want without it being mandated.

I served 26 years in the military and would not have wanted to be surrounded by people that didn't want to be there.

I was only in for 6 years and I was surrounded by draftees who didn't want to be there. Many lazy screw ups and some rather interesting guys - Doctors, lawyers and businessmen.

Apparently, there wasn't any "deferments" in the '50's.

I am 100% behind some form of national service. Don't want to be in the military? go work in a hospital or fight forest fires.

It's a good idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

Instead of mandatory civil service we should just eliminate handout type welfare programs, and implement a civil works program. The fact that we pay people to do nothing while litter, graffiti, or potholes exist is insane.
Every single person receiving government benefits should have to work for those benefits, no matter how trivial the job. Drugged out, mentally insane? Sure, sit here at this table and watch these flowers grow for 8 hours a day. Mother of 12 and no childcare? Sure, sit here at this child care center, with your kids, and sing and read to them for 8 hours a day.

I don't care if my street gets striped for the 13th time this year, or that someone is literally just continuously walking a quarter mile loop and picking up trash at the park--we should absolutely not be handing money to people in exchange for nothing.

I could get behind that. Focuses the structure/discipline/work ethic training where it's needed most.

It was a good idea 40 years ago. Today, the military would be inundated with fat, gamer soi-bois that I don't believe they are equipped to deal with.

the service that needs to be provided is after care for veterans.

so yeah 36 months of service before the age of 40 ,

this will accomplish two things
A. will help people who did not want to serve, appreciate what the vet's go through.

B. will help those that vet's that require assistance.

C. will let people who are "on the fence " about serving know that there will be assistance if their tour(s) go side ways.
thus more people would sign up to serve

and NO the government is NOT going to pay you , it's your dime when you attend to those needing attention