If your country doesn't have it, should it have mandatory military service?

[Cheezy the Wiz]

No, we all knew how well that worked during Nam....

Are you serious? That wasn't mandatory military service, that was a draft. And Americans have been drafted since the Civil War, its not a purely "Nam" thing.

 

[StarWorms]

Isn't this a bit like slavery?

 

[Irish Caesar]

Before we teach people to kill, perhaps we should think about teaching them to help other people?

Why not compulsory community service? Much more productive and valuable to a society.

What with college admissions and stuff, community service has become almost complusory these days to get into top schools. Personally, I think it makes people look at service as another way to be a selfish jerk; mandatory service eliminates the bit about doing something good for others.

 

[Stylesjl]

Soldiers and military personnel are economically speaking: parasites. They contribute as much as a person paid to dig holes and then fill them up again. So drafting young people is just inefficient and stupid. It would be much more beneficial to build lots of WMDs, keep a small professional army. Or even better: Have no army at all.

Aim for peace, not war

 

[Stylesjl]

And when people are burning flags, criticising their government and generally disrespecting their country- I think its a good sign. About time somebody realised nationalism is a stupid idea

 

[LucyDuke]

Would women such as yourself have to join?

Or is it a men only draft like vietnam?

Absolutely, women would have to join. Why wouldn't they? If they're pregnant, they can get a deferment, but not an exemption. I can't think of anything other than pregnancy that would make a woman unable to serve. Anyone unfit for combat can do something else. No exceptions for anyone, especially not Senators' children.

 

[Xanikk999]

Are you serious? That wasn't mandatory military service, that was a draft. And Americans have been drafted since the Civil War, its not a purely "Nam" thing.

Well vietnam is the most recent example, and there was much more nationalism and enthusiasm in the days of the civil war then vietnam. I think thats obvious.

Most of those conscripted during the civil war volunteered, and about only 2%were drafted, at least for the Union side. Not sure about the confederates but i wager its not too different.

The United States first employed national conscription during the American Civil War. The vast majority of troops were volunteers, however: of the 2,100,000 Union soldiers, about 2% were draftees, and other 6% were paid

And before you whine about how i used wikipedia, there was a source for this quote.

 

[Red Door]

Xanikk, by your post, you clearly don't realize the difference between conscription (the draft) and mandatory military service. Mandatory military service is where you are required to serve in the military for X years, conscription is where you can get drafted into military service for X years.

 

[Xanikk999]

Xanikk, by your post, you clearly don't realize the difference between conscription (the draft) and mandatory military service. Mandatory military service is where you are required to serve in the military for X years, conscription is where you can get drafted into military service for X years.

Ok i know i dont understand the difference but thats what the article said!

 

[Gogf]

Honestly, I wouldn't really mind. I won't join the military because it would interfere with plans for my career to much, but I'd love to serve my country. Mandatory military service fixes this problem for me, but I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't like it. On one hand, I feel like this desire is selfish; on the other, wanting to serve my country is hardly selfish. Either way, too many people would be unhappy being forced into the military that I'm generally opposed to the idea.

 

[Gogf]

On conscription:

Conscripted soldiers ("draftees") are brought into the military only during a crisis time. We had a draft during the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam. I'm a little fuzzy on the history, so I'm not sure about World War I or Korea. Regardless, mandatory military service is a different concept in that the soldiers are generally better trained and are in the military regardless of whether or not we're fighting a war.

 

[Red Door]

On conscription:

Conscripted soldiers ("draftees") are brought into the military only during a crisis time. We had a draft during the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam. I'm a little fuzzy on the history, so I'm not sure about World War I or Korea. Regardless, mandatory military service is a different concept in that the soldiers are generally better trained and are in the military regardless of whether or not we're fighting a war.

If you are over 18 and a citizen of the US, and unless you are exempt because of medical reason, you are registered for the draft automatically.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Well vietnam is the most recent example, and there was much more nationalism and enthusiasm in the days of the civil war then vietnam. I think thats obvious.

In the early days of the Vietnam War, there were astounding levels of voluntary enlistment. As the media showed exactly what was going on every day of the war, the public got tired of it.
Also, the Civil War was very different from the Vietnam War, it was more personal. There was no question why they were fighting, it was to preserve the very existence of the United States, not obscure like Vietnam.

Most of those conscripted during the civil war volunteered, and about only 2%were drafted, at least for the Union side. Not sure about the confederates but i wager its not too different.

I explained that above.

And before you whine about how i used wikipedia, there was a source for this quote.

Wikipedia's fine, I don't care, so long as you don't use it as subtitution for real research/expert opinion. In this case you're fine.

On conscription:

Conscripted soldiers ("draftees") are brought into the military only during a crisis time. We had a draft during the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam. I'm a little fuzzy on the history, so I'm not sure about World War I or Korea. Regardless, mandatory military service is a different concept in that the soldiers are generally better trained and are in the military regardless of whether or not we're fighting a war.

There was a draft in both the Great War and Korean War. The only war between 1861 and 1975 in which there was no draft was the Spanish American War, because 1) there were so many volunteers for it and 2) by the time the first class of draftees would have graduated, the war was already won!

EDIT: and Al Costa's right, you are automatically registered for the draft when you turn eighteen.

 

[Gogf]

Well, you're not "registered for the draft," you're required by law to sign up with the board of selective service in case of a draft in the future. I guess that's what you meant, though.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Well, you're not "registered for the draft," you're required by law to sign up with the board of selective service in case of a draft in the future. I guess that's what you meant, though.

Well you get a card that has your draft no. on it. It used to be law to have it with you at all times, but that went away ~1975, can't figure out why...

 

[PrincepsAmerica]

I see, i think you would be more suited to ancient rome then a modern democracy then.

Indeed, ancient Rome was about as good as it got at that time.

 

[Riffraff]

It's a measurement that takes away personal/financial freedom from a person for a year while in return gives you a force good enough to use in a defensive war. Additionally the government loses loads of tax money aswell as having to pay additional salaries and many conscripts lose momentum in their proper careers (speaking from experience here).

I'd say that the only western country that gains from this is Israel - for all others the idea is outdated.

 

[Princeps]

Indeed, ancient Rome was about as good as it got at that time.

If you want to use Ancient Rome as an example of mandatory military service, then according to you we should start using mobs to drag people into the military, no matter how much they kick and scream. Maybe Americans too will start chopping off their thumbs to avoid military service.

 

[Shylock]

Yes, it adds much needed skills to the public.

Yes, killiing people and following orders without thought is a wonderful skill.


The 13th amendment precludes the United States from engaging in that sort of behaviour. Although who is going to arrest the police really?

 

[Irish Caesar]

The 13th amendment precludes the United States from engaging in that sort of behaviour. Although who is going to arrest the police really?

What, a draft?

Arver v. United States (1918) disagreed when that was claimed during WWI conscription.

Personally, I think "servitude" would mean something uncompensated anyway.