Should americans be required to serve in the military?

[BSM1]

I wanted to join the military in my teens, anyway. They won't take me because I have mental health issues, though.

Were you on the "Group W" bench?

 

[Revoltingest]

For many of us during the Viet Nam era the military did not mature us, it just made us older. 2 years would be plenty.



The draft is not ended, it's just not being used. 18 year old males still have to register.

Make that "cismales".
We wouldn't want to fail to recognize the tremendous privilege afforded trans folk.

 

[roger1440]

I believe the military helps mature people and gets them off to a good start. Would it be good if they had to serve for at least 4 years and then do what they want. I feel more people would be more mature and responsible by serving.

Hmm, would these people be on our side?

 

[columbus]

As the wife of a 24 year army vet, the military is no better or worse at maturing folks than any other walk of life.

Oh I see.
Or, at least....

How's he doing?
Tom

 

[Baladas]

Not a chance.

 

[Baladas]

I'm not keen on some upper class politician sending some middle or lower class kid against their will to die for a cause they may not believe in, even though these politicians would protect their own from ever being enlisted and deployed. A conscript essentially becomes a prisoner and property of the government. I'm a human rights plus liberty and justice for all kinda guy, so I oppose the notion.

I completely agree.

The spirt of the idea here is good, but I think an alternative, non-militiristic angle would be better for this day and age. Instead of requiring military service, simply require service. It could be the PeaceCorps, some other non-profit, volunteer organization. Imagine what would get done if we had armies of volunteers helping build communities!

I like this idea.

 

[psychoslice]

If its for you then great, but we should not make anyone join.

 

[Revoltingest]

Were you on the "Group W" bench?

For youngsters who don't know about the Group W bench.....

 

[Laika]

I believe the military helps mature people and gets them off to a good start. Would it be good if they had to serve for at least 4 years and then do what they want. I feel more people would be more mature and responsible by serving.

I don't think you can measure maturity by unthinking, blind obedience, but by the willingness to take responsiblity. we have to reconcile the difference between the appearance of maturity that is pretty much abused into someone by wretched, broken individuals who think that because they put on a uniform they are somehow better at making life and death decisions, with actual maturity arising from personal development and growth.The difference between a monster and a hero is the willingness to accept consequences. heroes embrace death as inevitable, monsters run away from their own death and use it as a weapon against everyone else. you can't force that kind of decision on to people, noble as the intention may be. War is a question of survival and so people don't have time to develop those qualitities which we would most like to aspire to as they are being shot at. We only need heroes when something has gone terribly wrong; prevention is far better than cure, especially with wars.

that said, being forced to focus on survival can and does make someone prioritise their lives in a way few other experiences can. but I don't think near death experiences should be mandatory. If you want national service- the point of putting a gun into someone hands is to get them to kill and to shoot, so you can't seperate the act of service itself from what is required or expected of a person doing that service. obedience does not make people moral.

 

[Marisa]

Oh I see.
Or, at least....

How's he doing?
Tom

Retirement papers have been dropped. We are currently hatching post retirement employment schemes. Top of the list currently is buying a hotel in Daytona and playing on the bea . . . . . I mean running it.

It will probably change when he starts getting recruited by the civilian version of his MOS. Apparently there's quite a pay gap between the military and civilian worlds in that field.

 

[dust1n]

If I'm not mistaken, Switzerland requires all males to serve. They seem to be doing well. Not to mention a lot of them own guns, too. Not too much crime there.

There are also significantly more socialist in Switzerland than America. They seem to be doing well, independent of any slaphappy causal relationship I might immediately draw between the two.

 

[dust1n]

America can require whatever it wants, I will simply continue to ignore its directives.

If it's war you want, I cordially invite you to fund and fight it yourself.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

America has a large enough military that we don't need it. Now, if we were a smaller country with a smaller population, an argument can be made of the necessity of needing mandatory conscription in order to draw upon a large enough force for national defence.
With the way the American government already throws its weight around in global affairs with military we have, I fear that if military service were mandatory America would become a global tyrant, and I do not think it would have the policies some mandatory conscription nations have, such as only sending those who volunteered for service outside the national borders.
And, let's face it, many are not cut for military service.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Make that "cismales".
We wouldn't want to fail to recognize the tremendous privilege afforded trans folk.

Yes, that needs to be fixed. You want to be a man, well, you need to deal with all that goes along with it. Welcome to the world of men.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes, that needs to be fixed. You want to be a man, well, you need to deal with all that goes along with it. Welcome to the world of men.

I'll also welcome women to the world of men.

Hey....I sound almost feministic!

 

[Stevicus]

I believe the military helps mature people and gets them off to a good start. Would it be good if they had to serve for at least 4 years and then do what they want. I feel more people would be more mature and responsible by serving.

I tried to enlist when I was 19, but they didn't take me due to not having 100% mobility in my arms. It was the early 1980s. I suppose if it had been in another era or a time of war when the military needed every man they could get, they probably would have taken me. But at the time, they had more than enough recruits. The current volunteer system seems more than adequate for our needs.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I tried to enlist when I was 19, but they didn't take me due to not having 100% mobility in my arms. It was the early 1980s. I suppose if it had been in another era or a time of war when the military needed every man they could get, they probably would have taken me. But at the time, they had more than enough recruits. The current volunteer system seems more than adequate for our needs.

My shins, knees, and feet are so messed up they wouldn't take me. I have bowed shins, my feet point way outwards and it hurts to bring them in, and I had my first knee surgery while I was still in high school.

 

[ChristineES]

I voluntarily served in the Navy. I wouldn't want people in the military who don't wish to serve. I think that would cause a lot of problems. As far as I can see, there are plenty of people who want to serve, for various reasons.

 

[muichimotsu]

I'd rather see mandatory Master's degrees. It would be cheaper per head, still teach the value of discipline and adulthood, and contribute something to the world that is more lasting than yet another magically disappearing defense contract or yet another murdered child.

Maybe bachelor's would be a more reasonable start, though I'm not aware of the exact comparisons of cost relative to each goal anyway.

 

[muichimotsu]

Conscription has multiple issues, both ethically and politically, the major ones being that it seems to force patriotism by the state's force, not to mention the logistical lack of necessity of it, since we have a generally steady recruitment, unless I'm mistaken.

I'm a generally pacifist individual, practically conscientious objector, so there's that, though I also imagine they wouldn't find me nearly as obedient as they'd desire with a general psychological evaluation, so I'd probably be rejected on principle, even if my body is otherwise healthy.