Compulsory military service?

[The Monkey]

Do you think that you country should keep/establish compulsory military service? That you, for example, was forced to be trained by the army at x number of months to be ready in an event of war, where you were called in to fight for you country.
Sweden does have compulsory military service but personally I'm against it, I see no reason for young men and women to be forced to spend 1½ year on something they don't like, and wont have any need for in their future lives. What do you think?

 

[The Mullinator]

I think there should be a form of compulsory military training. It would be like a weaker (much weaker) version of boot camp for 6 months, however it would be just the training. No military service required after ever.

It would certainly toughen people up which is something I would like to see.

 

[Icarusintel]

there should be at least 1 year of compulsory military service after the mandatory training time and people should be able to be called up for 5 years after their 1 year of service, but they should be allowed to decide whether they wanted to serve in combat or a support position
edit: I live in America, and I'm sad we don;t have compulsory military service, if anything the training is good for teaching general skills that many people seem to lack

 

[Pericolos0]

let people decide on what they want. I only have 1 life and don't want to waste a year of it on an in my eyes pointless year of military service

 

[AzzMan]

Very bad thing. Last thing we need isa bunch of cowards on the batttlefield who will desert at the first sign of danger. When you need a shovel, a spoon will not do.

 

[Ames]

If a war starts, I want to know that everyone I know will be safe.

I'll go with a weaker and shortened version of boot camp.

 

[Icarusintel]

let people decide on what they want. I only have 1 life and don't want to waste a year of it on an in my eyes pointless year of military service

education's compulsory in many countries, and that's several years of life wasted

 

[Maxi]

We have it, most finns think it's good. As do I.

 

[Razor]

There should be 1 year of military service after you finish school that is compulsory, teaching leadership skills, fitness, and how to look after yourselfs and your personal space. The final 6 months, the person should be given the opportunity to then move onto something where they can learn a trade in the military, engineering, leadership skills, foreign language, etc. No compulsory military service though i.e. sent to war, only military training.

 

[Foxtrot]

I think this could help out many countries with their weight problems, but there is no need for military training. Just somthing to get all the people in bad shape a bit more healthy, but anything with guns would NEVER be allowed, it would pretty much be a lawyers wet dream.

 

[Maxi]

I think this could help out many countries with their weight problems, but there is no need for military training. Just somthing to get all the people in bad shape a bit more healthy, but anything with guns would NEVER be allowed, it would pretty much be a lawyers wet dream.

Well it isn't in Finland.

 

[Foxtrot]

Well it isn't in Finland.

What do you mean?

 

[Maxi]

What do you mean?

We have a compulsory military training with guns and everything, we get to shoot live ammo and training ammo (ammo with wooden bullets), we get to "play war" once and sometimes get called in for reserve training.

Then again we need a compulsory military service since otherwise Finland could be invaded by Luxemburg

 

[Foxtrot]

We have a compulsory military training with guns and everything, we get to shoot live ammo and training ammo (ammo with wooden bullets), we get to "play war" once and sometimes get called in for reserve training.

Then again we need a compulsory military service since otherwise Finland could be invaded by Luxemburg

I knew your country had that, just wasn't sure if that is what you were refering to in my post. The problem in America is that every shooting is blamed on somthing then what it should be, so now the lawyers could blame the government saying that guns are thrown everywhere infront of them etc etc.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

It's good in the sense that it instills respect and gives youths the experiences they'd need. (Not talking about combat training, I mean the life values learned)

But, I don't support it due to the threat it poses to the superiority of our armed forces. A professional army made of volunteers is much more powerful than any conscripted force. Good soldiers driven by their own will to serve and protect the nation on average can do much better than those forced to enlist who do not have any feelings towards defending their country.

 

[Pesmerga]

Nope, never. If the populace of any country does not have the enthusiasm to support their own country, then most likely, there's no reason to protect it.

If *any* American president calls out to the American people to protect the country, I gaurentee you'll get massive response.

 

[PvtRyan]

I suppose it's a good thing. It can go two ways I think, either you'll experience it like an educational time where you learned skills and discipline and met new people, or like complete hell.

 

[Kebean PFC]

I would go for the one year of basic. I would also like to see firearm saftey tought in public schools (Like Health Skills). It really bugs me to see people waste thier lives on drugs, alcohol, etc.

Although as a person who is going into the military my views are stinted

 

[jimbo118]

no,nanny states are bad

 

[Kangy]

Why should I waste my one and only life being shouted at, and living with a group of people I'd never get along with? That's not "character building", that's called "forcibly turning me into a hostile person".

 

[Pesmerga]

Basic training does involve lots of yelling, but it's nowhere near demoralizing or dehumanizing. Honestly, if you look at it with a clear mind, you'll know that strict discipline and responsibility go a LONG way in your life. I think even a month in basic training would help me beyond any self-motivated crap I can fool myself with. I'm so unbelievably unmotivated and lack a decent will. But then again, who knows? That's diving too deep in the psycho pool.

 

[CptStern]

you can achieve a sense of responsibility with higher education. Not only does it teach you to think independently but it also centers you in the grander scheme of things. Physical conditioning can also have adverse effects as it forces you to conform. Whereas mental conditioning lets you bring your individualism to the forefront


in other words: no it shouldnt be mandatory but rather a choice

 

[bliink]

Why should I waste my one and only life being shouted at, and living with a group of people I'd never get along with? That's not "character building", that's called "forcibly turning me into a hostile person".

I agree.
I know a bunch of guys who are in the army, and, well.. the culture sucks.
It'd be one of the most unappealing environments I can think of.

 

[Calanen]

Why should I waste my one and only life being shouted at, and living with a group of people I'd never get along with? That's not "character building", that's called "forcibly turning me into a hostile person".

I think if you talk to most people who have been in the military you would find that they do not agree with you. It turns a lot of people's lives around, because, in the military there are no excuses. And many people today take no responsibility for their lives, the outcomes of the choices they make. They blame everyone else and collectively blame society. In the military, you are responsible and you are held responsible. Your mommy is not there to clean up your room and if you fubar something someone could die. So have some pride in yourself, have some confidence and get things done.

The military teaches you skills that assist you to get things done efficiently and with precision that you would take with you your whole life.

That said - the utility of military service is kind of marginal as far as having a pool of people who can use weapons. It takes a long time for people to be trained properly on the modern warfare systems of today. And I can't think that Australia really needs that many people in the military, it is still way too hard to get in. When they relax their standards a bit I'll start believing that they are short of people.

 

[Foxtrot]

you can achieve a sense of responsibility with higher education. Not only does it teach you to think independently but it also centers you in the grander scheme of things. Physical conditioning can also have adverse effects as it forces you to conform. Whereas mental conditioning lets you bring your individualism to the forefront


in other words: no it shouldnt be mandatory but rather a choice

Physical condition does not make you conform, unless you mean being healthy is conformity. Which would also mean drinking liquid is conformity, and eating too, so lets all be cool and stop eating and drinking.

 

[Zeus]

I don't support it - anyone should be able to choose what they want to do with their life, not be forced

 

[Korgoth]

There is no freedom in forced service... A truely free person should be allowed to plot their own course in life, not be handed one by their government.

 

[Kebean PFC]

You are forced to go to school. That said, compolsory military SERVICE... no, but i think as a senior in High School, you should go through some form of militaresqe (sp) training. Having gone through one week of it in a place called Lost Valley (for a reason) i can say that it isn't that bad. And if you go with an open mind, you will do even better.

Mind you, this one week was a ROTC camp and in was certainly a lost valley. No humans had been there for at least a year.

 

[CptStern]

Physical condition does not make you conform, unless you mean being healthy is conformity. Which would also mean drinking liquid is conformity, and eating too, so lets all be cool and stop eating and drinking.

the training is meant to make you think act and react as part of a whole

 

[Murray_H]

There should be 1 year of military service after you finish school that is compulsory, teaching leadership skills, fitness, and how to look after yourselfs and your personal space. The final 6 months, the person should be given the opportunity to then move onto something where they can learn a trade in the military, engineering, leadership skills, foreign language, etc. No compulsory military service though i.e. sent to war, only military training.

But what about people that want to go on to uni? If they couldn't afford to go to univesity (but were mentally capable), they would have to do their year service, then take a gap year to work, then go to uni. So that's 2 years they've lost out on.

Besides, uni is just about as good a wake up call as anything, no-one watches your back (except friend maybe), but you have to get your finger out and function properly. I'd prefer (and am prefering) to work out how to look after myself, by myself, rather than have someone bark at me and conform to their standards.

 

[Calanen]

I don't support it - anyone should be able to choose what they want to do with their life, not be forced

Does that include the payment of taxes? Jury duty? Giving evidence in a criminal trial? Driving with a driving license? Driving on the right side of the road?

It seems reasonable that if the state needs its citizens to defend it so there remains a state, that they be compelled to provide such assistance if they want to remain there.

 

[Calanen]

There is no freedom in forced service... A truely free person should be allowed to plot their own course in life, not be handed one by their government.

So during WW2 it was wrong of the state to compel persons in Allied nations to do militarys service when they faced the biggest emergency those nations have ever faced?

If you live in a society - a country and take its benefits as a citizen. Then you also as part of the bargain take on other aspects of the social contract - obeying laws, paying taxes, and potentially being called on by the state to defend it. You cannot just be in free ride mode...............

 

[Calanen]

Besides, uni is just about as good a wake up call as anything, no-one watches your back (except friend maybe), but you have to get your finger out and function properly. I'd prefer (and am prefering) to work out how to look after myself, by myself, rather than have someone bark at me and conform to their standards.

You are kidding right? There is really no valid comparison to between military service and hanging out with the keggers and going to frat parties. You can still have a whole list of excuses in student life. In the military there are no excuses.

And don't join the voluntary army if you don't want to. But if the nations that you choose to reside in are ever faced with attack, you better strap that gun on son. Whoever is invading will not care what your conscientious beliefs are.

Reminds me of a story a friend of my grandad's told me. He was a supply sergeant at 2nd HQ Battalian - and perhaps 20 miles away or less up the road was the main action between Australian forces and the Japanese, where the Japanese fought the Aussies outnumbering them perhaps by 5 -1. There was a dock that had ships unloading ammmuntion onto trucks to go the front lines. The trucks were not being loaded. The sgt took a squad down to the docks to find out why. He came across a lot of Australian warfies, sitting around having a ciggarette. He said, why aren't you guys unloading that ammo? 'We're on strike for more money - and because we don't support the King's war!' 'Yeah!' cheered the warfies. In those days the wharf unions were openly communist.

Not so far away - both conscripts, the militia and the regular army were fighting a pitched battle. Artillery fire could be heard.

This sgt said ' There are young boys 18-19 who are running out of ammo because you bastards aren't unloading it. And if they run out the Japanese will be down here - and they won't give a rats ass whether you guys are commies or wharfies or whatever.'

The lead wharfie says 'I'll take my chances.'

The sgt pulls his rifle of his back and said 'Well I'll shoot the lot of you before the Japanese get here then for aiding the enemy.'

The wharfies grumbled but went back to work, assisted by the squad of military and the supply sergeant.

In the same way the people who say, no military service, not ever..... just don't get it. If the time comes when military service is required, it is really going to be in your interest to go. And if you can't fight, well at least do some job that assists the military.

 

[Kangy]

I think if you talk to most people who have been in the military you would find that they do not agree with you. It turns a lot of people's lives around, because, in the military there are no excuses. And many people today take no responsibility for their lives, the outcomes of the choices they make. They blame everyone else and collectively blame society. In the military, you are responsible and you are held responsible. Your mommy is not there to clean up your room and if you fubar something someone could die. So have some pride in yourself, have some confidence and get things done.

The military teaches you skills that assist you to get things done efficiently and with precision that you would take with you your whole life.

All those things I can learn whilst doing things I actually want to do. To be fair, I'm considering applying for the Royal Marines, but I'd never want to be forced into that kind of situation.

The fact you have to pay taxes is completely different to being forced to leave home and spend a year in the army.

What'd annoy me more is what would continue to happen. Over here, a lot of rich stupid kids seem to just apply for the Officer Corps, get good positions in the army without deserving them at all. People like Prince Charles, who're effectively useless in reality, get coochy positions they can parade about with.

 

[Maxi]

Imo what most of you are missing is that when an army has a compulsory military service, the people who do it won't see any action, ever. They will only be trained in basic military skills so that if a war breaks out they will be able to be quickly trained to a "real" soldier.

Compulsory military service should not be confused with normal miltary. They are completely different, in the 'real' army you actually might have to shoot someone, and the training you receive is much more aimed at how to kill people than the training you recieve in a compulsory service.

 

[Calanen]

Imo what most of you are missing is that when an army has a compulsory military service, the people who do it won't see any action, ever. They will only be trained in basic military skills so that if a war breaks out they will be able to be quickly trained to a "real" soldier.

Compulsory military service should not be confused with normal miltary. They are completely different, in the 'real' army you actually might have to shoot someone, and the training you receive is much more aimed at how to kill people than the training you recieve in a compulsory service.

I think you are from Finland right? In the USA and Australia conscripts saw battle in WW2, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. And it was heavy battle. So never say never......

 

[MilkMan12]

I dont know if I would voluntarily join the military. But if my country required my service I would not put up a fight.

I think it would be a good thing if we had it, not to frighten people or make our army stronger. But to make us better people . It doesnt just teach you valuable things that people should know in life, but it teaches you respect and honor. I know a lot of people who just from boot camp are so much better people, they are kind, help others, dont fight. And they are incredibly intelligent. The army friends even more so. Even random army personnel I see are very respectful. They arent like robots, but they I dont know how to explain it but Im sure all of you know someone in the military.

I think its valuable to society to have everyone possibly be like this. It would shape up the people in this country, I think it would lower crime. Not everyone would be like this but most. It also is a incredible learning experience. Everyone should know how to properly disarm a weapon. Everyone should know how to keep in shape. Everyone should experience it for themselves.

It would also help if there were ever to be a draft. There wouldnt be as much of a fuss, because now the people have proper basic training, and the 6 weeks they would use for basic, is now a step higher (because they already did basic). So now we have a better trained military, better people, smarter people, less crime, and a prepared nation.

I see too many positives to think of more than 2 negatives.

 

[Razor]

But what about people that want to go on to uni? If they couldn't afford to go to univesity (but were mentally capable), they would have to do their year service, then take a gap year to work, then go to uni. So that's 2 years they've lost out on.

Besides, uni is just about as good a wake up call as anything, no-one watches your back (except friend maybe), but you have to get your finger out and function properly. I'd prefer (and am prefering) to work out how to look after myself, by myself, rather than have someone bark at me and conform to their standards.

University studends taking responsibility and looking after themselves? I thought all they did was have sex, drink, and take lots of drugs. Oh, to be a student again, not that i was the one having sex, drinking or taking lots of drugs .

 

[Absinthe]

Hell no.

If I wanted to endure that kind of thing, I'd make that decision for myself. Frankly, I don't require the military to learn about things such as honor, respect, and discipline. Wether or not I wish to fight for my country is my choice. At least it should be in a "free" nation.

And before anybody gets any wrong ideas, allow me to inform you that I do consider enlisting to be a viable option for me and that I would protect my country should it ever come under attack. But I would do so out of my own choice. Aside from watering down our military with people that are unwilling and unmotivated, I'm not sure what this would accomplish.

 

[jondy]

It depends what you mean by 'defence'. If the UK was being invaded, then I'd think conscription would be necessary. But wars like Vietnam or Iraq, IMHO, don't justify forced military service.