why not bring back conscription?

Question

I think the government should make it compulsary for all 18yr olds to spend two years in the armed forces

Answer 1

Not totally agree. A lot of youngsters are pretty decent. I would like to see some form of "Short Conscription for habitual trouble makers, on the proviso that they would not be required to serve in a combat situation. But they could take over the mundane duties of the professional soldier, thereby taking the strain off our military

Answer 2

Funny answers here ,mostly BS, For the college boy who thinks college kids are too important to serve: Get off your deferment and fight for your country. You benefit the most from America. The reasons you become Doctors is to make money , surveys have shown this. 98% of you are concerned only with the money.
For the British lifer who thinks you can buy heart, soul and guts and doesn't want to be "hindered" Tell that to all the World War Two Vets , 75% of Allied WWII vets were drafted.
To the guy who said "time and time again it has been shown not to work" , tell that to the Israeli military they are conscripts. Want more examples?
The fact is conscripted miltaries are and have always been more effective. In recent times a comparison shows conscripted armies give fifty times more bang for the buck. Do the math yourself, I have.
More draftees have died in wars for the cause of freedom than volunteers and just in case you're too young to remember; the reason Nixon ended the draft was for political reasons , not for military ones.

Answer 3

Would this be because you view all youth as evil and misdirected? What about those who, as I did, had to go out and get well-paid work early on, to suppourt my elderly, poorly-provisioned parents? What about the disruption to the academic life of students? Whilst they are playing at being the soldiers/air-force and navy that they don't want to be all day, they are not able to study their chosen A level subjects, which will take them on to a university degree. Or do you think we don't need any engineers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, linguists, etc., in this Utopian future of yours?
I probably have a lot more discipline about me than many products of the armed forces - I've frequently worked with them, and unless someone is telling them exactly what to do all day, they cannot seem to function, showing no initiative of their own. As for it being a corrective for the criminal elements of society, I'd prefer they weren't physically optimised and trained to kill, thanks all the same.
See that? No personal insult to you, just an opposing opinion.

Answer 4

I agree i work with the military and the change in the boys as they progress through training is sometimes unbelievable it gives them a sense of pride ,interaction skills that many r missing in the computer age and the opportunity for a trade to take back to "the real world"

Answer 5

Answered this same question recently,all British armed forces are made up of highly trained and motivated men and women , the last thing they want is to be hindered by people just marking time until they get out,that is all you would get in this day and age

Answer 6

For what purpose? We don't need such a military. And many of these people have far more useful things to do with their time than do pushups. Imagine the disruption it would create as these people start college, then have to quit for 2 years until they're 20.

Answer 7

because its proven time and time again conscription doesn't work.

russia is trying all it can to get away from it and many other countries like ukraine and greece wish they didn't have it, but don't have the money for a regualr army.

conscripts is something no military wants, especially here in america, it would be costly for one, to train poeple just so they get out, and it would only lower the moral of effectivness of troops by mixing in people who do not want to be there.

Answer 8

Totally against the military. Costa Rica doesn´t have armed foreces and is ok. No government can make me or my children do something we are against, diplomacy is the solution to all conflicts, wars should never exist.

No, we have the right do decide we fight for our country, not necessarily going to a war, but to do better in our everyday life.

Answer 9

I'm all for it. You've only got to watch Bad Lad's Army to see the benefits of a few weeks of strict discipline. It would give some of these little chavs a bit of self pride and a lesson into respecting others.

Answer 10

i agree partially. If you have a job, career or university then maybe not two years, just one. But is you are unemployed, wasting time, space and money, then a bit of discipline, routine and exercise will make the world of difference. Teenagers may actually begin to respect others as well as themselves.