Do you think there should be compulsory military training in the US?

Question

Just curious as to what you think about this and why. I was reading Dr. Laura's blog about this in light of the tragic events at Virginia Tech and this is what she had to say:
I believe every household should have at least one person trained and certified to shoot a gun. I believe every young person between 18 and 20 years of age should be required to receive compulsory military training. Over 70 nations in the world require some level of compulsory military service on the part of their young citizens including countries such as Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Why shouldn’t the United States be as prepared as these countries? I believe we as Americans should be equipped mentally and physically to protect ourselves, our family, and our Country

What do you think?

Answer 1

Well, these countries all have a long history of universal conscription. You won't find a single developed country that hasn't done it in the past but all of a sudden decided to implement it. Several of the countries on that list are phasing out compulsary 1 or 2 year military service.

It's very expensive and there are doubts as to its usefulness in a world that is no longer constantly on the brink of full out war.

I don't think we should. A modern, advanced nation shouldn't force its citizens onto a path they do not choose. Unless it were absolutely necessary it's a bad idea. We've already spent hundreds of billions of dollars getting soldiers killed. Sending millions and millions of kids to military training every year would be inconceivably expensive.

Such a policy is almost surely not going to be implemented in any country where there is no history of it unless they international situation strongly dictates it, which is currently does not. Everyone thinks that since a dozen guys crashed planes into buildings that the entire universe is moments away from collapsing, did they forget about a whole half century where nuclear war was seemingly just around the corner?

about 50% of Americans voted Republican and 50% voted Democratic. I would be willing to guess that barely any Demoractic voters would favour it and certainly not a huge majority of Republicans. It's an idea pushed and pushed by the militant conservative population, but there's no wide support at all for such an idea.

Answer 2

from the way i see it America's policy towards military training usually ensures that those who only want to serve the country get trained.

Not to be offensive but don't you think it would be worse if another crackpot decides to conduct Virgina tech 2 but he has some prior training in handgun usage and military tactics.

Also i feel than even if there were people on campus who had this knowledge, they would be mowed down like the rest as they are would most likely be unarmed during this time.

But then again, it would be a good idea to have everyone serve, maybe 6 months each.

Th prob with this kind of problem is that its hard to predict, only react. You cant go around viewing every loner, serious person with fear and suspicion. If nothing it will may push the borderline cases off the edge

Answer 3

I agree with the majority of answers on this page. I am currently serving in the military, and think that between high school and college healthy American citizens who do not have a criminal record should be required to attend one of the four armed forces basic trainnings and an "A-School" to learn a millitary skill. After this trainning They would be offered an oppurtunity to attend college (if they could afford it or were selected for an officer program). If they choose not to attend college they should be required to fill a noncombat roll in the millitary for 2 years (only volunteers should enter combat). If they went the college route then after graduation they should do the same 2 year minimum service requirement. The only problem I have is that everyone keeps saying males, and currently onle males are required to register for selective service. If we are all so equal now why do females get to skip all the responsibilty but expect the same freedoms?

Answer 4

no, it is available, it's called the us military. I think the younger generations have bought into the guns are bad media mentality, and think only neo nazi red necks own or know how to use fire arms, and that they should be banned because guns are bad, no one wants to hurt us, and America is a bully. this is a violent and vicious world at times, and people want what you have, that a fact of history. So take a hunters safety course, and learn that it's the person behind it that is either bad or good, trained or un trained. and at Va Tech, where where the campus police? no one is questioning where these guys where at as far I I can tell. but no matter what is done, there will always be nut jobs killing others and then themselves, it's happened way before guns came around. no to mandatory gun training, doctor laura needs to stick to family counseling, not hand gun issues, she's really discussing something out of her profession. I don't hunt because I don't need to, and I don't own a gun, because I choose not to. but I do have the right to, and so do you.

Answer 5

YES I DO...I think it would be good for all democratic countries to have their young serve at least 3 years after high school...it would give the children disicipline and direction.and would strengthen a country....that means rich and poor alike would experience life for a good country on the same playing field...it would also build character ...LOOK at israel all their children have to serve 4 years in the military post high school and no nation has known more enemies throughout history and today than the nation of israel That does not mean that the government during that time of service would have the right to send them into war zones...as it would be a time of training and dicipline only...

Answer 6

Ahhh Dr. Laura is...well if any thing she speaks her mind....personally if there was open carry on that campus how many people would that terrorist have shot? maybe 1 and then some one else who was trained and certified to carry and discharge a weapon would have ended it.... instead HELPLESS people scurried in to any hidey hole they could find and hoped police would take care of this terrorist. want to continue to be one of these helpless sheep? As Morals erode people think that the have the right and need to murder wantonly, and you as a gun shy liberal allow them to thrive and continue the slaughter.... if a finger needs to be pointed it needs to point at those who want to take the guns. Through out history criminals have always been able to get weapons... you do not stop criminals from getting guns...only those who would defend that which is theirs.

As for military service...good idea. I think that there should be a civilian aspect of the service so that people who aren't necessarily suited to pulling the trigger can go and serve under the armed forces banner. Every one trained as a soldier and those suited be given the responsibility of life and death. I believe it would give this country one thing in common. I would take it farther though I would make citizenship contingent on service. no go no green card...and deportation upon 21st birthday if no service is rendered.

Answer 7

i believe that every male should go through military training. Even if that crackpot did shoot up the school, he wouldn't have killed so many people if there were people there with military experience. I am in the Army. Military isn't for everyone, i just think that most males should go through the training, and then decide for themselves if they want to be in. I also see atleast about half of the people in my unit should have never joined the military. But people make mistakes.

Answer 8

Wel I'm sorry to inform Dr. Laura but we are still have a more prepared military than those countries.

Being in Active Duty and with one trip to Iraq and two to Afghanistan required service is a horrid idea. First off people who join by volunteering end up going nuts in basic and can't handle being in the military. Second of all, do you really think everyone is meant to be in the military? Because I work with 30 other Airmen and maybe only 5 should of joined in my book.

Answer 9

Dr Laura is full of crap -- as usual.

I agree that people should know how to handle firearms in their personal life, but military service is not for everyone. Leave the protected at home, they have no place on the battlefield and they just get in the way.

The reality is that slave armies do not work.

They never have.

They never will.

Professional, volunteer, armies have proven themselves better over and over throughout history. A conservative estimate is that a single, well-trained, professional soldier is worth a platoon of conscripts.

Of the nations with compulsory military service that you cite, all have depended, to some degree on the greatest professional army ever built (US Army) for their protection for most of the 20th century and still today.

The US Army, under its guise as 95% of NATO forces, has protected Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany Norway, Sweden and Switzerland for the last 60 years.

The US Army and Navy, under the Monroe Doctrine, have guaranteed South and Central American countries, like Brazil and Mexico, freedom from interference and hostility from extra-hemispheric actors for almost 200 years.

(Notwithstanding some incidents with Austria, France. Mexico and the US that might have involved a US war with Mexico -- hey, no theory is perfect...)

Considering some modern armies:

- the professional British Expeditionary Force in World War I made a far better accounting of itself than its conscript French allies.

- the professional Officer Corps of the German Wehrmacht early in World War II put the Soviets to shame. It could easily be said that a Soviet officers job was to shoot any conscripts that ran away from the battle -- hardly a morale builder. The Germans, in contrast, were perhaps the finest fighting force ever assembled to that point in history and the early battles showed it. Strategic concerns intruded later in the war, but the individual German soldier was worth dozens of Soviet conscripts almost to the end.

Let the students at Virginia Tech and other schools carry their legal firearms to protect themselves and some of them will. Others that do not will benefit from those that do carry.

Answer 10

No, no more "compulsory" anything. This country has gone ballistic in "laws for this and that" taxes for that and this "ad infinum" and made this society too over burdened with nonsense and complications.



When a person fights to protect his family "training be hanged" a person is a "natural" fighting machine that can overcome many obstacles and has the instinct to use any force necessary for that protection.