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Not exclusively, but I think government service should be. Have a peace corps and/or CCC option for those who want options beyond the military. Have everyone give a couple years to society for a decent wage with the option to continue.
I’m in this camp as well.
Placing young Americans in public service roles across healthcare, educations, public infrastructure, first response, etc. could provide many of the same benefits of military service without the unneeded bloat (and possibly a positive ROI as the roles I listed are all massively underserved).
I think it would also be a good way to connect people of different socioeconomic backgrounds and help bridge the massive divides that have arisen in the last 10 years.
Chief
I agree that some form of service should be used to promote civics and good citizenship. Teaching (TFA), childcare, public works, international development (Peace Corps) in lieu of military service should be required for 2 years.
Of course, I’d also want to dismantle public unions so as not to further empower corrupt entities which pay politicians to vote for their causes and are not accountable to voters.
I was with you until you mentioned public unions. Don't you mean global conglomerates and special interest groups (oil lobby, pharma lobby, etc.)? The level of mental gymnastics needed to believe that joe schmos getting together to demand better pay is somehow more dangerous than entities with billions in assets and direct influence with those in power, is impressive.
No, the all volunteer force is the most deadly force the world has known
That’s just the world we have to operate in these days. I’d rather serve with people who want to be there than those who do not, regardless of R.O.E
No I don’t think half the people that volunteered should be in
European countries get all those benefits because the US provides the muscle. The US funds all of this through debt. It’s currently at $34t and is increasing it by $1t every three months at this point. Debt is currently 124% GDP. 50/51 countries that have exceeded 130% GDP since 1800 have defaulted (zombie Japan is current outlier). US being at the top of the economic world order will probably exceed this like Japan. But next decades going to be wild.
Sources: https://www.usdebtclock.org/
https://www.lynalden.com/does-the-national-debt-matter/
Yes. If not military, some form of public/gov’t service (Peace Corps, etc.).
Not in the US.
Yes
How would we afford it? Or do you mean keep current levels just have a lottery for enlisted in top of any volunteers ?
Roughly 1/4 of the population is frankly not intelligent enough to pass the ASVAB.
Another 1/3 are too fat.
Good percent have made poor life choices or have health impediments.
So no, it shouldn’t be mandatory and any argument otherwise is poorly thought-out. It’s respected because while it’s not Ivy league selective - it is still selective and it’s service by choice.
i find this poorly thought out. people are rewarded for being fat. military is not some honor it’s a shared responsibility.
It will be when we go to war with China and / or Russia. See Ukraine and every US industrial scale conflict. The all volunteer force nearly broke in Iraq and they were not incurring anything near a small percentage of the casualties Ukraine is taking.
Yes
Why? And how would it be implemented ?
No, I enjoy civil liberties while living in an open market. Forcing things on to people causes poor quality soldiers that don't want to be there and treat their "service" like a prison sentence.
Lawd sweet baby Jesus... can you imagine Gomer Pile, Billy Boi, and some soft home schooled kid who's never been outside of the basement without his XBox/PS5 in the fox hole next to you in WWIII? (11B fun topics we've sparred about while sitting around cleaning weapons) 🤓
if ur proud of catching bullets for fatties more power to you
in any case read the John T Reed article in this thread, delves deeper than finger typed posts here
NO!
Unless we're dramatically restructuring our social benefits. If everybody gets GI Bill and veterans benefits, we may as well just say college and healthcare are free for everybody.
We’re heading that way anyways re benefits (tbd on how the US is going to pay off the $34T debt). And it’d still be be limited by the headcount requirements of the military ya? So wouldn’t materially change how much the spend is, just who gets it. I’d imagine the draft would be on top of the AVF to ensure headcount minimums are met?
Rising Star
Dear lord plz no. If you have to force people into service it means they’re not being paid enough to be there of their own accord. Have to make the economics make sense.
Also, try and lead folks that want to be there on a bad day, then ask yourself if you want the folks that were forced to be there…
before yall answer read this, changed my mind
https://johntreed.com/blogs/john-t-reed-s-blog-about-military-matters/66448067-should-there-be-a-military-draft
what did u find racist?
Only during times of war, and I mean ACTUAL war, not the ticky tack laundry list of 'military conflicts' we've had since WWII. Thing is, when something like that actually happens, people will find their way in by themselves. After 9/11, everyone and their grandpa were itching for a chance to serve. Unfortunately, it was not to be a definitive war like we were all hoping, but you get the idea. Despite all the memes, I don't think there would be a shortage of volunteers if Chinese tanks were rolling down the streets of LA.
This question gets asked a lot but should probably be reframed for more meaningful responses. On one hand you have people responding from a military capability standpoint in which the answer is probably that mandatory service isn’t a great idea. But from the viewpoint of is public service good for our citizens the answer is obviously yes. Both of these statements can be true, so hard to give a straight answer.
Fair enough I misinterpreted, thought you were equating the two
Here is a food for thought!
Until recently, you are old enough (18 years) to kill or get killed for the country, but not old enough to legally purchase a tobacco product or alcohol. That tells me even the government knows military service should not be mandatory!
That’s why less than 1% of the U.S. population serve in Armed Forces.
Not be necessarily compulsory military service. But I do believe in compulsory civil service. You should have to do two years or three years working within a civil service capacity at the minimum wage. Now that could mean as a janitor that could mean as a firefighter, EMT, military, or some other version of that.