all americans should be required to serve in the armed forces

[28 days later]

i think it would be a great idea if every american had to serve a certain amount of time in the military and you couldnt get out of it doesnt matter if your rich or you are going to college you had to or face jail time. i think it would be a sulution to our stretched front line troops and solve our obesity problem.

[Chaigidel]

obviously mandatory military service would improve the country as a whole.

[removeduser_487563287433]

If my government told me I had to waste a year or two from the best portion of my life I would anally fornicate them with the nearest appropriate metal object to hand and that would be the end of the matter.

[Shazbot]

[sarcasm]Too bad this will never happen.[/sarcasm]

How the hell would this help our situation?

[Farnan]

I disagree wholeheartedly. If you care for my reasons just ask.

[28 days later]

ya but what if you could chose when you wanted to go but it had to be between ages 18 and 40

[Shazbot]

It would still be a stupid idea, you miss the prime of your life between 18-25, and if your solid and have a good job and are married or what not, then going into service anytime later wouldn't help.

[Chaigidel]

the prime of your life -- that amuses me.

[Rhinosaur]

It would still be a stupid idea, you miss the prime of your life between 18-25, and if your solid and have a good job and are married or what not, then going into service anytime later wouldn't help.

Prime of who's life? Most people that age aren't worth a damn to anyone else, why not ship the sorry bastards out and make men out of them? They can have fun overseas, and we get the bonus of not having to be bothered by them anymore.


Godamn punk kids.

[Ramashan]

I hate to admit that I agree with this. But not for any of the reasons 28 has listed. I think cumpulsary military service would add character to people, add more of a sense on nationalism, solve a few social problems, and teach responsibility. But kids that age should also be going to college.

As for the thinned front line and the obesity, well, if you are in a war you should, as a nation be prepared to fight that war whether it be with a draft or higher recruitment. The country shouldn't go to war because it has more soldiers. The politicians don't want a draft, it would be political suicide.

As for not getting out for any reason. That's pure Utopian optimism. Many nations have compulsary service and there are always ways out. The bottomline is, if the rich don't want to serve, they'll be able to buy their way out or into a cush job.

As for obesity. Compulsary service would be between the ages of 18 to 21 or 22. The kids will go in fat, slim down, and then re-enter a society that enables over consumption. So, it would do nothing for the obesity issue.

The down side is, if you have an army of people who really don't want to be there, are they an effective army. I guess Israel has proven that it is, but other countries not so much.

[28 days later]

you could do it right after college and then you would be able to get a better job and not have to worry about doing it later

[Duffman50]

Inducting millions of Americans into the military would be catastrophically expensive.

[Miraj]

Prime of who's life? Most people that age aren't worth a damn to anyone else, why not ship the sorry bastards out and make men out of them? They can have fun overseas, and we get the bonus of not having to be bothered by them anymore.

Godamn punk kids.

Are you serious???

I mean kids have important stuff to do, like play M2TW or look at pics of Lindsay Lohan's crotch. Would you deny us this??? Why??//?

[Rhinosaur]

Gameboys and pics of Lohan's split tail issued to all soldiers solves those problems. We can even give them smokes. Odds are, they'd just spend years 18-25 living in a dorm or Mom's house eating up other people's food, smoking their pot, and drinking their liquor. I can do all that myself, especially now that I'm 26

[Ramashan]

you could do it right after college and then you would be able to get a better job and not have to worry about doing it later

That wouldn't work, mostly because once you graduate that's when you should be finding a job when the knowledge and eagerness for work is there.

In my experience, people that go to college later do better so, having a compulsary two year service that provides an education and technical training and then pays into your college fees would work. Got to school between 19 to 23 and then enter the work force at 23 or 24 with a lot of experience in your back ground. That would be the only reason to work.

But that would never fly in the US. Its not what the nation was built on. And personally, I don't trust our government to use its military responsibly.

[Rex Armeniae]

Hahah omg, good point mirage ... let us be Kids! You are only a kid once.... or twice hmm

anyways, america -> country of freedom and independence ... ?
I would run away from the us if bush forced me to go to iraq :/

[Chaigidel]

I think we should look at the level of discipline most people who serve in the military get-- it really improves there chances for a stable economic life because they know what it means to work .

[Miraj]

Hahah omg, good point mirage ... let us be Kids! You are only a kid once.... or twice hmm

Nah, I was being sarcastic. I wish I was shoved into military service when I was that age (like 3 years ago ). I still appreciate all the ass kicking my dad and cousins gave me, I would be a lot nerdier without it.

[Ramashan]

Now now 28. I would personally refuse to go to Iraq if I were drafted. I do not believe the government has been honest about this war and I believe a draft would be a waste of lives in order for them to save face.

There are ways of being a responsible citizen without going to another country to shoot people for Uncle Sam. As in my pro-thoughts for compulsary service, I see the military as a domestic asset, helping in flood zones, food delivery, fighting forest fires, etc etc. There is charity, there is teaching, there the act of simply helping your fellow citizen cross the street.

I think too many people confuse military service with being a true citizen when it is but one of many paths to this label.

[HorseArcher]

No, but I think the military job should be so inviting that most american people would be more willing to sign up voluntarily than - for example- right now.

Otherwise, the military really changes your attitude and your point of view on many things. You will drop your sissyboy attitude and laugh at yourself. thinking back before the army life.