The US should have 2 year mandatory national service

[Leviathan]

From the ages of 18-20, every US citizen should be required to perform mandatory national service, either military or civilian. Agree, or Disagree? If agree, what would your MNS program look like?

[Darkhorse]

Disagree.

[Stratego]

Agreed, I'd like to be president or be in Congress, unless those don't count as national service.

[Professor]

[gla22]

[Professor]

Can we stick them in the NTSA to fix our highways?

[eynon81]

I agree, although I think we can haggle on the details.

[uebermann]

I agree with this actually. I think it would have done me a world of good to be in the military for a couple of years. I think the only stipulation, though, is those that only sign up for the 2 year mandatory not serve in combat, for a few reasons.

Firstly, it would be too easy for the military to use all this new blood as an expendable resource. Since these people are only in for two years, might as well put them out there on the front lines ASAP and let them die instead of the ones that are going to be in for 4+ years. I could really see this developing as an actual thought process by those in charge.

Secondly, those that don't really want to be there sure as hell aren't going to want to be on the front lines. They'll be a hindrance more than they would an asset most likely. So don't put them in that situation but put them in support positions in non-combat areas that are still helpful to the service as a whole.

I think this could potentially help solve a lot of the poverty/lazy/unemployment issues we have going on as well. The military can be an extremely valuable resource in teaching those with little-to-no-tradeskill-knowledge a craft in which they can hopefully find a job in once out of the service.

[Winchester]

[Winchester]