Should U.S. Military Service Be Mandatory?
June 29, 2008 by Scott Wharton
Filed under Men's Health
In June’s Men’s Health Magazine “On The Minds Of Men” section they discussed and polled men on The U.S. Military, Veteran Support and The War In Iraq. Some of the questions were: “How Strong Is The U.S. Military?”, “Should The Draft Be Reinstated?”, and “Do Veteran Receive Enough Respect And Assistance From The Government?”.
To the Question about the Draft 17% answered “Yes, military service should be mandatory”. 21% said “Yes, but with non-military service option” and 61% said “No, a volunteer force is best.”
So this brings me to my poll and question. Do YOU think there should be a minimum requirement for military service for U.S. citizens after high school or college?
As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps for 4 years, The United States Army for 6 and a half years, and the National Guard for 2 years, I say HELL NO! Some other countries such as China and South Korea have mandatory service requirements but this is the United States, a country that has been molded around freedom and a volunteer force for a long time. Perhaps if the time demands, the draft may be needed and lets hope it never comes to that as it has in past wars. To make a military service requirement mandatory would create more resentment for the military and honestly it would create more problems for the military, having to process bad apples out that never wanted to be there in the first place. There are enough people that enlist with good intention and then realize that it is not the life they want to live. They become problem Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, creating problems for themselves, their leaders and wasting military funds. The military should be volunteer only for people that WANT to serve. So back to my question for You, the reader. I want to know your opinion:
So this brings me to my poll and question. Do YOU think there should be a minimum requirement for military service for U.S. citizens after high school or college?
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Feel free to leave a comment on why you answered the way you did…and of course this is the Internet so anonymity is always there. And even if it wasn’t, I think we can all respect others opinions on this matter…
As a veteran of the United States Air Force for 13 years, and the father of a United States Marine, I say HELL YES! There are other countries with mandatory conscription, like Israel, who have a very high national pride, and a very low crime rate. Sure, there will be bad apples, always will be. Not every one of them will be grunts on the battlefield. There are many different careers in all branches of the military. With time, a sense of national pride that only comes with serving your country will be the reward.
I can understand where you’re coming from, Billtex, but Israel is a lot smaller country that is constantly being attacked so I wouldn’t use them as a good comparison. I respect your opinion and I’m not trying to argue but patriotism isn’t something that should be forced upon people, especially young men and women.
As far as the bad apple thing goes, yes, there always will be bad apples. But the more bad apples there are it creates a burden on leaders. When leadership attention is taken from the good subordinates to tend to the needs and disciplinary action to the insubordinates it makes training, counseling and proper leadership less effective for the ones that deserve it. You can only delegate authority to junior leaders so much and troops home and abroad are stretched thin enough. To me it would be counter-productive in my opinion.
I have been in the Army for just over 6 years and served in Iraq for 2 years all as an infantry sniper. I strongly believe that military service should be required for those that are physicaly able. Doing so would dramaticlly impact the way young people especialy, respect people and things along with be a major wake up call for the whole nation.
I wish it was that easy, but you know there are always disrespectful turds in the military. I think teaching respect and a good work ethic is a parents job. You have juveniles that go to boot camp style facilities to serve time and still don’t learn to respect people or property. Of course those are the same kind of people that demand respect from others when they have no comprehension of the word.
That’s true. But at the same time if Boot was the same as the old days were DI’s were able to accualy put there hands on you and make you wake up. I honestly wish they were able to when I was there. That is what made the real soldiers.
I think that everyone should have some time in the military. People in the US seem to forget that freedom is not free. There are a lot of people willing to serve but why should it be limited? Everyone enjoys the rights that only a few fight for? THat I don’t agree with. I have only been in the navy 3 short years but I have learned a lot about honnor, courage, and commitment. I take pride in serving my country and so should everyone else that claims to be an American.
Good point Danyelle, but that’s what this country is built around is freedom and the fact that it is a volunteer service so others don’t have to serve. Otherwise it wouldn’t really be a sacrifice for your country.
What makes people like yourself unique is that you choose to serve. You volunteered to put your life on the line in case something should happen, you are there to serve and protect those that can’t or decide not to. You and every other service member is the guardian of our freedom. I say our because I am no longer a part of uniformed service, but if it all came down to it I would stand my ground and protect my country and family against all enemies foreign and domestic with every ounce of my ability.
I do think that honor courage and commitment should be taught a bit more in the classrooms during history classes. They don’t really teach about the heroes of history besides the political beings. It would be great if they taught more about the military valor’s that put their necks on the line and went beyond the call of duty to save lives and capture or kill enemies of the U.S. during times of conflict. Instead they teach of the political leaders that get all the credit for what the average Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine did to ensure those decisions and orders were followed through.
I hold with what was stated in the article, which, put bluntly, was HELL NO! Last time I checked, America was a Democracy, NOT A DICTATORSHIP!!!!!!!!!
I mean, I plan to enlist with the Marines or the Air Force when i get out of high school, but there’s more than just a few idiot whiner-baby prissy boys who wouldn’t be able to take orders. what happens in the middle of an operation and that same Whiner-baby prissy dude is crying like a baby because his commanding officer told him that it’s dangerous. “I DON’T WANNA DIE, SARGE!!!!!!!” …….. NOT…………GOOD!!!!!! Talk about throwing a few wrenches in your plan.
Great points, Turbo. Some people just are not military material, mentally or physically. I got to the point where I didn’t want to be there anymore, so when my contract was up, I took that opportunity to look for other opportunities.
If I were you, I would lean a little more toward the Air Force. I’ve become and opportunist over the years. There are more opportunities in the Air Force and they are much better funded that the Marine Corps…and that’s coming from a Marine Corps vet. There are also a lot of opportunities in the Army as well, but the Air Force treats their Airmen much better from what I’ve heard. Good luck.
i know this topic is old but i believe that there should be a mandatory service because why should the poor people fight the rich mans war? Do you think presidents would want to go to war if their son or daughter had to go to war? Do you think bush would’ve wanted to go to war if his daughters had to go and fight too? Im pretty sure he wouldnt have wanted to.
Do you think all military personnel are poor or come from poor families? The correct answer is no. There are plenty of people that join the military that come from wealthy families, but they choose there are plenty that know the value of money and the concept of hard work and reward so they do their own thing. Do you think people like Paris Hilton would make it through bootcamp? Could any branch benefit from her joining.Like I said, there are people who are cut out for it and people who would become a burden and a waste of time and money to the military.
Are you serious? Go look up the statistics mostly poor people join the military because they need a way to pay for college. The thing about paris hilton is true but isnt the military supposed to change people to become the best they can be? and the answer to that is yes.
Reclaim Patriotism in America
I have noticed that many Americans are becoming apathetic towards patriotism. It is so evident at sporting events. When I was growing up and the national anthem was playing at sporting events you stood up, took your hat off and placed your hand over your heart and recited the anthem. Today I see hats that remain on heads and no hands being placed over your heart. This apathetic practice is even evident with elected officials at the top of our government. I currently serve in the military, my father served, my uncles served and my grandfathers served. I believe service in our nation’s armed forces would resolve and reclaim patriotism.
In order to stop this trend all teenagers, after graduating highschool, should have a mandatory 2 year enlistment in the military. The Oath of Office will be recited and memorized in order to leave a constant reminder in the soldier’s mind of what we are doing all this for.
Oath of Office:
“I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, so help me God.”
A story for teenagers who have never really appreciated our nations sacrifices. The story begins at Khe Sanh Combat base in Vietnam when a tremendous fight occurred and lasted for months: “In Vietnam there was a siege that lasted for 77 days and was the most intense fighting of our history. Some reports say there were 1,000 U.S. Soldiers and as many as 400,000 of the enemy. This figure had to include the surrounding hills and supporting units. Khe Sanh Combat base wasn’t that big! Essentially, it was a runway. We were taking some 1,600 rounds of incoming per day every day on this tiny piece of real estate. Someone calculated that we had an explosion from an enemy device every 30 seconds day and night for 77 days. A reporter was asked by a Soldier to get a message back to the world that only a true Soldier could. It was a message from L/Cpl Edwin L. “Tim” Craft, B Co 3rd AT’s, Khe Sanh Combat Base, February, 1968. After L/Cpl Craft voice his message, the reporter was in shock and asked him to write it down. L/Cpl Craft wrote it on a C-Ration case. The message said ‘“For those that fight for it…FREEDOM…has a flavor the protected shall never know.’” (http://www.togetherweteach.com)
I’m not saying you have to be in the heat of battle or go to Iraq and Afghanistan but you truly cannot understand freedom or patriotism unless one has or is serving in the armed forces. The only understanding our teenagers will have regarding patriotism is to sacrifice and serve our country.
Christopher Fairley, MAJ USA
ILE Student 09-02
Army Command and General Staff College (Fort Gordon)
Your saying that ALL military personnel join because they’re poor? Ever think that some serve because they want to? I joined the Marine Corps after high school. Not because I was poor, but because I wanted to. Yes there are a lot of people that join for the job security and constant paycheck but there are plenty of people that join because they WANT to. I’ve been there, I don’t need to see statistics to know what kind of people join the military. I’ve seen people from wealthy families and people that came from poverty and middle class.
Wait…”isnt the military supposed to change people to become the best they can be?” Are you saying that you never served? If you’ve never served then how can you say that other people should serve if you have not? Do you have plans to serve?
You can only change a person so much. We’re not robots that can just be reprogrammed. Some people can mature and change while other remain the same throughout their entire lives.
No, the politicians DON’T want to send their kids to war any more than any other parent wants their children to go to war, but the fact is that there are politicians with children overseas. Whether they are in combat zones or not is beyond me, but there is always that chance that they may die like any other Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine.