Is mandatory military service good for society? Or is it better to give people the choice of serving their country as a member of the military?
Share why if you wish.
Asking — and answering — life's interesting questions
Is mandatory military service good for society? Or is it better to give people the choice of serving their country as a member of the military?
Share why if you wish.
I did not serve in the military (although I know people who did). I don’t think it would serve me or the military to force me to do so, so I’m going to vote voluntary.
This is a tough question. Personally, I don’t want mandatory military service. Although I’m far past the normal age for a draft, if one were instituted again, it would violate my values to fight in the ill-conceived wars waged by presidents over the past several decades.
The problem is that if we’re going to go to war, a large number of young people need to serve. And that burden has far too often fallen disproportionately on this nation’s poor, many of whom see military service as a way out of poverty.
If there were a service requirement, I’d hope it would be expanded to include domestic projects that strengthen our nation—building infrastructure, for example, or serving at nonprofits that help people thrive. In other words, I’d want mandatory service to encompass enough different ways of serving that people could fulfill the requirement in ways consistent with their values.