Mandatory Military Service

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I'll share one of my favorite stories that applies. My brother in law is from Greece, they have mandatory military service for males. He told me that he was stationed on their border with Turkey. They would give them all guns but no bullets. The Turks knew this and would tease them constantly saying, "don't shoot" and holding their hands up.

 

[dårlig jeger]

I think the solution is just to make college like the military.

No student loans. Mandatory summer and winter break work camps (park service, farm hands, public housing construction). One week out of each month during the semester is work- mess hall duty, grounds, janitor duty. Everyone is treated the same. Good for work ethic, networking, etc. Shovel some shhh or trim trees and you will want to graduate to a career.

Too many kids graduate college and move into the job market without ever actually having worked. Employers can pick colleges to hire from based on their work in the community.

 

[chanson_roland]

I think the solution is just to make college like the military.

No student loans. Mandatory summer and winter break work camps (park service, farm hands, public housing construction). One week out of each month during the semester is work- mess hall duty, grounds, janitor duty. Everyone is treated the same. Good for work ethic, networking, etc. Shovel some shhh or trim trees and you will want to graduate to a career.

Too many kids graduate college and move into the job market without ever actually having worked. Employers can pick colleges to hire from based on their work in the community.

That's called "joining a fraternity"...

 

[dårlig jeger]

That's called "joining a fraternity"...

But without the elephant walks and soggy crackers.

 

[Dave_S]

When I got drafted in 1963, I got $78 per month plus they fed me and gave me a bed to sleep in. I learned to not waste money......as I didn't have any to waste! I was engaged to my future wife when I got drafted and we got married when I was half way thru with my 2 years. When I got out ( I was an E-4) we were getting paid about $300 per month (included allotment for food and housing). Luckily I got my job back and I was making that much every week.

Without getting into a protracted argument about inflation, which isn't really the point here, I don't think most folks would call 40k "highly paid".

 

[ozyclint]

Too many kids graduate college and move into the job market without ever actually having worked. Employers can pick colleges to hire from based on their work in the community.

I see your point.
Teachers are a good example. They are born, go to school, go to college then go back to school.

Very little 'outside' experience

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Without getting into a protracted argument about inflation, which isn't really the point here, I don't think most folks would call 40k "highly paid".

No but 40k with all food and housing provided for is pretty good


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[Colorado Cowboy]

Without getting into a protracted argument about inflation, which isn't really the point here, I don't think most folks would call 40k "highly paid".

Wake up buddy....It was 1965, probably before you were even born.

 

[Gourmet]

Many European countries have a military service and civil service pathway that people can choose between. It's a great way to build community, experience, and get things done. I love the idea for the US. It might save us money in the long run.

 

[Dave_S]

Wake up buddy....It was 1965, probably before you were even born.

I believe you have missed my point entirely. I don't think when you or I were born has anything to do with it. I also see that you seem to think age alone lends some credence to your whatever point you are trying to make. It does not.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

$40K? Hell, you can flip burgers at Micky-Ds here and make $45K.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

$40K? Hell, you can flip burgers at Micky-Ds here and make $45K.

Will Micky-D’s feed you 3 squares and house you also? Food and housing costs are through the roof these days, I wish I had 40k a year left over after paying for those expenses


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[NRA4LIFE]

That wasn't the point.

 

[dsotm]

Mandatory service would get you terrible soldiers. Voluntary ensures that the people doing that job wanted to do the job.

 

[Poser]

No but 40k with all food and housing provided for is pretty good


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Sounds like communism.

 

[Jpsmith1]

No but 40k with all food and housing provided for is pretty good


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So, help me understand..

Is someone gonna live on this government dole for life?

Are they just going to spend a couple years living in government housing then go off to find a job?

Are we taxpayers going to fund job training for them? Or just train them to do military stuff which doesn't seem to have a ton of cross-over into non-military job roles?

This really comes off as one of these "plans" that, once you start to pick at the edges unravels faster than a cheap sweater.

A poster already picked apart the MASSIVE costs of the idea but getting deeper into the weeds, I can't see a net benefit to society unless we're including some form of job training and, if that's the goal, I think there are better ways to deliver job training more efficiently and at lower costs.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

So, help me understand..

Is someone gonna live on this government dole for life?

Are they just going to spend a couple years living in government housing then go off to find a job?

Are we taxpayers going to fund job training for them? Or just train them to do military stuff which doesn't seem to have a ton of cross-over into non-military job roles?

This really comes off as one of these "plans" that, once you start to pick at the edges unravels faster than a cheap sweater.

A poster already picked apart the MASSIVE costs of the idea but getting deeper into the weeds, I can't see a net benefit to society unless we're including some form of job training and, if that's the goal, I think there are better ways to deliver job training more efficiently and at lower costs.

Don’t get it twisted, I am 100% against the idea of mandating military service, I mean it is pretty much against everything our constitution stands for. I just think that if you have a job where meals and housing are provided for and they also give you 60% of the median income for the country it’s not terrible pay, should our military members be paid more, probably, but I also find that veterans fall into one of 2 categories, the homeless drug addicts that were mentioned at the beginning of this thread, or the thankfully majority who seem to have their stuff together, likely learned a skill in the military that they were able to put to work afterward and aren’t as deeply in debt as the average American because they likely didn’t rack up the student debt and also were able to hopefully save and invest while having a lot of their needs provided for in the first few years of their adult lives.


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[Conrad101st]

I, as many on this forum served as volunteers. As a young infantry field grade officer, I had the privilege of working with the best young men this country has produced. Not all of them, but an overwhelming majority. I think mandatory military service would affect that negatively. It’s a privilege to have served voluntarily.

Concur.

The last thing I would have wanted as an infantry platoon leader is a bunch of idiots who got drafted and didn’t want be there.

I had a few numbskulls (usually southern crackers believe it or not) that always gave me concerns on live fire exercises. You know the ones about to get chaptered out for being ******* insubordinate dipshit assholes.

I would pull them to the side and inform them personally that if there was any mishaps that I had instructed their squad leader and the weapons squad leader to gun them down on the spot. The NCOs were on board.

For those of you who think I’m exaggerating my concern, several months after I got out in 1992 an idiot in my old company, Charlie Co. 3/327 (101st) gunned down the 1st sgt and supply sgt; both of whom I liked very much.

 

[2531usmc]

Don’t get it twisted, I am 100% against the idea of mandating military service, I mean it is pretty much against everything our constitution stands for. I just think that if you have a job where meals and housing are provided for and they also give you 60% of the median income for the country it’s not terrible pay, should our military members be paid more, probably, but I also find that veterans fall into one of 2 categories, the homeless drug addicts that were mentioned at the beginning of this thread, or the thankfully majority who seem to have their stuff together, likely learned a skill in the military that they were able to put to work afterward and aren’t as deeply in debt as the average American because they likely didn’t rack up the student debt and also were able to hopefully save and invest while having a lot of their needs provided for in the first few years of their adult lives.


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As posted above

“but I also find that veterans fall into one of 2 categories, the homeless drug addicts that were mentioned at the beginning of this thread, or the thankfully majority who seem to have their stuff together, likely learned a skill in the military that they were able to put to work afterward and aren’t as deeply in debt as the average American because they likely didn’t rack up the student debt and also were able to hopefully save and invest while having a lot of their needs provided for in the first few years of their adult lives.”

Pretty shallow perspective of people that have served in uniform imo

 

[Jpsmith1]

Military service should have more incentives for their service. More tax breaks and better healthcare by allowing more uses of private healthcare

Controversial take here.

You sign up for the military and go to combat, you get a free ride.

Forever.

None of the fights for funding and care and all of this shit.

You sign the contract and go to Sandboxistan, you're cared for, for life. Food, lodging, medical care plus a living stipend commensurate with your status when in the service.

Maybe then, we can believe that this country loves our vets and maybe then, we'd try to make fewer of them.