What are the advantages and disadvantages.........

[love]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having people serve in the military or one of the banches for one year? Would it stop some of the bickering and fighting that goes along with war? Would it be easier to relate to those that actually fight for their country for a living? This is just something my niece was asking about and I didn't know how to answer her and I was hoping for a little help.

[International 4-8818]

Well a definent advantage would be having the homefront being protected, the experience, free education, and the friends that you meet. And a disadvatage would be dieing and losing.

[Plaidbutterfly]

It has a tendency to unify a country if it's a bunch of city-states that well, need unification - see Prussia, Germany, Italy. Education and the obvious manpower are benefits. However the downside is that it takes a lot of money to both get all those people equipped, educated, and fed, not to mention where they need to be, or even out there at all. Look at for example the protests that occured last time there were drafts in the US. The backlash would probably split apart a country that is already unified more than bringing it together, as people deeply resent being told what to do, usually. And most of the time, a volunteer army gives all the manpower most countries could want. Eh. *shrug*

[Sagat]

The thing about forced conscription is that it tends to violate some basic freedoms. People should not be forced into military service. Do you really want someone to be a soldier when they do not want to be? Do you think they will perform to the best of their ability if they never wanted to join in the first place?

Now that being said, I think some military time teaches people to appreciate things everyone takes for granted. Serving in the military is in itself a sacrifice. It gives you thick skin, responsibility, time management, professionalism, etc etc, and I think will make people appreciate democracy a hell of a lot more (oughta toss these stupid protestors and NDP losers into it).

I am not really opposed to a state such as the one described in Starship Troopers .. but again, forced service denies the freedom of choice.

[_-Midnight-_]

i dont think that compulsary military service is right

[Regex]

I have a strong belief that everyone can benefit from a 2 year enlistment.

Serving in the Military does give you a new perspective on what it takes to preserve the way of life that you have come to know and love, and with that comes a new appreciation for just how much you have.

One of the biggest things I saw about my Military service was how Basic Training returned that concept of "common sense" to people. Here with our living conditions, we've had a sense of laziness instilled in us. We ignore things that aren't our problem, and we completely miss things that should be downright obvious and common sense. Basic Training instills an idea of actually getting a complete job done. You are forced to pay attention, because if you don't watch your peer's back, then everyone gets it. The effects of just this one lesson is that you pay better attention to what's right in front of you, and you're not such a bum that you ONLY watch out for yourself.

Of course there are other side effects to Basic Training.
When I got out, and moved on to my tech school, everyone had the attitude that they were better than everyone else. We all came from exactly the same training, and somehow people thought they got more out of it than the rest of the people.
This attitude has its pros and cons.. On the one hand, you tend to push yourself to show your strengths, and in demonstrating your strengths, you often put them to good use. You also will step up to lead, which can be a very valuable experience.
On the other hand, you end up just looking like a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone else when he's not. Especially if you try to lead and just plain are not a good leader. Nothing looks more ridiculous than someone who is trying to take charge, but doesn't know how to actually create an atmosphere that people want to work for.

Most of all, it's an excellent transition from living with your parents, to being on your own. The Military is a step between, especially the way it was for me in the Air Force. When you first get there, they shack you up in the dorms, and you eat in the chow hall. As you rank up, they let you get a place off base, and they provide an additional allowance for your rent and living expenses, and another allowance specifically for food. It's almost like a mini budget in its own rights.
You aren't getting thrown out there expected to be completely responsible all at once, and that's a great way to teach kids how to live on their own, and properly handle their money in their first "real" job.

All in all, there was a lot that I feel I was giving up for the four years I served in the Military. But the benefits I got from the whole experience far outweighed the temporary nonsense I had to put up with.
So yes, go join up. It's good for you.

[Eris]

Conformism means that someone exerts their will and ideals on you. Unless she is extraordinarily feebleminded, conformism is bad for the individual--that is: You. (As a sidenote, I don't have problems exerting my ideals onto others through conformism.)

Few things are more conformistic than the military, some religions perhaps (for which I also hold a passionate contempt.) Therefore, the military is bad for you. The military is the last nail in the coffin of your freedom of mind.

What Regex so vibrantly expresses as "common sense", is someone else's ideals and moralities. They sure as hell don't belong in my head.

[Regex]

Conformism means that someone exerts their will and ideals on you. Unless she is extraordinarily feebleminded, conformism is bad for the individual--that is: You. (As a sidenote, I don't have problems exerting my ideals onto others through conformism.)

Few things are more conformistic than the military, some religions perhaps (for which I also hold a passionate contempt.) Therefore, the military is bad for you. The military is the last nail in the coffin of your freedom of mind.

What Regex so vibrantly expresses as "common sense", is someone else's ideals and moralities. They sure as hell don't belong in my head.

We live in a society. In a society you HAVE to conform to certain societal standards. If you don't like this, then a civilized nation is not the place for you. In which case, common sense need not be observed.

[Eris]

We live in a society. In a society you HAVE to conform to certain societal standards.

Uh, no you really don't. Naturally you have to weigh the repercussions of your actions carefully, but beyound that you're free to do and think whatever you want.

If you don't like this, then a civilized nation is not the place for you. In which case, common sense need not be observed.

And what would be the gain in that? Just because you don't share the values of the system doesen't mean you can't use it (viz. the values of the system) to your personal gains.

[Megaman Zero X]

you get training for many things that happen in the real life

[Eris]

you get training for many things that happen in the real life

Unless you're planning on a career in the military, I really don't see that.

[Regex]

Uh, no you really don't. Naturally you have to weigh the repercussions of your actions carefully, but beyound that you're free to do and think whatever you want.

By following the rules, you are conforming to them. Just like on this board, you have conformed to follow the rules and keep appropriate conversation, so that you can maintain your standing as an active member of this forum. This is the basis to a society. On this board, if you can not conform to the basic rules, then you get banned. In society, if you can not conform to the basic rules of society, you generally get outcast.
i.e. If you live in a house with other people, and when you use the kitchen, you leave it a mess, the other people might ask that you do not leave the kitchen a mess anymore. If you continue to leave the kitchen a mess, it's not unlikely that you would not be allowed to live there anymore.

And what would be the gain in that? Just because you don't share the values of the system doesen't mean you can't use it (viz. the values of the system) to your personal gains.

If people were to listen to you, and stop conforming to society, then the society would fall apart, and you would have no system to take advantage of. It would appear that you are doing yourself a disservice by spreading this attitude around.

I hope you don't take any position of leadership with an attitude like this. It's quite foolish.

[SGI]

Compulsory military service seems to be a highly debated topic. I’m really divided on this topic myself. On one hand I can see the virtues of such a program. I’m not a mindless patriot who covers the front of my house in Australian flags just to beat my chest and show how patriotic I am. In fact, I protested Australia’s involvement in the Iraq war.

But the nature of the compulsory service is where I’d debate the topic. If it were compulsory service in a combat role, which could be whisked off to a war zone at a moments notice, I’d protest that position until the day I died. Why? I’m a consciences objector, although I believe I could kill somebody when necessary, I would never become my government’s hit man.

If the service had the option of not being combat, or military related. I’d be all for it, but forcing young people into military combative service stinks of being a sneaky way of getting more troops for Bush’s war.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

I disagree with it, based on two factors.

1) Ineffective. A One or Two Year enlistment produces comparatively worthless soldiers. Which is fine, if you have a huge army like the USSR did, or China does. American (and most western) doctrines use experienced soldiers and high-end technology. A Conscript would just barley get the training they need to operate effectively before being shipped home.

2) Evil. I'd like to be able to choose if I want to put my life on the line in order to get a paycheck and college money. Being told I am being shipped overseas to shoot people for no good reason, with the chance that I may be killed bums me out.