The age of conscription should be lowered to 16

Again, are you a British old man that as conscripted?

Because today's 16 year olds are so emotionally mature, level headed and follow instructions so well you want to give them weapons?

As do a lot of African countries

Norway has it for both m and f age 19+

eh? as i've said here before: i spent some time in the Cold War keeping the 3rd Shock Army rolling across the north German plain towards overrunning the UK.

You're welcome.

another point about German conscription, it is technically suspended as pp said (since 2011) but even the concientious objectors, and those who now do the FSJ (free social year, voluntary and open to boys and girls) get paid. Not much but they are literally not, under the German constitution, allowed to force anyone to work for free.

no.
Germany used to have conscription, not everyone was elligible, and it was only boys. And if you could opt out of the military and do social type service (care homes, driving people to medical appointments etc etc)

then they stopped it and introduced a "social year" open to all. And they have recently said that if/when conscription returns there will not be exceptions for trans women since they are men.

It has zip all to do with the recent passing of self ID laws.

no they shouldn't
Have you been in the military? are you going to sign up?
if no what is your excuse reason?

Oh yes, I would imagine that is totally different.

That certainly sounds preferable!
But not preferable here, conscripts aren't getting sent to war here, they're just learning the skills and networking (very helpful for finding careers later on), so not many people refuse.

Cadets have always done weapons training. No near to fear monger.

You have to do a course first to learn the history of the weapons, how to use them safely, how to clean them and to be signed off. Then you go to a heavily supervised range and fire them at paper targets. The rifles are old and heavy .22s, single shot not hand guns. It is great fun and a real achievement to get your marksman.

None of my friends ever turned into gun wielding maniacs, however I am still a fantastic marks(wo)man which is fun to suprise people with when at venues with air rifle type activities the look on DDs face when she saw me hit the targets was very funny.

Those types of rifles with correct training are no more to be feared than arming a child with a bow and arrow. If the individual is not disciplined not follows the procedure they are removed from it immediately.

Interesting, my old neighbour was conscripted in the 1950s and was sent to Korea, nobody really wanted to be there so they would deliberately disobey officers. He punched an officer as he knew he would be sent home to military prison and he said that was preferable.

Well I would suppose the usual way in which disobeying the law is dealt with - the courts.
In my country, if a man totally refuses national service (so won't do military or civilian service) he goes to prison or house arrest.

Whilst my children are younger, I see the Yr11s walking to school who would be about 16 and they're very much still babies. Too young to vote, drink, drive, get married and get a mortgage. I don't think they know enough of the real world and sending them to war would no doubt cause some irreversible damage. I even think 18 is too young to an extent.

My earlier post questioned what, in particular had led @Lovepeaceunderstanding to think that a serious conflict was approaching that would not be managed or contained by existing forces.
Sweden has organised a Civil Defence Organisation which is focussed on Resilience. We are a very different country, they are closer to Russia and they have a very spread out smaller population than us. Perhaps we need a similar organisation?
Details here: /www.government.se/government-policy/civil-defence/this-is-civil-defence/#:~:text=Civil%20

Surely if you need numbers, conscription needs to include those who are 60+. The birth rate has fallen, the baby boomer generation is one of the largest.

Yes totally agree.

Oh did half term start early for you?

Thanks for clarifying, that's really helpful

In cadets in the 00s we were learning to shoot rifles, flying, first aid, navigation, field and survival skills, fitness tests and training, drill, aviation knowledge resulting in a Btec in Aviation studies etc many of my peers received their Private Pilots License etc.

The air cadets was developed in the 1940s inorder to supply better trained personnel and many cadets took on domestic war time duties. Not that anyone was forced to join but it meant personnel weren't starting from scratch.

Yes there is weapons handling in the cadets. No it's not a new thing to prepare kids for war by stealth. Air cadets get flying experience too but a few hours in a glider doesn't mean the government are about to put them in a fighter jet and point them at Russia.

Why does it surprise that military skills are taught in a military group?

Extract from the Army Cadet website:

*One of the most exciting activities you’ll get to do in the Army Cadets is shooting. It is the main activity that differentiates the Army Cadets from most other youth organisations. Learning about shooting will teach you a number of key skills, the most important of which are discipline and safety awareness. It also brings with it a great sense of achievement.

As a cadet you will learn to shoot accurately using a range of cadet rifles but you will not be allowed to shoot any rifle until you have demonstrated a full understanding of the use of the rifle and the vital safety procedures.*

They trained and in a controlled environment, not handed a gun and told to see what they can hit.

Yes, I wonder which country the OP is posting from, I do wonder….

All something much more sinister!

I ask you again, are you a very old Man from the UK, we’re you conscripted?

You can tell an election has been called by the redtop neanderthals bishboshing their foreheads against the keyboard hoping that sooner or later a proper word or phrase will appear.

WWII conscription included single females age 20 - 30 (and childless widows) from 1942.

They were not on the front line but they were there driving, nursing, delivering spitfires, working the land, building munitions, directing anti aircraft fire, code breaking, operating radios, fire watching, air raid patrolling, dispatch riding.

Females in the Fire Brigade were not allowed to fight fires, but riding a motorbike through an air raid is not for the faint hearted.

Also a lot of men were in 'reserved occupations' so were not conscripted.

The blatant sexis is that most people don't know how much war work was carried out by women.