19 yr old son and fear of being called up to fight in a war

[User287264]

This is not a thread about "will WW3 start tomorrow", there are plenty of those already

Ds is 19 and has been talking about lot about what would happen if the UK did enter a war and if young people his age would be called up to fight.

He's such a gentle soul, I think this would be his worst nightmare. (Not that many people would relish it I know)

I'm not sure what to say to him. It feels to me like a general call-up WW2 style would not happen nowadays but what do I know?

I guess we all have our different worries about world security right now but I guess his is quite a specific worry. I'm 52 with arthritis, I'm not ever likely to be called up to fight.

It's total speculation and I still dont feel it's very likely, but does anyone have any idea how a massive call-up might work nowadays? Or would the current armed forces and reserves be enough? I'd like to reassure him without just dismissing his fears.

He does have a tendency to anxiety which doesn't help, but he's generally good at handling it. We're having a news-free day (apart from me right now) and going out for a big walk in the rain

No, they haven't - the minimum age for conscription is 25 (and until recently it was 27). It's the middle aged + that are the cannon fodder as conscription is up to age 60. So if in Ukraine, OP's DS would have a good x6 years to go before being eligible for conscription

nah! Someone will press the big red button before they’d get a chance to conscript! And we’ll all go together…in the meantime eat, drink and be merry, or at least don’t fret!

You dont need to slag the young ones off though.

They'd probably not draft teens anymore cause if they only wanted 1 specific gender they'd be fucked 😅 the outrage would be epic

I don’t think calling the average teenager ‘dopey’ is exactly inaccurate. I was pretty clueless.

Honestly I hope they all refuse and tell the whingers who go on about the inadequacies of the youth of today to go and defend themselves!

He would be a liability. Conscription would be futile.

@TheignT 😂😂😂

Legal armed forces age, obviously!

Same

He, like many of his generation, would snap like a twig both physically and psychologically

Do we really think this is accurate? Many of the young men, I know, are into fitness, weights, running etc. They also have knowledge of mental health issues so are better supported than previous generations.

However when Ukraine was invaded I know those with dual nationalities were considering leaving the country.😀

In terms of conscription..first are the regular army than the reserves, then those choosing to join. I think conscription would be really unlikely. Britain is fortunate to have no land borders, except Ireland who won't start a war so I think we are safe.

My DS and his friends are far from dopey. They are all hardworking and gym goers and in great shape. He's done a lot of travelling as well. Not dopey at all.

Thankfully neither of my kids would
pass the Medical, my oldest is an insulin dependent Diabetic and youngest is severely autistic.

My sons are older but are at age where they would be called up if the age for call up as ww2 god I hope it does not come to that
My husband reminds me that at the start of gulf war I was worried about my brother and he having to join the army. Never did and the same after 911 never did so don’t worry about it now. That’s what I’m doing best to do

My 17 year old would be of zero use. He’d end up just cannon fodder.

Mine's in the navy on the world tour so I'm not happy.

tell him to train up in something that will be useful and none frontline/on the ground fighting. e.g. cyber security

I don't think it's unreasonable for a young man (or woman if we think both would be treated equally) to think about the possible consequences of a war for them. You can't escape hearing about potential war right now.

I think he's focusing on what it was like in WW2 because he's lucky enough to have known a great grandfather and uncle who both served, and not by free choice. He's also studied that time period extensively in history at school. So he knows and can think about that.

He probably hasn't thought so much about more recent conflicts and how different they were in terms of conscription or not.

We should talk more about that and that will help.

And fwiw he's a joinery apprentice working for a housebuilder. Maybe he would be exempt anyway

It's extremely unlikely that this country would ever enforce military service on everyone like that. There'd be public outcry.

The army use drones and stuff now, not sending thousands over the top in northern France.

If it does happen, which is not probable, then the anxiety would probably mean he wasn't medically capable so would not be required. And I don't think we have dad's army here anymore either so he should be alright.

I know war is scary but that scenario is really not likely at all.

He, like many of his generation, would snap like a twig both physically and psychologically

I also don't think that's a fair description of ds and many of his pals either. I think if he had to do this terrible thing he would get on and do his absolute best. Just like the generations before.

In my work I typically work with younger adults. These folks are being trained to work in a very stressful environments with difficult people. They also come with A-levels, BTECs etc. So far, so good.

Yet we increasingly have to spend a lot of time overcoming very basic issues which really ought to have been mostly ironed out beforehand, at home, by parents - not school, before teachers are blamed!

E.g. -

How to manage your emotions and understand what is normal
How to communicate with people you don't agree with
How to react to someone who (shock, horror) knows more than you
How to concentrate on something for more than three minutes
How to find things out about the world that are factual
How to receive a job/task and take responsibility for it.

I could go on, but you probably get my drift.

My point is that many young people are simply not prepared for conflict. More worrying, many of them don't feel 'part of' the UK, or even their local community, and so don't feel obligated.

And that last point will become a massive problem when war comes.

*Edit, I should point out that we do have some great young people to - but most these have done DoE, regularly volunteering, etc.

No need to be like that is there?

I just asked where she was that it was raining?

as it happens lots of people from all over the UK replied to say it was raining where they are, all without the need to be rude.

Would male and female be conscripted equally to serve in battle or danger zones?

If women are given for example less dangerous jobs or non frontline activity, then hold yer horses, the trans movement will explode with TW. (I'd say).

But then again we now have a biological rule so maybe not.

That's fine, you don't have to agree, plenty of others do.

lets hope we never have to find out whose right!!

& I never said anything about computers in my original post, though I did agree with another poster that computer game skills may come in handy.

Yeah, seems to be quite wide spread today. The clouds have blown over here now & it's sunny again. Quite windy though, but need it to change direction so it blows through the house!!

I used to live the heat, but I'm not well & im finding it too much, wish I could send you some!!

Is that how we see it? Pah, they'll cry like babies. Haven't got it in them. This from people who most likely have never seen military service. The idea of people being forced into war is horrendous. Those days are/should be long gone. Vietnam saw people offered jail/army. If there was a war it will be fought in cyberspace. N.Korea/China or Russia are not invading any time soon. Those who are in the military are there because they see it as a career and possess calling. Churchill said jaw,jaw,jaw is better than war,war,war. Supposedly a million Russians dead in the Ukraine conflict. That's terrible