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, actually I don't. Records show that many young men recruited to WW1 were undersize and underweight (poverty and poor healthcare) even accounting for the fact subsequent generations have "grown". How exactly did they differ from kids of the same age today, apart from often being less educated? I don't think a year or so in the workforce suddenly turned a 15 year old into an adult.

As even the WWI Government when desperate for men didn't aim to get anyone under 18/19 near a battlefield I don't think we are talking of a race of uberteenagers 100 odd years ago.

"And all this from a group of people who sit typing safe in the knowledge that they never have been and never will be called upon to fight in a war"
Perfectly expressed. I recently heard of a 30 sthg Ukrainian man who is now in W. Europe (can't remember if he was there when war broke out). He's under huge pressure from extended family to come back and go to war. They are effectively making his life the (possible. even likely) cost of their respect. If you want equality, if you really, really want it (not just for the disadvantages you have to be removed) then either accept experiencing the same expectations and shaming that others have experienced previously, or (preferably) stop fucking judging people.
Alternatively go back to your bullshit Daily Mail, British Empire can do no wrong, the. youth of today are snowflakes little lives while the world literally burns down around you.

All of this defence of the younger generation (and I’ve met great kids and useless jellies too) doesn’t alter the fact that the forces don’t want conscripts.

So let's take your term "useless jellies". Could you clarify what you mean by this exactly? Also what gave you the right to be the arbiter of greatness. Where do you stand on the "great to useless" spectrum? And how do you know?

No, it doesn’t. But any excuse for people to get a dig in about ‘the youth of today’

I’m distinctly average, as of course, are most people. I meet some great young people who can engage in conversation, take responsibility for themselves and others, volunteer, keep fit, do their studies etc. I have also met kids in their early twenties who don’t know how to use a public bus service, can cook nothing for themselves, young people who can’t or won’t keep themselves or their living quarters clean (presumably you’ve read threads on here on this very topic) etc. I don’t think all young people are hopeless but some definitely are pretty dozy. None of this affects the fact that the regular army does not want conscripts. They want people who want to join the services.

Also, all these people saying everyone wishes there were no war. No they don't. Some people love it. Margaret Thatcher loved the opportunity the Falklands gave her to appear strong and patriotic. I doubt she gave a second thought to the Argentine conscripts who died (not sure about the UK ones). The Sun and the rest of the Murdoch press loved it too. One of the arsehole editors reportedly walked around his London office wearing a naval commander's hat for the duration of that conflict. Those who criticise anyone not wearing a poppy in November wouldn't have the opportunity to patronise and judge if there were no war. Some of those who participate in war may also enjoy it (although many probably don't). Terrorist organisations thrive on conflict. Arms dealers and certain associated financial services providers are probably very grateful for war. And yes, some of the people posting pure, unadulterated, judgmental BS on here, although they won't admit it, also like the fact that it exists, so they can judge, patronise, categorise, feel superior.

Not to minimise it, but it seems like a perfectly 'normal' thing to worry about when you're young. We did about the Balkan conflict and 1st Gulf war.
Going back further, I used to lie in bed as a child thinking about what would happen when the (nuclear) bomb dropped.

Oh for Heaven's sake. Have you considered being the actual, effective adult parent here?

Of course your DS won't be conscripted. Why on Earth would he be? The UK isn't going to experience any kind of land invasion and we simply do not have the boats to ship hundreds of thousands of squaddies to anywhere overseas either! There is absolutely no requirement to have barely trained 19 year olds buggering about in the fields with a Bergen on their back.

Modern warfare is utterly different to what it was in WW2 or even The Falklands. It's all about small, highly trained groups conducting strategic strikes. It's all about digital warfare. It's all about counter espionage. Conscripted teenagers are no use to anyone.

So for goodness sake tell your poor DS that he has absolutely nothing to worry about, rather than marching him off on a pointless walk. Honestly, people just seem to be so wishy washy and bad at thinking nowadays.

I don't take these threads seriously. They're designed to get people worrying about their poor lil darling boys. 😂It's good old fashioned fear mongering. Many boys and girls are totally pampered by their mummies, can you imagine the parent chat groups?

“Please tell me they are eating enough protein! My son told me they only had beans yesterday!”

“Are the drills too hard? My son said his boots hurt. Should I buy him special insoles?”

“Can someone share pictures? I want to see if my son is okay!”

"It's unfair, no photos of my boy, only the same children in all the photos"

“My son says they’re running 5 k every morning. Can we petition to reduce that to 1 k?”

I get it. My 20yo DS has said this is the one time he’s grateful he’s physically disabled!

Although he couldn’t do frontline (I doubt it’s wheelchair accessible!) I would imagine his skills as someone
Who already codes things the military have used he’d have his place is the system somewhere.

Although he’s also autistic and the military don’t take autistic people on.

Why just boys? Maybe start worrying about their little girlies who might have to do nasty stuff as well.

Just had a terrible thought, while they are on the front line fighting there will be single sex toilets won't there.

Well. It's all high tech now and it will never happen here etc. etc. But what about Ukraine? Happened there hasn't it? Or has it? Are they all really forced in, no matter what? Or is that fake news? Feels like it to me. 3 particularly cute Ukrainians not fighting right now of course. Nice work if you can get it 🤣

Yep, equality and all that..

Ukraine shares a land border with Russia. The UK doesn't share a land border with the Middle East.

Single sexed toilets 😂😂😂😂

provided by who?

'Land borders' didn't matter in ww2 though

My grandson is 19 and I have no fear that he will be conscripted - the UK is not at war and if we ever are then we have a professional army.

The only way there would be conscription in the future is if we are invaded, and that possibility looks very unlikely right now.

Why do people think invasion is the only way we'd have conscription. That wasn't the case in previous world wars

If it did happen there'd be nothing anyone would or could do about it. Look at Covid. If Boris Johnson had told people to put their hand in the fire or go and murder their next door neighbour, loads of people would have done it.

I agree.

mainly because we do actually have nuclear deterrents!

Have you got children? If you have, would you want them to fight for the mistakes of old blokes?

I'm not even worried. My DS is a self taught coder, programmer and will probably earn a lot more than you in his lifetime.

So fuck off.

You are coming across as a weirdo that hates young people. How pathetic.

I'd like to push you to the front.

To all the people criticising young people… would you go to fight in a war? It wouldn’t just be 20 somethings conscripted and why just men nowadays? If you wouldn’t go yourself or wouldn’t have gone when you were younger, you’re in no place to criticise.