The age of conscription should be lowered to 16

[Lovepeaceunderstanding]

The world looks much less stable than it has for a long while. In the event of war our depleted armed forces will need all the help they can get. We should lower the age of conscription to 16?

Well considering that modern warfare has changed and even what was previously considered an unskilled infantry job is now actually highly technical and uses some very technical bits of kit, I very much doubt conscription would be welcomed by the army! They simply do not want or need a large amount of untrained ‘cannon fodder’ people anymore. We don’t do trench warfare anymore….

You train people obviously!

You need drone and weapons builders and designers more.than 16 year old soldiers

A good point.

As a side issue I can remember the universities in my area being full of Iranian/Iraqian students trying to dodge the draft for the Iran/Iraq war in 1980-88.
The Unis made a lot of money out of it as most of them never turned up for lectures. When they failed their exams they got re-sits or signed up for another course.

I think forcible conscription is anti-democratic and gross. I am less against a voluntary programme that includes non-military roles

Most 18yr olds these days aren't fit for joining the forces, someone might hurt their feelings or ignore their right to a lie-in 🙄

"Bring back National Service" trope
Think we are quite some way off conscription. Besides, you'd never get a 16 year old out of bed

its ok everyone calm down the OP is going to be first to sign up and show how it is done

😂

Conscription would never work nowadays , the people they want to conscript nowadays would not fit into armed forces Too any children running around paying ,wives wandering around , dare I say it not even locking the door to do the school bus .Just chaos .

I know 14 and 15 year old in Cadets. Apparently they've being doing weapons practise.. you might just get your wish OP.

Whoever mentioned hacking ... ds would be delighted to help he's only 11 so I reckon 5 years to hone his skills will do nicely.. trouble is he will probably also need a grip on Mandarin or Russian or possibly Korean.. I will get him started ..

DD is 18 and hopefully will do biochemistry at university so I'm sure come a war her skills will come in handy

Why would young people feel patriotic towards a country that is failing them?

I am absolutely delighted that 98% of you disagree with me! 16 year olds are children.
I am concerned about impending war though.

I'd be hiding my sixteen year old

Why would I want to live with a load no -hopers that no one else wants to live along side with ? You do know that soldiers wives and children have rights too .

You'd have to include in education that they would have the right to be a conscientious objector and be identified as non-combatant, and how to argue their case before a tribunal, a skill unlikely to be had at 16.
And do we really want to equip lads and lasses with the unarmed combat skills they could then use of the streets?
And are we prepared to support them on demob? We have an appalling history since the Wars of the Roses of not supporting ex-military, who end up on the streets.

You still haven't said what country you're in where this is being proposed?

@listsandbudgets

Can you elaborate on this? What kind of weapons practice? To what stated end?

Why stop at 16? Let’s train kids with guns as soon as they have developed any sense of hand eye coordination…

Conscription would have soon knocked him into shape.

What a great idea, and all the children left behind with no parents can get shipped off to factories to keep the country going. Genius.

We don’t have conscription, and both men and women are allowed to join the army, so you can relax re protecting men from sexism.

Do soldiers husbands have rights too, or were you not aware women can join the army these days?

Lol not many these days , oh female soldiers are a good laugh too .They did surprise me few times too with their pen equipment .

What taxes are we raising to pay for the training, wages, equipment and accommodation?