National Service returning to the UK?

[TheQuirkyMaker]

Due to the threat of Russian aggression and US indifference, Europe is having to re-arm. France is going to re-introduce national service (compulsory conscription of youngsters into the armed forces for 2 years). Am I right in thinking UK young people won't accept this?

Welcome to the real world where racism, misogyny and bigotry isn't tolerated.

The countries on Russia's borders prepare for land invasion because Russia has an unfortunate habit of trying to occupy their neighbours. When they target the UK, which is already happening, that's not how it looks. They are not going to invade us, they can't even get as far west as Kyiv.

I'm strongly against making young people do anything like this. Most young people probably wouldn't have the right mindset for it, and even if they were doing caring responsibilities instead, who would be paying for them to live for two years? For my son, it would have meant starting uni at 21 and not finishing until 25, and a very high amount in lost wages.
My sons wouldn't have to do any physical combat, but no one should be forced to.

We can start with conscripting everyone above the age bracket who's sufficiently lacking in respect to think they should be able to force it on someone solely due to when they were born.

Russia may not send tanks, they will harm our society in different ways. Such as bribing now former leaders of Reform, or their role in the illegal drugs trade.

Yes, exactly. These are amongst the already happening harms I mentioned. That is where we need to focus.

France is going to re-introduce national service (compulsory conscription of youngsters into the armed forces for 2 years).

Dropping in to second/third/fourth the observation made by more than a few previous posters that the above statement is not at all correct.

Don’t be silly

I know, though a mindset some in the UK would probably love to see.

In that case, we're going to need neighbours on the same piece of land who have a recent history of trying to invade us, and who in some cases want our state to cease existing.

Although even then, there are whole groups in Israeli society who don't do it. The Haredim basically opting out is an increasingly controversial issue there.

When we last had national service, they were actually sent on active service where required. They served in the Korean war. Otherwise what is the point?

It won't happen anyway, it's too expensive.

They’d all claim ‘mental health’ or ‘adhd’ and have ‘trauma’ so they could be excused!

Further damaging the lives of those with genuine health concerns.

Quite.

People sometimes talk up a non military national service programme, usually in the belief that the charity sector actually wants and could usefully accommodate all the 19 year olds in the country for whatever period of time. But that's a pointless and unrealistic idea too.

They never got rid of it in Finland and it mostly works well. A good sized reserve force ready in case Russia invades, the youngsters learn skills, improve their fitness, and make friends. Those that are opposed to military service do civilian service where they are trained in things like rescue operations and violence prevention and then serve somewhere (my brother worked in a research lab for instance).

Whenever the general public is polled on willingness to defend Finland if attacked, the overwhelming majority are willing, whereas in many other countries in Europe its the opposite. I think national service helps instill this willingness and having a history of not entirely terrible governments helps too - you're more likely to want to protect your country if your country protects you.

Agree, as a child of immigrants from a British occupied country there is a lack of respect for the British establishment. We are now a country of immigrants and their decendants who have unfortunately not been treated very kindly therefore many would think why should we bother fighting for this country. The answer is because it’s now your home and regardless of what we think about the establishment old and new any war threatens our homes and family so we need to step up and defend ourselves.

ive been long in favour of national service, it dosnt have to be boots on the ground military, there are many skills that are needed in and out of war times that can be learnt and used to improve the country we call home. This can be military, emergency services, civil service and so on.

I agree with this. I think it might be a good idea.

ive been long in favour of national service, it dosnt have to be boots on the ground military, there are many skills that are needed in and out of war times that can be learnt and used to improve the country we call home. This can be military, emergency services, civil service and so on.

The vagueness is telling.

What has made you think any of those sectors would welcome or be able to usefully accommodate a load of 19 year olds who won't be trained on arrival, don't necessarily have any inclination towards the work and who'll mostly piss off into the sunset once they've been there long enough to have some idea what they're doing? And why would this be better than just, like, recruiting the ones who might actually be interested in these areas and giving them actual jobs instead?

The idea is probably rooted in a desire to get these antisocial scrotes off the streets, really. By any means necessary. Can’t say I disagree!

During my dad's stint in National Service he was sent to fight in the Suez conflict. NS doesn't mean running around and going "bang, bang" with sticks, they are taught to fight and will be sent to do so if needs be.

So would so many others!!! Then you’d see the true colours of the many millions of people who live here…

The biggest practical obstacle to this incredibly implausible idea might be internal relocation rather than emigration.

Northern Ireland has never managed to implement any kind of compulsory national service, for obvious reasons. There's even less chance it could happen there than in the rest of the UK, if less than zero is possible. It would not be brought in.

So those young people who wanted to opt out but couldn't go elsewhere would move there.

My son did cadet force at grammar school and my daughter has just started. It is really positive for both of them. I surprised myself thinking this, as I was a quietly rebellious teen myself, republican / socialist and all that.

As with so many things, done well, with intelligent motivated leaders and young people, it is a force for good.

Badly organised, with reluctant teenagers and over stretched staff, it could also be awful.

Should definitely come back. We surely need loads of cannon fodder to die in trenches if Austria-Hungary kick off again. Because modern warfare hasn't moved on at all.

Also, I think we need people trained and educated in cybersecurity as this is a key area where malicious actors can attack the foundations of our society without war being declared. It is in fact already happening, I believe.

We need more young people educated and trained in building and plumbing skills. We also have a massive need to upgrade military accommodation etc. I wonder whether it would be possible to strongly encourage suitable young people not in education or employment to participate in renovation schemes with a wage attached as apprentices/ plumbers mates etc.

I would have been happy for my own kids to do this if they weren’t on a university track.

UK mothers supporting their country to go to war with a high chance of their children being killed? I don't think so. Get a grip.