To think compulsory national service for young people could be helpful for many?

[Jane379]

The recent thread on benefits generational cycle got me thinking...could compulsory national service period help some young people, including ones like these?

Or would it make things worse?

Why can't your age range do it?

You first. Did you do it?

Or parents could do this basic bit of parenting @Generallychill ....
And I'm not convinced that the armed forces would actually want to attempt to make a lot of unwilling people into a professional fighting force. The majority of services personnel are pretty motivated and disciplined.

There are not enough young people to balance out the ageing population.

Solution - use the ones who can pass a medical and are fit for work as canon fodder or put them through experiences likely to add them to the population not fit for work.

A cunning plan indeed.

I think there should be compulsory national service for anybody who calls for compulsory national service. Only fair.

I wouldn't be averse to an idea that has sometimes been floated of not a military but more of a voluntary national service for doing and learning genuinely useful things, but I think it would be difficult and expensive to make it work well.

Yep. they want people who want to be there and will actively be involved.

It might be an option for the million young people who are NEET. But it shouldn’t be compulsory.

But they aren't and unfortunately nobody can force these parents to do so, so ultimately its the kids who suffer and unless they're motivated and want to break the cycle it will just continue.

Everyone should volunteer and do something however modern laws, health and safety etc means we are hamstrung -it’s why so much can’t be done in this country -planning laws, human rights laws, safety - employers can’t just take someone on for training unless the workshop / site passes a dozen safety laws / is insured - my neighbour couldn’t take on a trainee as the insurance was too high -he’s retired now and no one to take over the business.

This. There’s a whole generational who want our young people (with pretty shit life prospects as it stands re wages va house prices, AI taking jobs and funding an aging population) to have less freedom at 18 than they did. Outrageous entitlement (and not from the young uns)

I remember when we studied this topic at uni, it was helpful and fun for some people, but for the majority of men it just meant they were putting off starting their lives for a year, which actually held them back from becoming adults.

And of course some people hated it so much and were so ill suited they committed suicide.

My grandad loved his National service and had loads of stories. But that’s not everybody’s experience.

Additionally, it cost the military loads and wasn’t a good use of their time or resources.

My Dad did national service in the 50s. He was earning twice as much before he went in, but had no choice. He was placed in the RAF, servicing the first generation of jets. Didn't do him any harm.

I agree.

I think it would be a positive thing for a lot of young people as an option post 18. So not compulsory but another option on the table. Doing nothing at 18 should not be an option.
I also don’t think national service should automatically mean service in the forces. It could be a lot broader than that across a much wider range of public services.

Absolutely! Who wants safe workplaces anyway? A bit of metal swarf in your eye, permanent scarring through chemical burns and the odd missing limb builds character!

It works in Israel.

As long as you ignore the people who are imprisoned for refusing.

"You cannot expect the Army to teach a boy in 18 months what society has failed to teach him in 18 years."

Field Marshal Lord Slim, the then Chief of the Imperial General Staff*, advocating the abolition of National Service.

(*i.e the professional head of the British Army)

Other countries manage without punitive requirements like ours
Many retirees do litter picking along road verges round here. Can you imagine if someone said 18 year olds should go out and walk the roads clearing litter -screaming panic from parents about the dangers … would never hapoen

I'm older Gen Z myself, I have no desire to scapegoat young people. I would be happy to do it myself.

Older generations could also do it.

Which countries did you have in mind?

Absolutely agree!!

Other countries have it, I think, in Europe, need to check if they also imprison : hopefully not...

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