Why Is Military Service Required In Some Countries?

[Road Runner]

I was wondering that after watching this video. It doesn't seem like much of an honor to serve your country if you have to do it anyways.

 

[Unkotare]

Maybe because a neighboring country is threatening to annihilate yours every fucking day?

 

[Road Runner]

Maybe because a neighboring country is threatening to annihilate yours every fucking day?

So nobody is volunteering to serve in the whole entire country?

 

[Unkotare]

So nobody is volunteering to serve in the whole entire country?

Of course people do.

 

[martybegan]

So nobody is volunteering to serve in the whole entire country?

What it does is allows for a standing army big enough to counter a larger also conscripted army, while creating an in place reserve force.

Most NATO countries before the end of the cold war had conscription for just that reason.

 

[Road Runner]

Of course people do.

So why force it if there are people who are doing it willingly?

 

[José]

Mandatory military service is definitely an authoritarian trait specially in countries that have no external enemies like Sweden and Brazil.

As for "the honor to serve your country", the government couldn't care less about you being honored, they want the maximum amount of cannon fodder to kill and die in the trenches.

 

[Unkotare]

So why force it if there are people who are doing it willingly?

They need more people doing it.

 

[occupied]

We would probably still have conscription in this country had they not made it so easy for the rich to avoid it. Rather than make it blind to class and race it was abolished. America's ownership class has never fought the wars they all too often want.

 

[shockedcanadian]

I was wondering that after watching this video. It doesn't seem like much of an honor to serve your country if you have to do it anyways.

People should have skin in the game, that's why.

It's also why leaders must be competent, informed and prudent before going to war, a measure of last resort. If ALL politicians served military service themselves, they would also better appreciate such decisions.

 

[Silent Warrior]

In our country a simple solution might be to make military service a prerequisite to voting.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

We would probably still have conscription in this country had they not made it so easy for the rich to avoid it. Rather than make it blind to class and race it was abolished. America's ownership class has never fought the wars they all too often want.

That is your stupid opinion. The historical facts say otherwise.

 

[Mushroom]

So nobody is volunteering to serve in the whole entire country?

Look up 25 June 1950.

Of course the Korean War started earlier, with North Korea sending around 20,000 "People's Guerrilla's" to South Korea from 1948-1950 in Battalion sized units. However, they did not do very well because they killed well over 15,000 people (quite often just low level government workers). And when that failed to cause the Revolution they wanted, they decided to take direct means and were largely wiped out by ROK forces. Their attempt at a revolution failing, they decided to attack.

By invading with over 100,000 soldiers. The entire South Korean Army at that time was only 65,000 combat troops (35k support troops), and about the same number in reserve. And after less than a week, the entire ROK Army was down to around 20,000 troops in total. And not unlike another country, they have sworn "Never Again", and mandate military service of I believe two years for all men. So that all are trained to fight in case the North invades again.

You have to understand, Universal Conscription in peacetime is not actually about building up the military at all. It is a way to train the bulk of the civilian population so they can operate as Reserve Forces in time of need. And surely they do have a lot who volunteer, but that is something completely different.

In the US for example, when we had a peacetime conscription, the term of service was only 2 years. As opposed to the 4 years of those who enlisted. And those enlistees made up the bulk of the careerists in the military. The 2 year draftees were seen more or less as "temporary help". Given basic training and given basic jobs (truck driver, mechanic, clerk, cook, etc), it was really just enough to familiarize them with the military and learn a skill that could be put to use in the event of another major war. Because they could be called back up and used as a cook right now, as they train new Infantrymen.

And in the Korean War, that is actually among those who they called out first in the US. Many of the first ones called up were actually WWII vets, because they knew they were already trained and had experience. And they could be sent quickly, as opposed to draftees who would need at least 6 months of training or more. It was Veterans who made up the bulk of the draft in the early days of the US involvement in Korea, and who held the Pusan Perimeter (June to September 1950). It was not until October when they started to push the North Koreans back that any sizeable number of new conscripts arrived. Real numbers of them did not even arrive until the middle of 1951 when they were back at the 38th Parallel.

 

[basquebromance]

it is required in lebanon if you have a sister or brother. thankfully (i guess), i'm an only child!

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

it is required in lebanon if you have a sister or brother. thankfully (i guess), i'm an only child!

So you are not really an American as we all suspected!

 

[basquebromance]

So you are not really an American as we all suspected!

i recently became one (2015)

 

[whitehall]

The Founding Fathers listed only two duties of the federal government. The first one was "provide for the common defense". It's noted that the U.S. has capitulated to a foreign invasion in the past two years but most countries protect their borders and require qualified men and women to serve in the military to preserve their sovereignty. The U.S. enacted a draft during WW1 and WW2 and beyond to Korea and Vietnam.

 

[Mushroom]

That is your stupid opinion. The historical facts say otherwise.

Quite a few rich people were drafted or volunteered.

Ross Perot came from a very wealthy banking family, and he served in the Navy for 4 years.

John McIlhenny came from a very wealthy and prominent family, who created the "Tabasco Sauce" company. He resigned from the company to serve in the Spanish-American War with the Rough Riders.

His son Walter McIlhenny was in the executive training program so he could replace his dad when he retired. He was already in the Marine Reserve, and saw extensive service in the Pacific (earning the nickname "Tabasco Mac"). And being awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, and Purple Heart. And served for a total of 41 years, retiring from the Marine Reserves as a Brigadier General.

And of course Jimmy Stuart, who enlisted in early 1941 (on his third attempt, he was rejected twice in 1940 for weight). And since he was already a pilot he was fast tracked to being a flight instructor in the Air Force.

Others were Buddy Ebsen, Cesar Romero, Clark Gable, Ted Williams, Al Gore, John Kerry, Elvis Presley, the list goes on and on. The old claim that the sons of the rich or powerful never served is nonsense.

Oh, and all 4 of Ambassador Joseph Kennedy's sons served. Joe Jr, John, Robert, and Edward.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

i recently became one (2015)

Congratulations! When will you start acting like one?

 

[Seymour Flops]

Mandatory military service is definitely an authoritarian trait specially in countries that have no external enemies like Sweden and Brazil.

As for "the honor to serve your country", the government couldn't care less about you being honored, they want the maximum amount of cannon fodder to kill and die in the trenches.

Yes.

People should have skin in the game, that's why.

It's also why leaders must be competent, informed and prudent before going to war, a measure of last resort. If ALL politicians served military service themselves, they would also better appreciate such decisions.

Yes.

In our country a simple solution might be to make military service a prerequisite to voting.

Yes.

And no alternative such as public service. A free republic is maintained by force of arms, not taking meals on wheels to old folks. Public service is wonderful, and I applaud those who do it. But it is the men and women standing ready to cry havoc and loose the dogs of war on those who would harm us and take away our freedom who keep us safe and free.

That's what government is for, so doing a stretch bearing arms is a good way to make sure voters have skin in the game.

I highly recommend the book, "Starship Troopers," on which the movie is very, very losely based. The book has all the action and more but posits a government run by veterans which leaves the private sector to operate freely while the military protects it.