There have been several suggestions of introducing compulsory military service for all Americans, especially starting from young people who turn 18. Currently, the Selective Service System also known as conscription or the draft, still requires almost all male U.S. citizens and immigrants aged 18 to 25 to register with the government. Whenever, any major war breaks out and the U.S. volunteer military does not have enough capacity to engage, the registered males are required to give compulsory military service when chosen. However, since the end of the Vietnam War in 1973, the U.S. moved from conscription to volunteer armies. Although critics argue that mandatory military service may deprive citizens of freedoms and rights, reinstating the military draft could help create employment opportunities, instill a sense of loyalty among the citizens, as well as help secure the country at all times.
Mandatory military service could help create jobs for U.S. citizens even if it is only for brief periods. For instance, mandatory military service for one to two years could help generate capital for youth interested in doing business. Just over 10 million U.S. citizens remain unemployed, and with companies slashing jobs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, most sectors remain below their pre-pandemic levels (Cox, 2021). Mandatory military service could help cushion many people during uncertain periods such as the current times, as well as indirectly to the dependents.
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Compulsory military service can help instill loyalty among the citizens. According to Mohammed (2018), voluntary military recruitment promotes the notion of optional citizenship; the belief that being a citizen only involves rights without responsibilities. In this case, citizens do for their country only what they choose to do and not what they need to do. Mandatory military service could help reverse such a notion and train citizens who are responsible as well as individuals committed to serving their country. The sense of loyalty builds a community spirit and can also reduce and even prevent internal conflicts. A country such as the U.S. that has diverse groups of people, especially racially can promote the spirit of inclusion through mandatory military service. Mandatory military service is not only about enlisting for war; rather, those enlisted in the service can be assigned numerous duties such as working with underserved communities, guarding public spaces and being involved in environmental conservation efforts.
A mandatory military service will help in proper preparedness and securing of the country at all times. Mandatory military service means that a majority of the population will have military training and can be relied upon to defend the country at any time. Whenever support is needed to augment those on active duty, it will take less time to prepare and defend the country (GAO, 1988). Trained citizens will also help combat domestic terrorism, starting from prevention to response. In this case, trained individuals will act as surveillance for the country, and that could mean low costs on intelligence teams as well as training specialized teams to respond whenever security issues arise (Britannica, n.d).
In conclusion, mandatory military service will mold the citizens’ character and build team work. Other than waiting for the government to provide everything or direct blame towards it, the citizens will think of what to do for their country. Therefore, mandatory military service has the potential of developing loyal and patriotic citizens ready to serve and defend their country.
References
Britannica. (n.d). Mandatory national service – top 3 pros and cons . https://www.procon.org/headlines/mandatory-national-service-top-3-pros-and-cons/
Cox, J. (2021). Economy sees job loss in December for the first time in eight months as surging virus takes toll . CNBC News. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/08/jobs-report-december-2020.html
GAO. (1988). Military draft: Potential impacts and other issues . https://www.gao.gov/assets/150/146147.pdf
Mohammed, F. (2018, July 16). Is mandatory military service good for a country? JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/is-mandatory-military-service-good-for-a-country/
