[ketsu]

Mandatory military service is a tax. Two years out of, say, a 45 year employment career, equals a 4.4% tax. Not substantial, but still a tax. Mandatory military service can hinder or derail one's career path. It causes a loss of momentum during the prime formative years of an individual's life.

I agree that you need money to provide for your family and that you only have a finite amount of time to create that wealth for your family.

However, I think you are discounting the effect that military service can have on an individual's character.

Military service, especially in regards to the lack of self-discipline and moral weakness of today's youth, provides the foundation of a disciplined life dedicated to service to family and country. Service teaches you dignity and service, attributes that individuals sorely need, not just for themselves, but for society in general.

Those benefits should not be discounted.

[Mackie_Messer]

Mandatory military service was not problem free.
I would prefer to see mandatory military training.
A 4 to 6 month initial training cycle for 17 to 22 year olds with 2 or 3 refresher cycles occuring prior to age 25.
this would be agood beginning of balance between responsibility and liberty.
If it matters my service was for 3 years beginning in 1969, with 1 year in ‘nam.

[MelonFarmerJ]

Military service, especially in regards to the lack of self-discipline and moral weakness of today's youth, provides the foundation of a disciplined life dedicated to service to family and country

I will agree that military service can aid in living a post-service life dedicated to service to family and country, however, the foundation for that life must be laid by family upbringing and the educational system, not the military. It is not the military's place to be saddled with correcting lack of morals, ignorance, criminal tendancies, etc. in their ranks.

[mborman]

Service teaches you dignity and service, attributes that individuals sorely need, not just for themselves, but for society in general.

You said it much better than I did later on in the thread!