It's not the youth service that is the problem, and you're right, it would undoubtably help many young people to mature and learn about the non-academic world.
But mandatory service is called "slavery" in case you didn't know, and there is nothing debatable about it. Nothing.
And 0 isn't talking about the coast guard, Army, or borders. His plan is for an enormous mob of ACORN-like conscriptees with "more funding than the military."
Wake up.
You might see it that way, but there are other countries that do this. Israel being one.
From an Israeli site.
Service in the Israel Defense Forces is a measure of involvement in the country's life. Most men and single women are inducted into the IDF at age 18, women for two years and men for three, followed by service in the reserves, men up to age 51 and single women to age 24. In February 2006, the Defense Ministry outlined a plan to reduce mandatory service for male soldiers to 28 months.
I have mixed feelings here. (I'm veteran BTW)
But again, given the state of many of our young people, many of which can't even find jobs now, this might be an option, depending on how it worked.