"The only way to improve Army recruiting is to improve the quality of recruits over the long term. It can only happen if recruiting dies and martial training and tradition rises in U.S. public elementary school curricula."
Billbears, "It can only happen . . " above refers to improving the quality of recruits over the long term.
". . martial training and tradition rises in U.S. public elementary school curricula" does not say mandatory curricula, and it presumes this will improve "recruiting" not "conscription." Nowhere is conscription advocated in the piece. I've read it, and it is not there.
By "recruiting dies," the author clearly means recruiting as we know it, i.e. the status quo, without any precursor training, because the author calls for change.
You wrote "Well this is the only way according to the author. Those that advocate the only way believe their way should be mandatory." I take issue with your assertion because you have not addressed the very real problem inherent in what our government has been asking members of the Armed Forces to do in the post-Cold War interventionist era.
It seems you are throwing dirt at the messenger regarding a real problem. The writer obviously states his opinion and is not a government agency or legislator making policy statements. The availability of martial training and tradition in the elementary schools is what the AUTHOR thinks is the only way to improve on the status quo. The piece doesn't say that everyone must hold the author's view.
Reading carefully and being sure to understand what is not said is almost as important in determining what has been said.
Just out of curiousity. If this is the author's view, exactly who do you think the author would have to go to achieve approval for such a 'wonderful' program? As the money for the school system comes from the national government, part of the approval would have to come from that organization. The federal government would be approving 'martial training and tradition rises in U.S. public elementary school curricula'. And not only at the high school level, but at the elementary school level apparently.
I understand fully that this is the author's view alone. But what the author is advocating would eventually become reminiscent of Spartan training of youth.