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I’m not sure National Service is the answer

3:31pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Read

SIR – I regularly read about how National Service would sort out the younger members of our society.

I know I may be a little naive but I can’t see how forcing our children to fight all over the world is somehow going to make them better people (remember, that’s what conscription really was).

Thousands of conscripts were killed and injured between 1945 and 1960 yet I still hear people saying how National Service would put some respect into the youth of today.

I doubt that war is the cure for some of the more excitable members of our society.

TONY PINGREE
Worcester

Comments(12)

worcesterinsider says...
3:57pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Tony, what a fascinating view you have, some may call it one of a narrow minded individual. Conscription existed previously as there was a large unanswered need for soldiers to fight for "our" country. If national service was introduced now, I really feel there wouldn't suddenly be a rise in the number of deaths, of service men killed on the front line. I would like to expand on my answer, so if you feel you need an explanation with greater depth please feel free to ask and I will provide that for you.

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CJH says...
11:02am Sat 11 Feb 12

We don't need National Service. We need community service.

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jovialcommonsense says...
11:22am Sat 11 Feb 12

CJH wrote:
We don't need National Service. We need community service.
No, community spirit and parental responsibility.

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CJH says...
11:34am Sat 11 Feb 12

jovialcommonsense wrote:
CJH wrote: We don't need National Service. We need community service.
No, community spirit and parental responsibility.
Semantics, Jovial!

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jovialcommonsense says...
11:37am Sat 11 Feb 12

Thought you were referring to community service as in criminal punishment CJH.

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CJH says...
11:55am Sat 11 Feb 12

Nope - service to the community Jovial! :-)
.
It's actually used in several European countries as an alternative where national service is compulsory. National service doesn't have to mean military service.

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jovialcommonsense says...
12:09pm Sat 11 Feb 12

I would prefer people do things voluntarily/naturall
y, rather than being "forced" to.

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CJH says...
1:16pm Sat 11 Feb 12

So would I, but realistically it won't happen. Let's compromise on 'encouraged' to do community service, and let's give those who do it some sort of recognition so they can use it for job applications etc

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jovialcommonsense says...
1:48pm Sat 11 Feb 12

I'll agree to be compromised :-)

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Big Bodger says...
1:14am Mon 13 Feb 12

worcesterinsider wrote:
Tony, what a fascinating view you have, some may call it one of a narrow minded individual. Conscription existed previously as there was a large unanswered need for soldiers to fight for "our" country. If national service was introduced now, I really feel there wouldn't suddenly be a rise in the number of deaths, of service men killed on the front line. I would like to expand on my answer, so if you feel you need an explanation with greater depth please feel free to ask and I will provide that for you.
Hi Worcesterinsider, I was just commenting on the many letters I've read where people seem to believe that National Service is the answer for our younger members of our society. If National Service (conscription) was brought back do you really think that government wouldn't send these trained conscripts to war somewhere? It seems that some people want to punish our youth just for being young and they think killing and being killed is the answer. The amount of times I've heard "Well it didn't do me any harm", but nobody wants to mention the people who just don't want to talk about it.

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jamesfcraig says...
11:17am Mon 20 Feb 12

National Service(conscription
) should be brought back, because there is a fair amount of young people who do not seem to care about life. I joined up straight from school at 17 doing 6 years in the RAF. Some youngster do not care about what happens in this world and it is time they did. So make them do a minimum of at least 3 years.

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Big Bodger says...
10:58am Thu 23 Feb 12

Hi jamesfcraig, I have no problem with anybody wanting to join our armed forces. I just think that the compulsorily training of our youth to kill may not be the best way forward to a better society. I was wondering, do you think everybody should do national service or just the young? I think conscription extended into your fifties in the second world war. Surely everybody should have the character building experience of being shot at?

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