I am a strong believer in *voluntary* service. But when you make "service" mandatory what you get is the half-hearted efforts of people putting in their time because they are required to, resenting it all the way. The quality of the United States military during times of draft is generally much lower than in an all-volunteer army, because while you can compel someone to show up, you can't compel them to do their best work. Furthermore, a lot of 18 year olds are not mature enough to be much use, especially if they're just "doing their time" while in service. Do *you* really want to be the guy in charge of the service project that gets sent 50 angry, sullen gang-bangers who look on you as the most readily available face of their jailer?

Compulsory service is also hubris manifest. You are saying that the very worst service project you might assign me to (or even "allow me to select") is better then the best thing I could come up with on my own to do for that same two years of my life. "But," you might offer, "if you have a sufficiently valuable project of your own in mind, THAT could be your service." And the judgment of my plan's value will be made how, precisely?

Finally, time is ultimately the most precious resource every person has, and it is the only thing distributed completely fairly. You, me, and Bill Gates all had exactly one hour between 1:00 and 2:00 today, and none of us will ever have that hour again. To take away anyone's time in the pursuit of enlightening them to the joys of national service, against their will, is quite literally to steal a portion of their life.

I served for several years in both the Civil Air Patrol (auxiliary of the USAF) and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, which assists the USCG in noncombat missions. Many states also have State Defense Forces, which are military forces solely under state control (they cannot be Federalized, unlike the National Guard) operating along US Army lines, though a handful of states have Air Force and Navy units.

CAP and USCG AUX wear military-type uniforms but are not under the UCMJ. SDF's usually fall under their state's National Guard Regulations.

There are no medical/age restrictions on CAP and USCG AUX, but you have to undergo a background check (USCG AUX background check is more involved). SDF's usually have medical restrictions.

I see and understand, national service would be a good thing if you do it the right way,the fair way,legal way etc. If your 18 year old and you got plans you should be able to pick weather or not you want to go to school,military, or work. You have to look at other nations with conscription or national service like that of the state of Israel, Switzerland, a better example would be Singapore there military is a fair and do able for all those who serve in National service aka (NS). The men get drafted at 18 and do 2 years of military service after words they do either operational reserves meaning they are ready and able to be sent overseas and the citizens reserves is a reserves that stays home period those are the chioces until 40 years of age. Another good reason that Singapore has a great system when it comes to national service is Men with medical problems asthma or diabetics they serve but don't serve in combat vocations and only train in BMT (basic military training) for 7 weeks if they want to do more training they may do so and are designated as a reservist in non combat roles. Another example men with obesity over weight they are drafted as will and do 17 weeks of Basic military training regardless of weight.

Of course they have a chioce to go for deferments, if we have national service we should be able to do either apply for deferments for full time military service on medical grounds, consisncane objectivor, education reason, ethical, worker etc. Reserve duty on the other hand would and should be something of a mandatory national service also be able to be allowed men and women the option of servicing either as full time NS men/women or part-time NS men/women under operational reserves for patinsul overseas duty or citizen reserves who stays in the United States period. Military service can either build a new person or destroy the person and not on the field of battle but daily military life with that in mind the NS men/women should be able to opt out of NS service on grounds of work or education this of course would only be with those NS men/women serving in the reserves on all levels operational or citizen reserve. Full-timers serve through and through until there 1 or 2 years service is up, the women should serve in manner the way that of men serve. If a student is pushing to become a college or university degree holder noteabley those pursing BS and BA degrees he or she should not have to serve. Unless they have opted to leave college or university thus liable to serve NS. If however they wish to stay in school but have money issues they should be aided until they've received the degrees and thus required to perform NS at the concluding of there studies with that they would perform reserve duty unless they opt to perform full-time NS. Age would be an important factor in who serves in what and when, if there healthy not a objector of national service and is 18 up to 24 and have not been conscripted they must do full-time NS for 1 or 2 years, ages 25-40 will perform part-time NS men and women who are above the ages of 40 and on words if they wish to still serve NS who are able and willing to perform NS service regardless of age should do so if be allowed so and if need be of there service or are up to the task of performing NS. In this time NS personal who perform reserves duty should be able to at certain periods of there service with special permission take a genuris extended leave of absence from both work and NS duty if allowed by the employer and the military commander or NCO may be allowed to grant the NS man/women to take a leave of absence for not greater then 2 months for operational reserves and 3 months for citizens reserves. There should be a reasonable pay,medical benefits,educational benefits for NS personal with childern or dependences, or those who circumstances are that they need the assistance of the military or state government (not federal) State government. NS personal should serve in all elements of all the branches of services army,marines,air force,navy,coast,guard or state defense forces. part-time or full-time. Those who wish to volunteer may do so but will only have to fallow the standard department of defense policy meaning a person with weight issues, asthma,diebeaties can't join any of the branches but NS personal who have weight issues, asthma,diebeaties, etc would be allowed to serve only part time duty under certain roles and time frames and types of reserves. Depending of the type of reserves those with medical issues may serve in only the citizen reserves. if those NS personal with minor medical issues who serve can't be deployed overseas to war zones unless able and willing to do so, but can be deployed to overseas training exercises or declared safe countries that have US bases. If a NS personal regardless of medical or type of reserve those that have the ability to do more and wish to do more in terms of advancing to jobs, ranks officers or NCOs or combat vocations should be allowed so as a equal opptunets to excel within National service. If a women should be conseving a child regardless of what type of service or before being conscripted they should be released opt out of NS unless they feel that after having a child after child birth is willing and able to serve in NS then she should be allowed to do so but if not then she should be allowed to not have to serve in NS, if the womens husband,boyfriend, or father/guardian is serving in NS should be allowed extra benefits if the son,husband,boyfriend,daughter,wife, girlfriend or single parent or guardian
(with a child should be allowed extra benefits or option to opt out of NS if single or widow).

For example a person with asthma serving in citizen reserves would be allowed if able to perform be allowed to serve in a combat job or become a officer.

If we did this the right way,the fair way,legal way. Then it would work if only those who experiment this for 5 years or more then it could be a good change or it can be a flop if those who serve make it bad. Singapore,Switzerland,Sweden,Germany, Denmark and Finland they use conscription or national service and if you look at there examples or there country's and see what could be something of a good thing for this country many people need military service some people think they don't need military service like my 5 friends that joined the navy they hated the untied states and yet they joined the navy they love it cause before they had no life's always on an Xbox and no money and full of disrespect for the United States, until they joined the navy. The gangs think they're serving their community by representing a color or turf...have a drill Sargent get them in line they'll know the meaning of serving something greater then a color,a piece of turf, a friend and get that young man or women a life a head start because no one is going to help not his or her mom not his or her dad not a teacher. If the national service is able to help not just the nation but those serving in NS in pay,medical benefits,educational, time of service. If they failed in school they will fail in life this when they stop caring and start thinking the wrong ways is the best way. I am a very young man only 20 years old and feeling like I have no more reason to live in the United states no money for school or not being allowed the honor to serve because of my asthma not even being tested to see if I could serve, overseas is my best option. If we had an NS system like the the one I proposed then it could work and make me think very differently about the US. but I've seen to much BS and I am seeing boys fighting over stupid things like race and drugs and when I see these boys join the military they come out men with a plan and a sense of perpise. Most of the boys who don't join they stay the same way not caring about anyone they don't even know that theres a war and when they hear there is one, there like so what not my problem, economy not my problem, health care not my problem, education system not my problem they failed me. This what they think and they apply it very will obveusly. The military would make them work hard thus making a hard worker the military makes a planer. If we allow the NS to conspricpt us then you better make either make me feel like I should serve or because your the one who drafted me get me a reasonable time to serve, with ok or good benefits or something.

then it can work, it's actually up to all of you.

I think most people would think this to be a great idea, but ideas alway turn out to be more complicated once they are brought to the attention of the general public. That is when you find out how realistic National Service could be in everyone's life. Thinking through the possibilities is complicated beginning in High School. For example who gets to decide where they go? As a mother of a daughter if there are only positions in Iraq, forget it. Who will pay for insurance for the children right out of high school? Who supports them during this time? How to they provide transportation for themselves. The list goes on. I really think you are preying on the young minds that don't understand the complexities of life. It sounds good on the surface, like a piece of candy, but once you've bitten into the core it can turn bitter. Are all of our children at 18 prepared for this. I think not. Life is difficult.

I would never blindly agree to something like this without seeing a detailed plan. This does seem like being a servant to the national agenda. I would suggest you drop this down to the three months after high school! This plan is just to unreasonable for anyone. I certainly would not support my son or daughter having to serve without being paid at least $10 an hour plus insurance. Being paid would at least encourage graduation from High School, solve the problem of taking jobs from other people for no pay, and prevent our children living in poverty.

None of this would work without the cooperation of every High School and College in America. What would the costs be to start up such a plan? What's the overhead going to be? What government agency with oversee this and ultimately be responsible if something tragic happens? How could this not result increase costs on the National Budget?

My opposition to this is for the following reasons.
First and foremost, I do not believe that the government has any right to force people into "service" against their will. It's that simple. No, I'm not a Libertarian, I'm a Democrat, I consider myself a liberal Democrat. Liberal, meaning personal freedom and civil liberties. Why do you believe that the government has any right to separate husbands and wifes? Separate mothers and fathers from their children? People have responsibilities to their families and their families well being. That comes before any responsibility to "serve" their country. Any American who is a good person with a family they love and working a job to pay the bills and try to build a future for their loved ones is "serving" a "greater good".

National service to be commended. It should remain voluntary. I have no problem with encouraging and making incentives for service, but mandatory is wrong and I will never be convinced otherwise.