would national service work?
as an ex soldier, i am against it 100%. the british army, widely acknowledged as the most professional army in the world, until the pc brigade come along, dont want the countries rubbish. we are the best because we are volunteers, so when we are asked to jump, we dont ask why, we ask how high, thats why men went over the top to their deaths, discipline, and blind obedience, i do agree with penal battalions for criminals though, that might make good men out of bad. i did 2 months in military prison, and i wouldnt go back for another day. so leave people who dont wanna be soldiers, but thugs, thieves, etc, penal battalions, run on army rules, by military police. it would also deter people from turning to crime when the ones who come out tell them, you dont wanna go in there mate. and also ease our prison populations. i know you say thay can just refuse, in that case, as in colchester nick, your entitled to blanket,water, and three meals, nothing else. agree or not??
scottie im against it because as i said, one volunteer is better than ten pressed men. we volunteer, so we do as we are trained, thats the path we chose, criminal element, would say no way, and destroy the camraderie, and regt loyalty, etc. penal battalion would do the same job, with a carrot and stick, and keep them all together
lancashiretasty, your an idiot
Would it do any harm?
Look at society at the moment and the problems, we need an alternative!
Why are you against it?
Has long as they weren’t trained to kill.
Just the discipline side of army training would suffice.
n s would work for criminals
totally agree. the army is far too technical for these numb nuts who can’t follow a simple order. i would not want any of my family in the forces right now to be dependant on them for watching their backs in a fire fight. the military could be used to set up some kind of boot camp for young offenders. this will show them that the world doesn’t owe them a living and instill in them a sense of self worth which could make them useful human beings. that’s after they have stopped crying cos it’s too hard of course!!!!!!!!!!!
I wouldnt trust a group of criminals with guns forced to fight for the country. To be honest I dont think anyone should be forced to fight for the country unless the draft is instated because of a homeland security issue.
I’m all in favor of putting them in chaingangs though. Pay um less then minimum wage to do hard labor like paving roads and stuff. I think it’d work. Its proven that it does.
So ya, my opinion is no on forcing them to fight, but I think something more then relazing in todays prisons is needed.
Penal battalions are they way forward. First wave!!!
surely national service helped us win two world wars…or are u saying that those that were conscripted and lost their lives for you didnt mean as much as say those that told lies about their ages to get in or people who volunteered to do mine and your country proud!!!
edit id also like to point out that alot of people who join the army today do so to escape from the crap that goes on in their lives…and being in the army doesnt mean that you are possibly one of the best people who walk the earth…soldiers can be criminals too…
With the youthin this country (not all of them but you know what i mean) there is no way national service would work. I like your idea about sending criminals to a colchester type place. I knew a few guys in the army who had been before and never set a foot wrong again when they came out. I wouldn’t put them in the actual army though, i dont feel comfortable at the thought of a bunch of criminals protecting us in a war or whatever. I agree with your last statement, prisioners get far too many comforts in jail, prision should be so horrible that you wouldn’t even think about breaking the law again.
National service usually would apply to young men of suitable age and not to criminals.
I believe national service would be a great benefit to our country.
For these reasons;
It will instill a sense of decency and strength of character in those lacking.
Improved physical fitness will mean a healthier population.
Our youths would learn a sense of duty and patriotism.
We would root out all the immigrants who choose not to defend the country that hosts them.
Many would choose to continue a respected career after the National service time expires.
Valuable vocational skills would be taught to those who would normally be avoiding work and wasting on drugs and crime.
To respond to questioners fair comment about the possible diluting of British forces quality.I’m certain,as in the past,no National service soldier would be allowed into the field until he has achieved the standard required by their officers.
The days of sending regiments of soldiers “over the top” towards the enemy’s machine guns are long gone. Our armed forces are largely now technology based. We need sensible capable people to do the job of fighting for our interests, not every Tom **** and Harry off the streets just because they reach a certain age.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying mate, and yes
National non combative military service is a positive way of teaching the young people that to live alongside your fellow man/woman you have to get along,
there would be those who would be opposed due to there religion etc, but it must cover all except on medical grounds
educational commitments and the like, if someone is staying on to go to collage or medical training they may be excused or do there two years after completion of there vocational training.
As I said it sounds like a good Idea but due to the nature of the beast it probable would not work, I could see opposition against training certain sections of our youth in the ways of say army life backfiring upon us, we have enough terrorist in the shadows as it is, so its back to the drawing board my friend.
You point is a good one except many of your “volunteers” don`t want to fight either.
Bringing back National Service can only be a good thing for this country in my opinion.It hasn`t harmed any other country that has compulsory military service for it`s populace (Netherlands ,Israel or Greece for example) and would certainly bolster up the gaps caused by “volunteers” leaving because they “didn`t join up to fight a war” .
In theory you’re right.
From a practical point of view given the situation in Afghan & Iraq and shortage of manpower in HM Forces national service is the only alternative to withdrawal from one theatre of operations to concentrate on the other.
The Government states that by the end of this year the number of personnel in Iraq will reduce to 5000. Taking into account there is a force of 5500 there at present the 500 being withdrawn will make no difference to the overall state of HM Forces nor allow a major “surge” in Afghanistan to take place.
It’s called 8 cutbacks in 10 years – 6 of which have been introduced since 2001 despite being in 2 major conflicts.
I think it would be a good thing. The generations of men that went thru National service are now mostly disciplined upstanding members of the community with a sense of national pride. And I think giving the youngsters of today some structure and a sense of belonging and discipline would be a good thing as most seem to lack this.
I agree with what you said about penal battalions tho. I think the government should run a ‘three strikes and your in’ policy for scumbags and layabouts and have MPs run them ragged and beat the out of anyone that refuses to soldier. They would also make excellent cannon fodder. Get them to walk toward the Taliban and draw them out so the real soldiers can pinpoint them