Could a draft save the American youth from a life of apathy and degradation?

I don't think our youth are apathetic. The problem isn't that they care about nothing, it's that they care about every freakin thing. Everything is a freakin issue or cause these days. Honestly, I don't have enough emotional bandwidth to care about all of it. So maybe if they had to serve and see what real problems were being faced by other humans in the world in 2017 it might make them care less that someone "fat shamed" someone else. It worked for me. When you get to live in 3rd world countries for a while you start realizing that the fact that I got a small fry when I ordered a large really isn't that big a deal.

However, having a draft would all but eliminate one of my favorite things to say to complaining soldiers. "Shut up. You're here because you volunteered for it. No one made you sign the dotted line". Not sure what I'd do without that gem.

No.

I think a 2yr mandatory service would give this generation a major attitude ajustment.