Posted on Jan 13, 2014
Should military service be a requirement of citizenship?
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I know Israel has some sort of requirement. I was wondering we in the military thought. It is my opinion, that a two year requirement would be beneficial on many fronts. I think the average citizen would pay more attention to the politics of our nation, and therefore be more educated on who they vote for. What are your thoughts?
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Military service
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I answer with a strong NO.
Individuals do not owe the government anything at birth and freedom means being free not to do things. Everything we require of an individual makes them less free.
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PFC Eric Minchey
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - Ronald Reagan.
"To be born free is an accident. To live free is a privilege. To die free is a responsibility."- Brig. General James Sehorn.
Need I say more?
"To be born free is an accident. To live free is a privilege. To die free is a responsibility."- Brig. General James Sehorn.
Need I say more?
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LTC (Join to see)
SSG Benavidez,
The owing of income taxes is a creation of man, therefore, it is not natural law and nothing is truly owed. Our founding fathers did not write income taxes into the Constitution. The income tax was first enacted on 1862 as a means to fund the Federal Civil War effort. Since income taxes were not written into the Constitution I do not support having to pay them as it seems to contradict the spirit of the Constitution. Similarly, I agree with Major Miller. Making military service mandatory is another contradiction to the spirit of the Constitution, the basis of which is freedom from government and the power of the people to limit their government as they see fit.
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A good intent. But generally a BAD idea. Not everyone is suited to the military. I've known a lot of great Americans who've never been in uniform. Yet they serve our nation and their communities in the ways they can do best. I'm all for some sort of national service requirement. But I think defining it as solely military service is a mistake. I also believe it's a bit egotistical for us as soldiers to view it that way. I share GEN McChrystal's opinion.
The Franklin Project is a new venture by the Aspen Institute to marshal the best case for a voluntary civilian counterpart to military service in the United ...
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CW2 Joseph Evans
Agreed, <div><h1 class="quoteText" style="margin-bottom: 15px; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;">“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” ― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/77989.Heraclitus" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">Heraclitus</a></h1></div><div><br></div><div>And that is among a force of volunteers. Still, the threat of mandatory service, the draft, made politicians wary of war for the sake of their sons. Of course, by the 60's and Vietnam, "Fortunate Sons" managed to find ways to avoid the brunt of it.</div><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/ [login to see] p5/77989.jpg"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/77989.Heraclitus">Heraclitus</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">Author of Fragments, The Art and Thought of Heraclitus, The Cosmic Fragments, Dell'origine, Heraclitus of Ephesus, Kırık Taşlar, Homeric Problems, جدل الحب والحرب, Heraclitus, and The Art and Thought ...</div></div><div style="clear:both"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>
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SFC (Join to see)
I am a volunteer fireman, and EMT in my community. I agree there are many options to serve. I just ask, as it came up in conversation the other day.
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Why restrict it to *male* citizens?? If military service is going to be required, it should be required across the board.<br><br>But to answer the original question, public service, yes, mandatory military service, HELL NO! The military should be composed of those who want to be there. 'Draftees' in this day and age will have horrible attitudes.
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1stSgt (Join to see)
This was my stance on this subject as well. Someone had brought this up and you hit it right on the head in my opinion, we want people who want to be here...
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MSgt (Join to see)
In the same respect, there are alot of individuals who have volunteered who dont deserve to be here as well...
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SrA (Join to see)
I think there is much to recommend the idea that some form of service be required to vote. The book Starship Troopers touched on this and I think it's brilliant. The division between citizen and civilian is worth drawing but I think the only division of rights I would make is the right to vote. Freedom of speech, search and seizure, trial by jury etc. etc. applicable for both citizens and civilians, but voting would require a greater commitment than just being born and breathing.
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