the return of national service!

[chimpanzyyyy]

[Luke Rainbird]

I think that's one of the key problems with the majority of discussion on the matter really - people hear "National Service" or "military" and assume that means giving someone an SA80 and dumping them on the front line when actually that's a tiny part of what it's actually all about.

We're not at a point yet where National Service is necessary and as far as I'm aware this sort of thing is very unlikely to be passed in the near future. There are fantastic incentives for people to join the forces at the minute anyway in those branches with personnel deficiencies so people may be persuaded to join rather than forced into it, but there are also a number of areas in which there are simply too many applicants for not enough jobs (largely including your typical front line meatshield positions).

[Ben Swales]

Let's not forget that there have also been sweeping cuts across some branches of the military where people have actually lost their jobs as a result. It's hard to see how conscription or national service would be justified in the face of that.

But yeah, even if it does happen, as Luke pointed out - national service doesn't necessarily mean going to war. It doesn't even necessarily mean military service (although from what I understand in this case, it probably does); a friend of mine in Germany had to do national service (his was the last generation to have to do it) and lived and worked for a year in an old people's home rather than join the army. Even if this proposed national service was purely military service, there are a lot of non-combat military roles that would most likely be filled with national service 'recruits' - it would only be in the case of a large-scale war that these people would actually be called upon to fight (as seen in WWI and WWII, for example), which in this day and age is pretty unlikely.

I have to admit, when I first read the OP's post and links, I felt a bit sad and a bit threatened, but after looking into it further and considering it logically, I think it's extremely unlikely and will now pretty much forget about it.

[weirdoku]

I haven't read how it works but if I have to quit my job to do it then it can f**k off, unless it pays me the same as I'm earning now. I'm in a position where I need a full time job.

What happens afterwards? You can't just walk back into your old job can you??

[dngr2self]

I think they should bring it in for people under a certain age that have been unemployed for a certain amount of time. I also think something similar instead of asbo's should be brought in.

[Luke Rainbird]

I also think something similar instead of asbo's should be brought in.

Target practice?

[Matt Vandart]

Wow....there are some real f**king idiots on this forum

[Matt Vandart]

To everyone that thinks its a good idea, assuming you are under 50 years old, it includes YOU

[dngr2self]

To everyone that thinks its a good idea, assuming you are under 50 years old, it includes YOU

So 49 year olds will have to do national service? Think about it, do you think taking people out of full time employment is really viable? The cost of training everyone plus the cost of compensating companies for taking away their staff would make it way too expensive. What about the small businesses that only have a couple of staff? Do you think a sole trader could realistically leave the business for the length of time it would take to train? Wages would need to be matched and if a business went under because of national service then what they do. The whole idea is unrealistic, they're looking at ways of cutting costs in the mod but they won't introduce national service, they'll cut full time staff and continue with the recruitment drive for the ta.

[dngr2self]

Also, the cut off point as far as age is concerned is 31 or 32 currently so why would they suddenly start taking people over that age?

[Dave Anscombe]

You mean the return of a red flag-

il break it down-

Make people believe that war is round the corner-(national service)

This makes people scared and angry-This gives governments the excuse to attack with the backing of the people

And there you have it-The governments have their war with iran

[Mark W]

I don't think unlikely talk of National Service returning is making people 'scared and angry' about the prospect of war. If they were going to be 'scared and angry' about the prospect of war, it'd probably because the Prime Minister is talking daily about the need for 'robust' military reaction in Syria? I guess that isn't coded enough for you or something...

[MadManMike]

Dave in anti-government consipracy shocker.

[Blake]

It sounds like complete crap in my honesty.

I have an alarming lack of respect for current people joining the army and even when soldiers come home in body bags.

I don't care for it because they went out there in their own choice, when they aren't protecting our country and are fighting an unjust "war". It pisses me off when you see people putting shit on facebook like "R.I.P. Our brave soldiers 1 like 1 respect <33" because they're not fighting for our country, there's no legitimate reason for them to be out there dying.

I'm probably massively under educated on all of this, as I'm not old enough to understand all the political reasons for being out there.

Conscription can suck a dick unless it's for a war that's justified, which will never happen because it seems everyone in government is a f**king retard, how about we spend all that time talking shit about war and fighting and come up with a decent solution to get the economy back into shape, like perhaps withdrawing the benefits from the f**king pikey's that get their money to live in a travel lodge and drink 6 cans of fosters a day and smoke 20 fags.

[MadManMike]

I'm with you on that. I never voice my opinion because it's such a touchy subject.

Heroes were the people in WWII that were genuinely defending our country and would go into battle again and again even when injured.

Invading arab countries shooting a fake enemy isn't heroic, it's something they choose to do and get paid for.

[Bucky]

Stuff that. I dont want to have to work with or train people who are forced into it. Its hard enough working with 'volunteers' who want to be soldiers.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Bucky