Is it me????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jasy]

Ahh the National Service question.well as some of u are aware i spent 14 years in the infantry and this question came up a couple of times . My belief is that it is not a good idea. The army is difficult enough without having to cater for people who do NOT want to be there. We have a very professional outfit regardless of the political stuff like kit not up to scratch. The army needs people who want to be there. The discipline required for life skills should be given at home and in the schools. The army should not be used as a last chance at the ok corral for lifes dropouts...............that should get the fingers typing

 

[jasy]

Jasy,
What do you think about bringing back national service?

I'm not Jasy, but I'm for it in theory. Even if they were to introduce it tomorrow and my age fell into the bracket. The main reason that stopped me joining the TA was that I don't want to put my career on hold for a year or more every time there is a war. If there is national service, EVERYONE does it so it is equal for everyone.

Of course, I am also very much in favour of equal opportunities so I would be all for extending it to women too (not sure about frontline duty though). This would cause some major problems, many girls would deliberately become pregnant to get out of it, possibly even encouraged by their family if there was the likelihood of war. I know there are women in the forces already, but they are there because that is what they want to do. Not sure how you could solve this one...

Whatsmore, I would include anyone in the correct age bracket. Asylum seekers (men and women), and it would be a term of gaining citizenship in the UK. "Ah, Mr and Mrs Abdul. Yes, I will be happy to put your application through. You can have citizenship as of tomorrow, you may both pick up your papers at the National Service office". If you want the UK to serve you, you must serve the UK.

Language barriers don't have to be a problem. My grandfather is a Welshman, served in the Welsh guards in the war alongside people who couldn't speak English. It was harsh at first (the officers weren't sympathetic that they couldn't understand orders) but they worked it out somehow. And the French Foreign Legion works too. It would be best to mix them in, if you had e.g. a special arabic regiment, it is quite likely that you would be mixing people from countries that hate each other and end up with trouble on your hands. Plus it would help their integration into UK culture and society.

Hmmmm, I'm sounding a bit like Joey Stalin for my liking here! Assuming everyone does 1 year, then that would mean an armed forces of roughly a million people at any one time.

This is all well and good but it takes 6 months to train someone (minimum)

 

[AdamW]

The army is difficult enough without having to cater for people who do NOT want to be there.

I wonder how they got round this one in the days of NS? A couple of mates of mine served in the Greek army (they are Greek, funnily enough) on NS and seem to have thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't know how extreme their training is compared to the UK forces, but some of their stories and the Schwarzenneger build of one of them makes me think that it wasn't a pleasant couple of years sunning themselves on Rhodes!

I can see a slight problem in this theory, Fundamentalists would love the oppurtunity to infiltrate our armed services and be trained to high standards for free!

That is a good point, however they would be more likely to be uncovered during their NS through the way they act during their service. Psychologists would no doubt discover their contempt or even hatred. If they are sitting, unemployed, in a slum in Bradford then they might never be uncovered until it is too late. Plus the time they spend in the forces might give them the self-esteem boost they need to feel happy without resorting to extremist teachings.

Failing that, just use brainwashing... subliminal messages perhaps

 

[AdamW]

This is all well and good but it takes 6 months to train someone (minimum)

But what a training they get in those 6 months.

Plus if EVERYONE knows how to fight and kill with bare hands, a thug on his own no longer has an advantage and is more likely to think before starting anything.