NAVY CS.........Well I was drafted and did not want to join the forces, but I think most of the time I was a fairly good infantry soldier who saw his fair share action along with several million other guys who were in the same boat. During this time every one had to do military service, and in the barracks you you could have a belted Earl on one side of your bed and a former convict on the other, yet we all got on and did our stint and we all became good friends. After 50 years I am still in contact with most of the survivors and it is still less than a year since our last get together and about 70 of the the 100 odd men from our old company turned up. During WW2 every one got drafted and they all mixed in together and they got on well. Now if the Draft was reintroduced would it be extended to women seeing as they want equal rights

its much easier for people to accept conscription in all out war...but in todays world...there arnt any. people arnt very patriotic anymore.

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

NAVY CS.........Well I was drafted and did not want to join the forces, but I think most of the time I was a fairly good infantry soldier who saw his fair share action along with several million other guys who were in the same boat. During this time every one had to do military service, and in the barracks you you could have a belted Earl on one side of your bed and a former convict on the other, yet we all got on and did our stint and we all became good friends. After 50 years I am still in contact with most of the survivors and it is still less than a year since our last get together and about 70 of the the 100 odd men from our old company turned up. During WW2 every one got drafted and they all mixed in together and they got on well. Now if the Draft was reintroduced would it be extended to women seeing as they want equal rights

If conscription were a way of life today all of our prospectives would be different I'm sure.

If we ever get to a point where a draft is needed I personally think the United States would soon after end its reign as the longest continuous single form of government the world has ever known. If Americans in the right amount of numbers do not feel compelled to serve and protect our freedoms then we would be at a point the level of personal freedoms we enjoy would no longer be worth the risk.

Currently we are not close to needing a draft - we still turn away more people than we enlist.

Originally Posted by major liability

The quality of conscripts is always inferior to that of volunteers. Unless they are particularly self-motivated conscripts.

I'd say definitely no. Most of the people around my age (1 over here are simply unfit for service for psychological reasons. I don't think they could take it. And they'd resent their country for forcing them into it.

Save the draft for an emergency.

I totally agree with ML.

I taught and counseled at Australia's army recruit training centre (where 5,000 new army recruits entered every year) and the significant number of coping problems from even volunteers who voluntarily entered into tough disciplined training would multiply a thousand fold from unwilling and compulsory recruits. A small number of conscripts may be surprised how good it is and become good soldiers but the problems and drama's that training staff would have to deal with (self harm threats, desertion, breakdowns) could see the training facility collapse (staff-recruit conflict, staff resignations / discharges).

You also have to remember that you need the staff and buildings and facilities and budget to cope with extra conscripted recruits. Like Australia, I don't think canada could sustain this but of course in a national emergency this is what we would do as an economic and national priority.

The question is this: is the quality of your conscript lower AFTER basic training than your volunteer?

There are a LOT of exceptions to the rule "one volunteer is worth three draftees."

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

The question is this: is the quality of your conscript lower AFTER basic training than your volunteer?

There are a LOT of exceptions to the rule "one volunteer is worth three draftees."

Aye, those exceptions are about 1 in 3

Thinking about it, that may be too generous in todays world.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

The question is this: is the quality of your conscript lower AFTER basic training than your volunteer?

There are a LOT of exceptions to the rule "one volunteer is worth three draftees."

Interestingly enough many commanders of Australian troops could see no difference between the volunteers and the National Servicemen in Vietnam, and often commented as such.

Originally Posted by SHERMAN

its much easier for people to accept conscription in all out war...but in todays world...there arnt any. people arnt very patriotic anymore.

100% agree.

The draft was unpopular in the Vietnam era, but when the crap hit the fan protecting your buddy became the #1 priority, and many, many acts of valor and heroism are traced back to draftees (conscripts). While no one wanted to go, once they were there they became the professionals their country needed - up until the politics and civilian populace stopped supporting them, and then they just became drunks and drug addicts. But for a time, it was a successful program, just as it was in Korea, WWII, and etc.

But these exceptional men were a prodigy of exceptional circumstances, where survival depended on the guy next to you, and his on you.

In a peacetime military, these exceptional circumstances (obviously) do not exist, and while some will find the military lifestyle enjoyable and educational, I feel that most would simply resent the stripping of their freedom to choose between service and not serving.

This resentment is detrimental to unit cohesiveness, the moral and trust and structure of command that makes us the greatest fighting force in the world.

With that said, allow me to put a different spin on it:

I do believe in mandatory service - to country. The military is NOT the only way to serve your country. So I say, enact mandatory service, but give them a choice.

Some may choose to work in a homeless soup kitchen. Or as a teacher. Or in the Veteran's Administration. Or a nursing home.

You get the point. Service to others above service to self is true service - be that military or otherwise.

Yes I agree with this too. Give them mandatory service for a year or two but soldiering isn't where all the needs are right now.

A good list will be as follows:
Teacher
Nursing Home
Foreign Service Volunteer (be a nurse in some far off place for a year or something)

I've done both teacher and I've also worked in a nursing home before. Basically jobs that are necessary, good and have a lack of people taking part.

Theoretically if your training programs are doing the job there should be no difference between a conscript that has passed basic and volunteer.

I am a big fan of the CMS idea if for no other reason than the social benefits to the community.