What's your opinion on mandatory military service? (lemm.ee)

submitted 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) by helloworld55@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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This question was inspired by a post on lemmy.zip about lowering the minimum age to purchase firearms in the US, and a lot of commeters brought up military service and training as a benchmark to normal civilians, and how if guns would be prevalent, then firearm training should be more common.

For reference, I live in the USA, where the minimum age to join the military is 18, but joining is, for the most part, optional. I also know some friends that have gone through the military, mostly for college benefits, and it has really messed them up. However, I have also met some friends from south korea, where I understand military service is mandatory before starting a more normal career. From what I've heard, military service was treated more as a trade school, because they were never deployed, in comparison to American troops.

I just wanted to know what the broader Lemmy community thought about mandatory military service is, especially from viewpoints outside the US.

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[-] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 14 points 21 hours ago

Mandatory training - Yes
Mandatory service - No

In the event of a real defensive war, where your nation is invaded with the intent of conquest or subjugation, you will not have a lack of volunteers. You will have a lack of trained people.

It takes a couple of months to train a new recruit. Having everyone ready to go will help tremendously during the initial stages of war.

On the other hand, a permanent mandatory service is 1. A waste of money, 2. Open for exploitation by corrupt governments

[-] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 1 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

In the event of a real defensive war, where your nation is invaded with the intent of conquest or subjugation, you will not have a lack of volunteers. You will have a lack of trained people.

Hey, I have a (purely theoretical!) question if you don't mind.

So, if there was (theoretically of course) a war out there, where the government openly admits that they lack volunteers, people are trying to escape the country en masse by illegally crossing the border, and also there were thousands of videos online about that government kidnapping people off the streets (so that they have at least someone to send into the war), would it mean by your definition that such a war is not "with the intent of conquest or subjugation"?

[-] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 2 points 20 hours ago

Arguing semantics is not arguing in good faith.

In this "purely theoretical" case, exhaustion plays a huge role. There would not be a lack of volunteers in the beginning, say in the first year of war. After a couple of years and no hope of victory, it's not surprising some people could decide to give up.

Now, should they be forced into war anyway? Tragedy of the commons or some such philosophical dilemma....

[-] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 2 points 20 hours ago

I don't think I am "arguing semantics" (whatever that means), and you evaded the question :(

this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2025

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