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National Service in the UK   

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Posted

Apparently , the PM has an idea to re introduce this , with options.

 

  • Sweden, Norway, France and Denmark reintroduced national service recently 

 

Posted

Personally , I can't see it happening . Non starter with too many problems bound to arise.

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Posted
4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Realistically - I don't think this would happen in the UK.. its too much of a 'sharp turn around'... I suspect it would be the death knell of any government campaign.

 

Yes. Look at the protests over the poll tax.  I think the protests that would follow trying to implement this would be on a par. 

 

Also , the idea of giving some of these reluctant recruits a loaded weapon of any description , even on a range , would likely be a recipe for mayhem.

Posted
Just now, Denim said:

Also , the idea of giving some of these reluctant recruits a loaded weapon of any description , even on a range , would likely be a recipe for mayhem.

 

We let them drive !!!... 

 

When I look back on my school years, its quite frightening to consider some of the dullards driving on the same roads I do...   reading some of the replies on this forum often gives me cause for similar concern !!! 

 

 

But... National Service could be put to a lot of good..

Driving courses, safety, first aid training, electrical safety and many other practical and social skills.....

Its not just about 'guns & shoot'n'

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Posted

IMO it takes a few months to fully train people and if they only do 2 years it is not really worth the time and trouble to train them unless they will be cannon fodder.

 

However if they are trained to do civilian tasks, the whole country could benefit.

 

One problem is they need to be paid a decent rate rather than less than the minimum wage.

 

I don't think that many people in the UK would be happy about the idea though.

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Posted

From my perspective the UK is pushing escalation of a European war, and has posed relentlessly for it. If I had a child of military age I'd send him to the US or Canada for his tertiary education and early work experience. Having said that there don't seem to be many prospects for kids in the UK, maybe I'd send the kids anyway. 

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Posted
13 minutes ago, retarius said:

From my perspective the UK is pushing escalation of a European war, and has posed relentlessly for it. If I had a child of military age I'd send him to the US or Canada for his tertiary education and early work experience. Having said that there don't seem to be many prospects for kids in the UK, maybe I'd send the kids anyway. 

Good idea, you could join them.........:intheclub:

But of course you have conveniently forgot to peace time during 1918 and 1939, when the alias took their eyes off the ball to let Germany build a massive army to start another war.

This time around, the UK and the EU haven't, as we're now dealing with a Hitler Mk.II.

 

Though I think you will be OK in Canada......:drunk:

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Posted
2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think national service is a good idea... 

 

Not from a 'military point of view'... but from a discipline point of view... it would sort out of a lot of societal issues (IMO), it would certainly deal with a degree aimlessness that blights the minds of many inner-city kids who struggle to see a future and become delinquent - perhaps I'm sounding like a boomer...  but thats they way I see it.

 

When younger, national service was something I always fancied, perhaps because of fathers frond memories of such service (in the RAF at which time he was very tempted to remain and become an officer).

 

There was some mind numbingly dumb stuff which I'm sure I'd have hated... 

 

Realistically - I don't think this would happen in the UK.. its too much of a 'sharp turn around'... I suspect it would be the death knell of any government campaign.

 

There are away too many spoilt privileged kids who simply don't want to experience anything difficult... but that would be 'character building'...  and perhaps something they'd be able to build upon.

 

Then there is the WMD disaster - no parent wants their kids going to war on the back of a legacy of lies...  for this reason alone the distrust of the government will take generations before something such as national service is accepted without nationwide protest.

I would have thought it's a pretty good bet that anyone who falls into the category of "kids who simply don't want to experience anything difficult" and probably the majority of those who have "societal issues" would just go for the second option - one weekend a month doing some kind of community service.

 

24 days a year doing something relatively easy and straightforward, or 365 days in the military - I think I know what they'd choose.

 

Not that this is ever going to happen mind, since the Tories haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of winning this election.

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Posted

Loads of young people already do voluntary work - this hasn’t occurred to the Tories purely because they would never do anything like that themselves.

 

Frankie Boyle said that.

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Posted
50 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I would have thought it's a pretty good bet that anyone who falls into the category of "kids who simply don't want to experience anything difficult" and probably the majority of those who have "societal issues" would just go for the second option - one weekend a month doing some kind of community service.

 

24 days a year doing something relatively easy and straightforward, or 365 days in the military - I think I know what they'd choose.

 

Not that this is ever going to happen mind, since the Tories haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of winning this election.

 

How about 90 days military training followed by nine months in Thailand as a classroom assistant. Would you have signed up for that aged 18? 

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Posted
3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

We let them drive !!!... 

 

When I look back on my school years, its quite frightening to consider some of the dullards driving on the same roads I do...   reading some of the replies on this forum often gives me cause for similar concern !!! 

 

 

But... National Service could be put to a lot of good..

Driving courses, safety, first aid training, electrical safety and many other practical and social skills.....

Its not just about 'guns & shoot'n'

 

Correct - too many people regard the concept as a form of punishment. Your points are excellent. Loads of people would sign up for a years worth of modules including the issues you mentioned. 

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Posted

Well my 3 years were a good time, I could pursue my studies and the country benefitted. And the ragheads added some spice in 1973. 

 

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Posted
9 hours ago, theblether said:

The 90 day military training is essential to codify discipline. And I accept many will find that punishing.

I don't know why it would be punishing, except for snowflakes never had discipline in their lives. The only problem for me doing it was some of the fellow recruits which were not nice people. The actual training was mostly enjoyable, even drill, though I always dreaded being put into a position of being marker.

Posted
23 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The only problem for me doing it was some of the fellow recruits which were not nice people.

Got beat up a lot, huh? I can understand that. From most of your posts here, I would have beat you up too.

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Posted

Ever seen that  "Lads Army" program , that's what this idea will be like. Kids that don't /won't , be told, fighting their superiors, total disaster idea, and i'm sure the  military dont want them.

.

Military young offenders prisons would be a good starter, do as you're told, or solitary confinement etc.

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