National Service

[Thumpalumpacus]

Voluntary? Sure.

[FatAndFaithless]

You understand that I, as a vet, have access to things that others do not, and preferential treatment where others do not?  What if that were the norm - even for civil service (and civil service in a sector of one's own choosing - just as now with the armed forces)?  The penalty for opting out, would be that you were opting out of those things.

..Then it's not compulsory gov't service, which is the topic of the OP. Extending benefits to other civil services is a fine discussion topic, just not the one in the OP.

[The Grand Nudger]

It's compulsory in the only sense of the term that would be legal in the united states...just as car insurance is compulsory, unless you don't want to drive a car. I didn;t realize that we were being asked to weigh in on a fascist dystopia, lol?

[FatAndFaithless]

Would you call the current form of our military service as 'compulsory'?

[The Grand Nudger]

Nope, completely voluntary, there's no law that says, upon turning 18..that you must choose some branch of the service or be barred from x y and z service or assistance...and I don;t think, personally, that military service should -be- compulsory, though I do think that an excellent argument can be made for compulsory national service, with all the exemptions and provisions you'd expect in a free..first world country.

[FatAndFaithless]

Nope, completely voluntary, there's no law that says, upon turning 18..that you must choose some branch of the service or be barred from x y and z service or assistance.

Okay, sure.  Now, if we extended the same benefits that veterans get, to other types of civil service, those wouldn't suddenly become compulsory either.  So we're not talking about compulsory government work.

For the record, I think I'd be in favor of extending some of the same benefits to other civil services.

[The Grand Nudger]

It does become compulsory, however, when the law states that you choose or lose. Some argue that losses could include full citizenship...but I wouldn't go so far, myself.

[FatAndFaithless]

It does become compulsory, however, when the law states that you choose or lose.

Lose what?  The benefits were never meant to be for everyone... That logic holds true for the military now.  You choose to serve or you lose the benefits that you currently receive for being a veteran.

[The Grand Nudger]

Lose what?  The benefits were never meant to be for everyone... That logic holds true for the military now.  

-and their children........

You choose to serve or you lose the benefits that you currently receive for being a veteran.

In a compulsory system you may, for example, lose access to the national health service you enjoyed as a benefit conferred to you by being the child of a servicemember, or even simply provided to you on the basis of your being a child.  When you become an adult, you decide to go it alone with private insurance, or serve in a sector of your choosing.

[FatAndFaithless]

Lose what?  The benefits were never meant to be for everyone... That logic holds true for the military now.  

-and their children........

You choose to serve or you lose the benefits that you currently receive for being a veteran.

In a compulsory system you may, for example, lose access to the national health service you enjoyed as a benefit conferred to you by being the child of a servicemember, or even simply provided to you on the basis of your being a child.  When you become an adult, you decide to go it alone with private insurance, or serve in a sector of your choosing.

So, for example, I am not a service member, nor is either of my parents.  I am 17, I am not receiving any of the military benefits.  I hit 18 years old, and I choose not to serve in the military or any other civil service.  What services/benefits do I lose?