What do you think about the US following in Israels foot steps and making it mandatory to serve two years at the age of 18?

Public service of some kind would be great and give everyone a start on what life is like, not just going to college which is really just high school 2.0

This in my opinion is an outstanding idea! They will get a little discipline and hopefully get a skill set that can be used outside.

I served during and after Vietnam. THEN, I was very much in favor of abolishing the draft and going to an all volunteer force. My POV has changed and in fact is now 180 out from that stance. We have succeeded n raising a generation of single-minded, self-absorbed, spoiled bastards! NOW, We should make two years of military service MANDATORY for all persons upon reaching the age of 18. Even those persons designated as "handicapped" would not be exempt. Unless that individual is totally incapable of communication or being productive, everyone serves. The only allowable deferment would be for an individual who is the sole support of a family.

It's time to reassert our position as the world's premier super power.

This has been an on again/off again debate for years (anyone remember President G.H.W. Bush's "thousand points of light"?). Generally, every time the idea of compulsory national service comes up, there's a counter that it would be nothing more than "paid volunteerism" and actually damage "true" volunteerism. The latest I found (admittedly, I didn't look that hard) is from the Heritage Foundation in 2010:

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/10/19/compulsory-national-service-would-undermine-the-american-character

If you haven't already, read Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Don't watch the movie, it is lame. But the concepts of mandatory service so you can have rights and access to services is brilliant. Read the book and you';; see what I support.

I'm against. I joined in '79 and we still had draft leftovers from the Vietnam War. Making someone serve does not always have good results. Many who were drafted were problem children. Unless we have problems staffing the ranks during time of war, I say no to mandatory servicebb

Though for many, the Military is a positive experience, it is important to note that our military is a voluntary one. Making it mandatory is not service, but rather servitude. One has to also consider the cost, and complexity of taking 10 million 18 year olds out of the workforce, or colleges EVERY year, and then keeping them out of the workforce, and college for 2 or more years. Forcing young adults to work for the benefit of others without their consent is slavery in my opinion, and an institution we should not attempt to reincarnate. Regards.

Servitude: 1. a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one's course of action or way of life (Merriam Webster dictionary)

I think IF you want to do something like this, then there are no exceptions. Plenty of ways to serve without being in the military. The differences between the United States and Israel are too many to list but I think the blow back would be something I would not want to be in the middle of?

I believe that everyone should at least serve once in their life, especially the younger generation of "everyone wins a trophy" generation.

It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. but we have to look at all the viewpoints and decide on what would entail within the 2 yr service requirement. It may remove some privileges we may already have that we want to keep.