ItchibumBashalots wrote:
Really I think 1 year of service in exchange for tuition is a great idea. I think it should be split into different sections though. Civil and Military. Give people a chance to gain experience with construction/engineering/mechanicals or medical. Give people an opportunity to just grind out a year of hard training and combat skills. I imagine there are models already for these things. I would have no problem with my kids going thru this. I would want some serious leadership and oversite. I wouldnt want our youth getting abused in any fashion ie: overzealous training for kids who arent physical capable...you know the ones I mean. It isnt a wash out system. Also the risk of rape. If your a female and volunteer for military service I have to believe you arrive with a certain amount of mental and physical toughness. Throwing little Sally to the wolves is a whole nuther story.

One year is worth the equal of 40-50k? Are you paying for that with tax money? I have no desire to. The LAST thing we need is MORE people going to college, a Bachelor's is already worth less than the paper it's printed on.

I think it's another ridiculous idea that's flat out naive of Obama. It won't make anyone good citizens, because it goes against the entire point. Being a good citizen is like donating to a charity, if you don't do it of your own volition, it misses the ENTIRE point.

Now, chances are I won't have to deal with this, becuase I just turned 24 and it's going to take too long to set this up, but if I did? I'd refuse, and they can throw my ass in jail. I have better things to do than this bullshit, like setting up a career. I pay taxes for an established military.

And THAT, I think, is the root focus of the issue. "Well, every citizen is being trained, do we REALLY need a sizeable standing army?" YES, becuase the training is worth jack shit. They're going to use it as an excuse to cut the size of the military drastically and say "Look how much money we've saved! We can spend that on welfare, or PS3's for poor kids!" while weakening our nations defense.