As a libertarian and conservative, I understand that compulsory national service could seem like an infringement on personal freedom. But I still think it is worth exploring under specific guidelines.
Chris TalgoÌý
When most people hear the term national service, they automatically think of the military. Many nations, including and , require at least some military service. This is not the case in the United States, which has an all-volunteer military.
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In the United States, are active-duty service members.
Though it would be beneficial to encourage more Americans to enlist in the military, it shouldn't be mandatory. Yet imposing some national service requirements would pay big dividends, given how divided our country has become in recent years.
show that national service increases civic engagement, helps develop critical life skills and has “a positive impact on young adults’ health, safety and well-being.†The idea of compulsory national service also isÌýÌýamong the American people.
This includes young Americans, who would be most affected by a national service requirement. Three-quarters of 18- to 24-year-olds an 18-month national service commitment, according to a survey.Ìý
An obligatory tenure in national service for all U.S. citizens on graduating from high school would serve many purposes. This includes fosteringÌýa renewed sense of national unity and pride.
Members of the California Conservation Corps work Jan. 27 in the rubble of the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. Requiring young people to serve their country for 18 months after graduating from high school has been floated for decades.
Opponents of compulsory service argue it would violate some of the nation’s most cherished principles. They maintain it would directly encroach on Americans’ personal freedom.
This is misguided, considering all citizens must uphold several duties. This includes serving on juries, and men can be drafted during a time of war.Ìý
As citizens of a nation, we should feel obligated to participate in activities that build a sense of national identity and purpose. Moreover, we should be willing to sacrifice at least a little for the good of the country.
Unfortunately, sacrificing anything, even a few months, for the sake of the country is a tall ask. It wasn’t always this way.
In 1961, during his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.â€
Those words still resonate.
Now is the worst time to implement required national service for young people.
Of course, citizens could do many things for the country if a stint in national service became mandatory. Imagine a program that enlists young Americans to pick up trash and litter in their local communities. Or how about a program that recruits young people to help provide care at housing centers for older adults. The possibilities are almost endless.
Today, when Americans complete their high school studies, they are expected to join the workforce or continue their education. As a former high school teacher, I know that many 18-year-olds are not ready for this next stage of their life.
As such, a brief period in which these young Americans would be required to choose a national service program would help them mature. It also would aid them as they contemplate what they would like to pursue as they reach adulthood.
