France to bring back 'National Service'.

[blackbird]

To be 100% honest I don’t care what they do in France or any other country we got plenty to sort out in Britain.

[Rewulf]

If ,in the unlikely event this gets odd the ground, I can see a few hundred thousand human rights cases being put through the ECHR.

Now that would be funny.

[Remimax]

for sale italian rifle , unfired & only dropped once

[buze]

I did the french national service. wasted a year of my life doing that. I *could* have skipped it (as many did, and many will) but I was a bit idealistic at the time, I was young and stupid. All it did was literally waste a year of my life, and teach me that when you any sort of power to anyone over someone right at the bottom of the ladder, they abuse it because they are stupid, and they can. Conscription was just an excuse to get very, very poorly paid cheap manpower to do **** for other people in the army (or associated services).

During my military service, I was ordered to do idiotic stuff by people with 1/3 of my IQ, for no particular reason than it was a bit of a kick to them. Thats the only time in my life where I had to put up with that sort of stuff. i didn't 'learn' anything of any value, whatsoever. There was nothing to 'learn', that's a pipe dream. it's just cheap labour just perhaps ONE notch over slavery -- you are FORCED to be there and obey stupid -and pointless- orders. There is no goal, no country to save, no excuse, no discussing, nothing; you are treated as **** by people that for the remaining of your *life* you would walk right over if they raised an eyebrow at you.

So, I went from idealistic to lifelong antimilitarist. Well done, conscription. It also completely destroyed my sense of 'civic duty to my country' -- look, I even expatriated less than 10 years after than, and never went back. Well done, conscription.

The only people who would advocate it are people who haven't done it.

[krugerandsmith]

10 hours ago, Remimax said:

for sale italian rifle , unfired & only dropped once

Yes the Worlds smallest book of war heroes

[Zapp]

Clearly a different military with different circumstances,  but in all the time i was in the army I don't think I ever once heard another regular soldier speak in favour of bringing in national service.  

The universal view was that none of us wanted a load of barely trained, reluctant conscripts getting under our feet making a difficult job even more complicated.

 

[Rewulf]

As I said earlier, highly unlikely to get off the ground, and the screams of 'violation of human rights ' will surely make sure it never sees the light of day.

However..I am completely in favour of it ,and have been for years.
Not in the way of propping up or complimenting the existing military or reserves, like has been said the conscript 'force ' is largely unwilling.
But to a generation of disenfranchised, aimless kids, who do nothing all day but watch TV ,scratch their nads and dream of  being a drug dealer/gangster/glamour model  like in the rap videos they watch, I think its a great idea.
Teach them how to exist and fend for themselves away from their mothers house and their stinking bedrooms.
If they arent going to college or 6 th form, or dont have a job when they leave at 16, a years national service, not necessarily military, but a compulsory thing, teaching them life skills ect.
There are plenty of kids that age, that can barely spell or do basic math, never mind cook basic meals and clean up after themselves.
Give them an option to stay another year to learn more advanced stuff, teach them to drive, survival skills, put them on the path to a career, give them a purpose.

I know you can blow holes in the idea, but I think it could do with a look at and maybe a limited trial, possibly voluntary to begin with.

[Penelope]

19 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

As I said earlier, highly unlikely to get off the ground, and the screams of 'violation of human rights ' will surely make sure it never sees the light of day.

However..I am completely in favour of it ,and have been for years.
Not in the way of propping up or complimenting the existing military or reserves, like has been said the conscript 'force ' is largely unwilling.
But to a generation of disenfranchised, aimless kids, who do nothing all day but watch TV ,scratch their nads and dream of  being a drug dealer/gangster/glamour model  like in the rap videos they watch, I think its a great idea.
Teach them how to exist and fend for themselves away from their mothers house and their stinking bedrooms.
If they arent going to college or 6 th form, or dont have a job when they leave at 16, a years national service, not necessarily military, but a compulsory thing, teaching them life skills ect.
There are plenty of kids that age, that can barely spell or do basic math, never mind cook basic meals and clean up after themselves.
Give them an option to stay another year to learn more advanced stuff, teach them to drive, survival skills, put them on the path to a career, give them a purpose.

I know you can blow holes in the idea, but I think it could do with a look at and maybe a limited trial, possibly voluntary to begin with.

A fine idea and one I espouse. No end of good deeds they could do.

[Dave-G]

I think it'd be a great motification to get and hold down a job if the alternative was 2 years conscription for unemployed and/or unemployable young adults.

[Rewulf]

7 minutes ago, Dave-G said:

I think it'd be a great motification to get and hold down a job if the alternative was 2 years conscription for unemployed and/or unemployable young adults.

Exactly , but it doesnt have to be a bad thing to actually do the N.S. 

Put  some perks in there like driving lessons and a test, all paid for, some travel, some education, some training in various skills.
You could feasibly have some of them wanting to do it..maybe ?

Too many kids these days are wandering about like zombies, with no direction.
Theyre not going to suddenly snap out of it and become productive, are they?

[Remimax]

9 hours ago, krugerandsmith said:

Yes the Worlds smallest book of war heroes

Thats the one ,think the title was "leading from the rear"

[HW95J]

Anyone else on the forum have experience of national service? Would be interested to hear how it was, what the training was like etc

[Scully]

There was a time when I nearly joined up myself, at the age of sixteen, but didn't go. I am so glad I didn't.

As a parent I wouldn't want any of my offspring sent off anywhere to serve for this or any other British Government.