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[News] Should we Bring Back National Service? Sunak says YES.

Would you support a Form of Military Service? If so, what kind?

  • No, not in any form

    Votes: 223 54.0%
  • One month, as a voluntary, community based scheme

    Votes: 20 4.8%
  • One year, voluntary, community based scheme

    Votes: 42 10.2%
  • Voluntary military service for 12 months

    Votes: 23 5.6%
  • Compulsory community based military service for one month

    Votes: 26 6.3%
  • Compulsory military service for 12 months

    Votes: 82 19.9%
  • How old are you - 18-24

    Votes: 10 2.4%
  • 25-49

    Votes: 83 20.1%
  • 50-64

    Votes: 121 29.3%
  • 65+

    Votes: 59 14.3%

  • Total voters
    413


stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,918
Well thank goodness the hundreds of thousands of brave, selfless young people in WW2 took a different view, or I very much doubt you would have the freedoms you enjoy now.

did 100% of young people fight in the war?

or did we still need others to run the country?

you don't know how old I am, or what I do
 




BigBod

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2014
380
It's an absolute NO from me. I've served and I can't imagine serving with someone who doesn't want to be there. There is something very special about serving and the camaraderie that exists with your oppo's is very special, I don't believe you would get that with someone who has been pressganged.
 


stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,918
It's an absolute NO from me. I've served and I can't imagine serving with someone who doesn't want to be there. There is something very special about serving and the camaraderie that exists with your oppo's is very special, I don't believe you would get that with someone who has been pressganged.
exactly this.
 


Zeberdi

“Vorsprung durch Technik”
NSC Patron
Oct 20, 2022
6,902
It's an absolute NO from me. I've served and I can't imagine serving with someone who doesn't want to be there. There is something very special about serving and the camaraderie that exists with your oppo's is very special, I don't believe you would get that with someone who has been pressganged.
Isn’t the whole point of a NON-COMPULSORY form of NS that it would only attract those who want to be there. Those that don’t want to serve, aren’t likely to sign up to something they don’t want to do are they?

This isn’t necessarily a binary choice between NO National Service or COMPULSORY National Service and the poll doesn’t reflect that either. Just saying. There are alternatives.
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,452
Hove
Well thank goodness the hundreds of thousands of brave, selfless young people in WW2 took a different view, or I very much doubt you would have the freedoms you enjoy now.
They were mostly conscripted, and brave as they were, which I am not doubting for a second, I would think many of them echoed @stewart12 post that they wouldn't have wanted to fight in a war or volunteer to do it, although many may well have. There were supposedly 100k deserters from UK forces in WWII, and those that were conscripted that refused to fight and went to prison.

I suspect there were likely many brave men who ended up being effective brave soldiers, but were very much of the 'no way I want to fight in a war' opinion before the war and before they were conscripted.
 






abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,389
They were mostly conscripted, and brave as they were, which I am not doubting for a second, I would think many of them echoed @stewart12 post that they wouldn't have wanted to fight in a war or volunteer to do it, although many may well have. There were supposedly 100k deserters from UK forces in WWII, and those that were conscripted that refused to fight and went to prison.

I suspect there were likely many brave men who ended up being effective brave soldiers, but were very much of the 'no way I want to fight in a war' opinion before the war and before they were conscripted.
Absolutely and thank goodness in the end they didn't take the stance "there's absolutely no way I'd fight in a war. Zero interest in that"
 


BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
18,193
Isn’t the whole point of a NON-COMPULSORY form of NS that it would only attract those who want to be there. Those that don’t want to serve, aren’t likely to sign up to something they don’t want to do are they?

This isn’t necessarily a binary choice between NO National Service or COMPULSORY National Service and the poll doesn’t reflect that either. Just saying. There are alternatives.
Is non compulsory national service really national service though? To be I would say no, it is more the offering of shorter stints in the army (to be fair I have no idea what the shortest one you can do is). Offer this with skme kind of qualification at the end and I am in favour of the idea. I wouldn't all it national service though.
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Absolutely and thank goodness in the end they didn't take the stance "there's absolutely no way I'd fight in a war. Zero interest in that"
Conscientious objectors usually served on farms or became stretcher bearers.
 


abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,389
Conscientious objectors usually served on farms or became stretcher bearers.
Conscientious objectors had religious or other morality based beliefs that allowed them not to carry weapons etc and I’m not sure being a stretcher bearer was any less dangerous or required less selflessness than being the front line soldier. Very different to saying ‘I’ve got zero interest’ which would not have enabled you to dodge conscription in WW2
 
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Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,653
Born In Shoreham
A few years ago, I wanted some repointing done. I asked for quotes. Three never bothered replying, two quoted ridiculous prices, and one Polish bloke gave us a reasonable price.
Guess who got the job, and did a good job?
Guess who lives in a house with ten others and sends the majority of earnings out of the country.
 




stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,918
Absolutely and thank goodness in the end they didn't take the stance "there's absolutely no way I'd fight in a war. Zero interest in that"
like I said, there are lot's of ways to serve your country

I have zero interest in fighting in a war, and would be next to useless at it. Taking the opinion of someone who has actually been in our military, they wouldn't want to be fighting alongside amateurs and I agree, this would be a terrible idea and most would be canon fodder and my son would be without a father. There are plenty who are way more equipped than I. I'd be better used elsewhere.

Cheers
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Guess who lives in a house with ten others and sends the majority of earnings out of the country.
The one who did the job and did it well. Looking after a family back home isn't a crime.
That's why I said I would like to see more youngsters getting a trade, not square bashing.
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,653
Born In Shoreham
The one who did the job and did it well. Looking after a family back home isn't a crime.
That's why I said I would like to see more youngsters getting a trade, not square bashing.
I doubt that will get your job done cheaper, by the time these young people are confident to work by themselves they will have mortgages/rent to pay.
 




Zeberdi

“Vorsprung durch Technik”
NSC Patron
Oct 20, 2022
6,902
”… a public debate on conscription would be politically sensitive, but it is clear that the current approach is not working and that it is a critical national security risk”

Excellent article here on why the debate about national service/civic service although unwelcome is increasingly becoming a matter of national security…


No need for disparaging remarks about young people - this debate has nothing to do with that but everything to do with military preparedness in what ever shape or form that needs to be.
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
I doubt that will get your job done cheaper, by the time these young people are confident to work by themselves they will have mortgages/rent to pay.
Who said I wanted a cheap job? I just wanted quotes and nobody could be bothered to supply them.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
49,170
Gloucester
Well, in today's increasingly libertarian society, where individual freedoms are paramount, and the absolute human right never to be made to do anything you don't want to do is sacrosanct .................... the re-introduction of 'must' into the lexicon would at least be - how should we say - interesting!
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,452
Hove
”… a public debate on conscription would be politically sensitive, but it is clear that the current approach is not working and that it is a critical national security risk”

Excellent article here on why the debate about national service/civic service although unwelcome is increasingly becoming a matter of national security…


No need for disparaging remarks about young people - this debate has nothing to do with that but everything to do with military preparedness in what ever shape or form that needs to be.
Quite.

Also interesting we have a thread about our defence readiness, a potential need to introduce national service, while meanwhile the news leads with the government debating whether to cut national insurance or income tax in the budget.

Must be all okay then.
 








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