That's me going all Anakin Skywalker on the idea of mandatory national service. It's one of those ideas which appealed to me, not coincidentally, around the time when I would've been too
old for it to apply to me. I've never really quite understood why proponents think it's a good idea. I don't especially think we should have some culturally unifying program. I don't think we need a mass labor program to instill a sense of civic obligation. I'm not sure how to put a bunch of 18-19 year olds to work. Non-military options would ensure that elites would not serve in the military if they did not want to.
