The Draft - Universal Service

DH (Dear Husband) and I have very supportive families but they are all slightly confused about his decision to join the army. To their "Vietnam" generation, smart, educated people joining the military seems odd. Hmmm... wouldn't you prefer to have intelligent people taking care of your nation's defense?

Shouldn't the nation's defense fall on the shoulders of representatives of the whole populace? Shouldn't our armed forces look like our nation? Shouldn't every community have a stake in our armed forces?

Shouldn't service be a duty?

I think we should have a two or three-year universal service requirement in this country. Not everyone should necessarily have to serve in the combat arms in the Army but I think we would benefit both from a corps of citizen soldiers and from every citizen providing real service to the country. Conscientious objectors could work as teachers in underserved populations or be part of an armed forces auxiliary that would have the discipline of the armed forces but would only be assigned domestic, non-combat tasks like clerical support work or natural disaster relief.

Maybe that would kick some of the apathy in this nation in the butt.