Thread: Should National Service be Re-Introduced?

As a ex reasnoably recent serving member mid to late 90's. No bugger off it will devalue those who have served and its hard enough to convince outside employers you are actually capable of doing stuff. There is also the issue of been under pressure in a situation with someone who might not really want to be there.

I've always thought it would be great for alot of todays youth. Who have vast amounts of energy, too much spare time, no direction, unsure what they want from their future. Basically the cause of most youth crime and uncertanty.
Young adults looking to belong somewhere. I think National service would provide many of the things missing in some young peoples lives and actually encourage them to be proud, productive and understanding people.

Tod.

Hi Nero and while I can see and understand your point, there is more reason now to reintroduce National Service as a means of making sure our young adults get some life and discipline training, not just the Bogan upbringing many suffer from.

I served in the regular army ( for a very short time ) just after the last Nashos were abolished and it was a shame the way the army was run down but today's military forces are a credit to this country and could be used to bring some discipline to some of these Bogan.

The current leaders and trainers in the ADF have enough real work to do without being burdened with the type of member such a scheme would bring in

It's so different (and better) to work with people who actually want to be in the ADF from the start, rather than people who are "required" to be.

The professionalism of the services has improved out of site in the last 40 years - yes, not without faults I know - but substantially different in attitude from what it was like when there last were nashos.

I can understand both sides of the argument...but do we really want these types:

Lawless Australian thugs copy mayhem of US organised crime groups | News.com.au

..drafted into the ADF, in the hope it will turn them around?

The bogan element was mentioned...I think today's definition of a bogan is vastly different to what one may have been years ago. Grass roots is where it has to start. **** off ridiculous juvenile cautioning systems; touchy feely rub and tug sessions between counsellors and "disaffected" youth and their victims; give law enforcement their street offence powers back; no more namby pamby education where a kid can complain to the ombudsman about the way he/she was spoken to...ship them off to Long Bay for 48 hours of "hard" time and see how smart they are.

No. I know too many nasho's who ended up basket cases from going to Vietnam. If you chose to go in the army then you have a completely different personality than someone who doesn't want to join at all. Character destroying rather than building for many in my experience. No risk they would be shipped off to Iraq or Afghanistan. No need to get shot at just because of a politition's whim. Their kids won't be there in most cases.

a catch 22 really.personally if they asked me to i would say no i have other thinsg to do.but there is alot of troubled youths that could benifit from it. i dont know if any of you have seen brat camp i think that should be done alot more

Originally Posted by MickS

I can understand both sides of the argument...but do we really want these types:

Lawless Australian thugs copy mayhem of US organised crime groups | News.com.au

..drafted into the ADF, in the hope it will turn them around?

The bogan element was mentioned...I think today's definition of a bogan is vastly different to what one may have been years ago. Grass roots is where it has to start. **** off ridiculous juvenile cautioning systems; touchy feely rub and tug sessions between counsellors and "disaffected" youth and their victims; give law enforcement their street offence powers back; no more namby pamby education where a kid can complain to the ombudsman about the way he/she was spoken to...ship them off to Long Bay for 48 hours of "hard" time and see how smart they are.

You make a good point, we do need to toughen up the judicial system to deal with these types of people and maybe if you have a criminal record you are not suitable for the ADF. I think the type of person who may benefit would be one who is aimless in life and just needs a shove in the right direction to get them going.