Introduction
There have been various debates regarding whether it is necessary to enlist eighteen year olds to serve in the military for two years after high school. This paper will focus on arguments which support and oppose the enlisting of eighteen year olds into the military.
Pros
Proponents argue that mandatory conscription at eighteen makes the military stronger. The military is able to get new and passionate young people every year who appreciate the value of defending their country. These young people become valuable assets to the country because they make the military well prepared to deal with any form of aggression.
Military conscripts who are enlisted at the age of eighteen acquire strong experiences which make them see life in a different perspective. This makes the young conscripts to work hard to become more responsible citizens in the future. These experiences mould their characters and personalities.
Military conscription at eighteen helps the conscripts to be aware of the national security issues which the country is facing and how to defend it, in case of an attack. The conscripts are able to understand the best course of action, if the country is attacked by an external aggressor.
Eighteen year olds who are drafted in the military get an opportunity to acquire different skills and knowledge that will be helpful in their future careers. They acquire special knowledge in fields such as IT, medicine and engineering which improves the quality of human resource skills in the country.
These conscripts are made to learn the virtues of sacrifice and patriotism to the nation. They become aware of the importance of unity, peace and tranquillity in fostering national cohesion. The conscripts also learn to appreciate the role of the military in fostering national cohesion.
Cons
If the military service is made mandatory, many young conscripts would not value its importance. Some conscripts are likely to find the experience unpleasant and this will result in a poorly trained military service incapable of fulfilling defence objectives.
Mandatory military conscription at the age of eighteen strips away the right of young people to choose what they want to be in future. This violates personal freedoms and liberties that all citizens in the country are granted by the US constitution.
Mandatory military service can be used to achieve selfish motives of leaders and politicians who seek to achieve their own interests. Conscripts are likely to undergo military training whose objectives are not clear. They may be used to increase numbers in the military with the intent of attacking other countries without any provocation.
Mandatory military service wastes the valuable time of youth who join the program. These youth are likely to be sidetracked from their education and careers. The time wasted in the military denies them a chance to transition from high school to college and this reduces their prospects in life.
At eighteen, conscripts are yet to attain the required level of physical maturity to engage in combat. They can get severe fractures and injuries that make them dependent on state welfare from a very early age if they engage in combat. This restricts their future productivity because they become war veterans at a young age.
Mandatory conscription programs drain government financial resources which can be invested in other productive sectors. The government can divert these finances to other training programs, important for the professional development of young people in the country.