Conscription Prescription

I'm by no means a war-hawk. Contrarily, I believe military action is a final option which almost never needs to be used. That said, I believe our military branches need to be supported and improved, though not necessarily in it's current incantation. If I were in charge, I would propose a system similar to the compulsory service mandated by the Israel defense forces. I would, however, try to find an alternative term for it; "conscription" has an awful connotation. I can imagine a system where young boys and girls turning 18, or in the summer after their high-school graduations, join a regional "training corp". They would be given physical training, basic military preparation, and perform public service work: repair roads, levies, etc. In return, they would receive room and board and a credit towards college education. This plan would seed a military reserve, instill a sense of ownership in our country/democracy, help curb the obesity problem, and give a direction in life to those who might otherwise fall through the cracks. To preempt the obvious question: yes, I would approve of both my children participating in such a national program. Unfortunately (or, depending on your point of view, fortunately), I'm not the one in charge.