>>>Conscription of the entire population is more appropriate to North Korea or Cuba...
>>>
>>>Or Switzerland, if you're male.
>>
>>My recommendation was not mandatory conscription in the military. I recommended any public service (peace corps, local community, schools, hospitals, americorps, military, etc) as a way to earn money for college. I feel that is a fair exchange and does not constitute involuntary servitude.
>>
>>Now personally, I think everyone should serve whether they use it as a means to attend college or not. I realize that the majority of Americans do not agree with me though. Also, military conscription has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
>
>If everyone should serve then why just 2 years, why not 20 or whole life? It is the matter of principle: as soon you cross the line saying that 'everyone should serve' then floodgates got open and only skies are limit for advocates of 'common good'.
>Military conscription is an exception in times of war trials, and it should be kept this way, i.e. as a necessary evil. There is no reason to expand 'evil' limits, e.g. to civil service.

When it comes down to the crunch, all citizens are in the forces all the time, but they are on almost permanent leave until required.