I have served this country (USA) in the Navy and am proud of it! I also
think that everyone should willingly serve. Although I served four years on
active duty, enlisting during the Korean War, and another 26 years in the
reserve forces, I would willingly serve again if it should come to that.
Any country needs a strong trained defense force. To be without one would be
like a city or town without a police force. A city or town without a police
force would soon be overrun by gangsters; a country without a strong defense
force is vulnerable to the territorial ambitions of gangster leaders of other
countries.
Unfortunately, defense forces cannot be trained instantly, but must be
trained and ready at any moment to engage an enemy. If there are enough
volunteers to provide this trained force, then this there is no need for
conscription, however, if there are not enough volunteers, or if the country
is small, then conscription or universal military training is necessary so
that there will be enough people trained and ready to engage the enemy.
This country has had provisions for "conscientious objectors," those people
who for religious reasons objected to bearing arms or taking a life, to serve
in non-combatant roles. Frequently, the non-combatant role was service as a
medic with front line troops. These heroic conscientious objectors
repeatedly placed their lives on the line to save the lives of others in
fulfillment of their obligations to this country.
As President John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural address: "Ask not what
your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
Roger Turk
Tucson, Arizona USA
