-CAUTION- THREAD DRIFT

Re: Conscription.

The idea of military National Service is inviting, but, as has been stated in the past, the Forces DON'T WANT CONSCRIPTS, add to this, as has been mentioned, who would want to see some of the less desirable elements able to use firearms properly.

May I suggest a compromise might be a paramilitary type 'Civil Defence' force, this could have a 'regular' element as well as a 'conscript' force (as did the Armed forces in the 1950s), thus giving a degree of stability and structure, the training could be used to ensure that, say, everyone within an age bracket was trained in First Aid (or whatever), travel, postings, R&R 'in theatre' could be used to help regulate behavior.

The force thus formed could be employed in disaster relief (perhaps units seconded to International organisations* as a 'rapid reaction force) or in humanitarian type work (water systems in the third world etc).

We now return you to your normal service

* UN, ICRC etc