Reading Time: 2 minutes The United States is set to enter 2024 with its smallest military in more than eight decades and faces one of its ‘greatest challenges’ as it tries to boost recruiting from Gen Z, Pentagon officials said. Under the $886 billion annual defense bill passed by Congress this week total active-duty troop numbers will fall to […]

This is easily solved with a draft. I enjoyed my time in the military. I’m shocked lefties are not signing up since it gives them everything they talk about. Free health care, free housing, free college.

  • @[email protected]
    8•9 months ago

    I, too, enjoyed my time in the military. And I agree, it does give you free at-point-of-service health care and housing. College wasn’t exactly free, the housing allowance was kinda meager, but having my undergrad degree paid for was hella nice!

    Still though, I don’t think people should have to endure the bureaucratic bullshit of the military just for a shot at a better life. And there is a lot of bullshit. More importantly, they shouldn’t have to potentially risk their lives simply to make it into the middle class.

    While it was my shot out of living on $35 week to week, which has been more successful than I could have ever imagined, there needs to be other paths. And then, maybe people might be more willing to defend a country that provides opportunities for economic and social mobility than they are now.

      • @s1ndr0m3
        3•9 months ago

        I was stationed in Germany and met many people there. They have to do something like 9 months of service. However, their military service is not like the US. It is much more akin to being in the reserves, but instead of 2 weeks in the summer you do 9 months. There are also other types of service that are not military that will fulfill their mandatory requirements. Germany also has a much stronger social safety net and lots of social policies, i.e. healthcare and housing, that we do not get in the US.

        • NeuromancerOPM
          -3•9 months ago

          Most of our allies have conscription.

          I’d be willing to have stronger social society nets if we had conscription. Nothing is free.

          • @glimse
            1•9 months ago

            Like 40% of our tax dollars is on the military. Nothing is free, sure, but we already paid for it. Give us healthcare.

            It’s better for literally everyone except the middlemen and I could not care less about their bottom line after they’ve bled us dry for decades

            • NeuromancerOPM
              -1•9 months ago

              Then I’d oppose paying for stronger safety nets. The military would be a good way to get these kids some jobs skills and education.

    • NeuromancerOPM
      -7•9 months ago

      We have mobility now.

      Hell look at the my pillow guy. Politics aside. He’s a success story.