The United States of America should require all able-bodied citizens to serve for one year or more in the armed forces because this requirement will produce strong nationalism, will teach duty, and will help people learn a skill. People may oppose mandatory service because it will hinder a volunteering spirit, will diminish the freedom of choice, and will put unwilling and unfit people into combat; but many countries have mandatory service laws that do not create these issues. For example, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) requires all citizens over the age of eighteen to serve up to thirty-two months. The IDF offers exemptions based on religious, physical, or psychological grounds; but very few exemptions are ever granted. Even with obligatory service, the IDF is one …show more content…
Patriotism is what founded this great nation, and sacrifice for this country is what keeps it a great nation. The soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy, the forests of Vietnam, and the deserts of Iraq served for a country that they believed to be the best. Today, people think that it is acceptable to stand on an American flag and curse the country the flag represents. If these people served just one day in combat, they would have a greater sense of pride and patriotism for America. Mandatory service would also teach duty. No job requires more duty than that of the armed forces. In the military, everyone has a job that must be done because everyone else is counting on that task being completed. When assignments are not done, people die. Serving for a year in the armed forces can help people learn a sense of duty. Being able to perform responsibilities correctly is a great trait that will benefit people in their life. It is better to learn this character trait earlier rather than later, and service in the military will foster