Compulsory National Service

By Craig L. DeLue

Hearken back to John F. Kennedy's great words: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

The idea behind Compulsory Nation Service is to turn back the sense of entitlement for a generation of Americans and to develop among each individual an understanding of who their fellow Americans are and how they live.

I propose that all Americans upon graduation from high school or the attainment of their eighteenth birthday provide our country with two years of service. This service is to consist of a military training and an educational component as well as a community service component such as Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring.

Those who intend on going on to college will partake in a track that earns educational credit satisfying their freshman university requirements. Those not intending to move on to college will take a track that teaches a vocation based on the individual's aptitude.

I understand that among many the idea of Compulsory National Service will not be popular, however true leadership is not about winning popularity contests, it is about doing what is in the best interest of the country regardless of the personal price which may be paid.

Two very important byproducts of Compulsory National Service are:

• The positive effect that it will have on healing the racial divide that exists in the United States. I can think of no better first step than to have our citizens get to know their neighbors up close.
• Currently our leaders are much too willing to deploy someone else's children in harm way around the globe. They will think twice about what is truly in America's vital interest when it is their children who will be subject to deployment.