Compulsory Military Service in the United StatesThe idea that members of a community have a duty to defend it is as old as civilization itself (Ruschmann 10). The United States has a long history, beginning with the first thirteen states of involuntary conscription during times of conflict. Citizen service is a standard principle of American military service, which imposes an obligation on citizens to serve and ensures that the state requires those citizens to serve (Dalehite and Birskyte 1). With this obligation, young people will be imbued with a sense of “duty” and belonging to the collective effort in which everyone will have and do their part for the good of the nation. Thus, military service in the United States should be mandatory, because it will provide young adults with economic and social benefits that will allow them to better understand commitment and sacrifice, making them better citizens and great assets to the nation. service as “a motivational force that inspires individuals to perform meaningful public service (Dalehite and Birskyte 2).” History shows us the importance of service. The idea that members of a society serve and defend their community is not new; in fact, it's as old as civilization itself. Starting with Roman and Greek societies, who established their armies not through standing armies, but by requiring that every able-bodied man, aged 18 and over, be ready to serve when called upon. This not only helped prepare the nation and the people for any conflict but also gave citizens a sense of duty. These societies created the model for creating “citizen-soldiers.” Before the founding of the United States as a sovereign country...... middle of paper ......lehite, Estaban G. and Luicija Birskyte. “Shared sacrifice? An investigation into the willingness to perform compulsory military service.” Journal of Military and Strategic Studies 12.1 (2009): 1-16. Print.Ruschmann, Paul. Compulsory military service (Point/Counterpoint). New York: Chelsea House Pub, September 2003. Print. Galston, Williams A. “Mandatory National Service Would Strengthen American Citizenship.” » Usnews.com. US News & World Report, LLC, October 12, 2010. Web. April 10, 2014.Lt Col Coates, Charles. “A Call to Service for America’s Youth.” Dtic.mil. US Army War College, nd Web. May 12, 2014. Mazur, Diane. A More Perfect Army: “How the Constitution Can Make Our Army Stronger.” New York: Oxford University Press, October 2010. Print. Ruschmann, Paul. Compulsory military service (Point/Counterpoint). New York: Chelsea House Pub, September 2003. Print.