To put it in perspective: the USA has it (but dormant as it was last used in the 60s) now, instead part of an automatic register. I’ve heard that last year Germany for example proposed to impose a mandatory, volunteer-focused military service model on boosting defense against threats like Russia but would you really enlist in the German Army (Bundeswehr) or refuse instead of adhereing to politicians interests?
I’ve heard a similar thing in France with them introducing a new voluntary 10-month military service program for 18-19 year olds starting this summer 2026, but would guys there be willing to enlist or outright refuse? What ever the case is, would guys in Europe either accept voluntary military service imposed by their nation or refuse to enlist as they know that politicians are the ones who instigate wars in the first place?
For EU nations that still have the draft enforced (mandatory conscription): what happens if guys refuse it? Do they end up in jail? In that case, would you rather be imprisoned for refusing or comply? I know that some countries have alternative service (civic) rather than conventional military service, but what happens if the individual refuses either? I mean, is it a criminal offense for simply refusing conscription?
We already have military conscription here in lithuania, along with the voluntary service
I did get conscripted to it (and didn’t have to do it, on account of failing my medical exams), but prior to that, my opinion on military service was more or less that I wouldn’t join the military if the call was for some war in the middle east, but if russia ever started throwing more than illegal planes and spy drones over the border and something had to be done about it, then I would’ve been more likely to, I suppose ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Swede here, we had conscription when I came of age, so I was called to muster.
I went, and promptly failed the first test, the hearing test, I got a pass and didn’t have to do it.
At the time I was glad, I was scared, I didn’t want to do it, these days I think it would have been a valuable experience.
Anyway, I believe Sweden is worth fighting for, should we come under attack, I would get in touch with the civil defense and do my part.
As a Finn, it’s good to hear that you’ve got our back.
It was a sad day for us when Sweden switched from a conscription army to the much smaller version it is today.Interesting tidbit, it was explained to us in the military as a move made because you felt safe with us as the defending wall between you and the eastern aggressor.
Now as part of NATO, I hope you’ll come to our aid none the less.
Interesting tidbit, it was explained to us in the military as a move made because you felt safe with us as the defending wall between you and the eastern aggressor.
Well… Sweden is Swedish until the last Finn falls as the saying goes.
Oh, it was an absolute shit decision to get rid of conscription here.
We don’t have the resources to provide enough benefits to attract enough people to join the military on their own, so conscription is the only realistic way forward.
I am a strong believer helping our neighbors if they come under attack, even if the government won’t, and I know I am not alone with that viewpoint.
I live in Japan and can’t be drafted as a non-citizen. Living here, I’m not sure what either of my citizenship countries could do to actually draft me. Also in my mid-40s, colorblind, and with several parts of me held together by screws and plates, so I’m not exactly at the top of any list.
with several parts of me held together by screws and plates, so I’m not exactly at the top of any list.
You are partially bullet-proof!
Not in the most important parts, heh
So you’re an alien cyborg?
More or less. Nothing electronic in me yet… that I know of.
I did participate in my mandatory military conscription. Was excited for it. Learned some habits that I’m sure have helped me since. Alternative would’ve been jail, which sounded like an overall bad idea.
There are pacifist roles (medics, firefighters, …) for those that don’t want to handle a gun.
Switzerland: my dad had to go to prison for a limited time for refusing military service and had to do an alternative service as well.
I was able to opt-out military in a normal way (just filling a form) and do the alternative service without going to jail, as this was changed in the time between
But the alternative service are 1.5x times the days you have to serve
Senior year I told a recruiter my medical history and they never called again. I still have that medical history and I’m not 18 anymore. If they raise the age of the draft I’ll drag out that old chestnut. If things get so bad they still want me to serve I’d probably stop taking the medicine I have to take as a result of my past and let them deal with the mess. I won’t be my problem I’ll be their problem.
recruiters wont want to deal with someone that needs a waiver, its time consuming and you likely wont even get a approved medically. common ones are eczema, psorasis and ASTHMA that are almost guaranteed not to be waived. because all 3 are easily triggered by enviromental triggers.
the USA has it (but dormant as it was last used in the 60s) now, instead part of an automatic register.
The US doesn’t — and has never had — mandatory peacetime service of the “one serves six months or a year or something like that to be trained in military stuff during peacetime”, but if one is male, one does need to register so that in the event of a war where people are called up, one does need to serve then.
It also means that the US has to train people from scratch in a war where it needs them, so has a relatively-long time until it can greatly ramp up its forces if it needed them.
I mean, Finland does have conscription, but I was exempt from it for peacetime for medical reasons and if that hadn’t been an option I probably would’ve done civil service instead. In both cases I’d technically still be subject to draft in wartime, though probably wouldn’t be put into a combat role.
That being said, I don’t know if I would seek to flee abroad if the draft did go into action. Putting my life on the line to defend the neoliberal world order against an only somewhat worse (Russian) world order is not an enticing prospect, and my faith in the Finnish and European system becoming anything but neoliberal is at an all time low.
Gladly too old for it.
If I were young now, I would try very hard to avoid it.
I think I would, unfortunately. There’s no choice. I’m Romanian and I know plenty of history to know what happened to our military in the last two WWs, but if there’s a demand, then I would go for it.
Peoplle in my country all say that “oh, I wouldn’t join, which corrupt politician do you see me to defend? I’d rather move out of my country” etc. (You usually hear this from the most right wing people out there).
The reality is that you’re not fighting for the asses of the corrupts only. You’re also fighting for the relative freedom that you have, the safety of your land, so that your dear ones don’t have to be forced to learn another language or subject to a culture they don’t want etc.
And no, if there will be any mission involving America, I don’t think there will be a draft. They’re usually just sending a bunch of people in the conflict, mostly sitting on the side and that’s it. It’s mostly Russia that I’m afraid of.
The only draft I would accept is a police instead of a military one. Force some civilian eyes on how cops handle themselves, wash the profession enough so that it has to survive public scrutiny or otherwise get eventually called out on it.
Oh one more thing about Sweden.
We have a concept called Totalförsvar, Absolute Defense, which means that everyone living in Sweden between the ages of 16 and 70 may be required to serve regardless of gender.
Foreign citizen may even be included depending on the situation.
This also include service after say, a nuclear accident, you may required to help with the cleanup, refusal can be punished with up to four years of prison time.
Hell fucking no. Consequences be damned.
They can already call me back as it is: I swore an oath to the Queen and the King inherited it. No need to draft me, I’m already on the list.
Germany had conscription until 2011, men turning 18 were required to be mustered until then, and, if qualified, had to go through a basic military training for a couple of months. Even when qualified for military service, you could pick an alternative in lieu of military service, which was some kind of social service, like helping in an old people’s home or hospital, amongst other things.
The law for conscription in Germany is also dormant, not abolished, so it could be re-activated any time… and I for one would welcome it being reinstated, for all genders. Working with people and doing something that is important for society at that age was a grounding experience that me and my fellow Xennials wouldn’t want to have missed, even though we were not too keen on the whole thing back when we were 18. There was a palpable delta in maturity between those that went through military or social service and those who went to study right away, especially in those that studied go into some bullshit job, like business administration.
I would only agree to the law being re-activated if there was a compulsory civil service for people after being retired as well though. People become lonely and egotistical when they get old, and I believe that getting people to contribute to society for a year or so (not full-time) after they have focused on themselves and their careers for decades is urgently needed. Might cure the electoral behavior a bit as well (old people tend to lean more to the right).
I’d want to see this in the netherlands as well. Don’t care for the old folk’s part, but some kind of conscription, be it military or otherwise, would be good for the country.
