As someone who firmly believes in libertarian/conservative values and principles, I fully understand that compulsory national service could seem like an infringement upon one’s personal freedom. However, I still think it is worth exploring under specific guidelines.

When most people hear the term national service, they automatically think of the military. Many nations, including Israel and Switzerland, require at least some mandatory military service. This is not the case in the United States, which has an all-volunteer military.

In the United States, less than 1% of the population are active-duty service members.

Although I think it would be beneficial to encourage more Americans to enlist in the military, I certainly do not think it should be mandatory. On the other hand, I think imposing some national service requirements would pay big dividends, especially given how divided our country has become in recent years.

Several studies show that national service increases civic engagement, helps develop critical life skills, and has “a positive impact on young adults’ health, safety, and well-being.” It also should be noted that the idea of compulsory national service is more popular than ever among the American people.

There is broad-based support among young Americans, the people who would be most affected by the implementation of a national service requirement. In fact, 75% of 18- to 24-year-olds support an 18-month national service commitment. There is also ample support for the idea among older cohorts.

An obligatory tenure in national service for all U.S. citizens upon graduating from high school would serve many purposes. It would foster a renewed sense of national unity and pride.

Opponents of compulsory service frequently argue that it would violate some of the nation’s most cherished principles. Namely, they maintain that it would directly encroach upon Americans’ personal freedom.

This is a misguided argument, considering that there are several duties all citizens must uphold. Is jury duty a violation of one’s personal freedom? Is a draft during a time of war an imposition on one’s individual liberty? Yes and no.

As citizens of a nation, we should feel obligated to participate in activities that build a sense of national identity and purpose. Moreover, as citizens, we should be willing to sacrifice at least a little for the good of the country.

Unfortunately, sacrificing anything, even a few months, for the sake of the country is a tall ask. It wasn’t always this way.

In 1961, during his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Those words still resonate.

Of course, there are many things one could do for the country if a stint in national service became mandatory. Imagine a program that enlists young, able-bodied Americans to pick up trash and litter in their local communities. Or how about a program that recruits youth to help provide care at senior housing centers. The possibilities are almost endless.

Nowadays, when an American completes his or her high school studies, they are expected to join the workforce or continue their education. As a former high school teacher, I know that many 18-year-olds are not ready for this next stage of their life. As such, a brief period in which these young Americans would be required to choose a national service program would not only help them mature, but it would also aid them as they contemplate what they would like to pursue as they reach adulthood.

____

ABOUT THE WRITER

Chris Talgo is the editorial director at The Heartland Institute. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

___

©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC