Compulsory Army Service (eg, How I Would Like Your Pity)

Ulukai on 29/10/2009 at 19:20

All other motives aside, I'm of the opinion that being made to get off your fat ass for a year to do something completely different and out of your comfort zone should be made compulsory for everyone.

It isn't a waste - it's a fucking golden opportunity to learn about life, stop with the shoe-gazing; grab it, run with it and make the most of whatever they've got you into because at no other point in your life are you going to get this opportunity without it costing you more than your labours.

Kuuso on 29/10/2009 at 19:27

I am not seriously seeking for pity, even though it is in the title and I am not crying myself to sleep over my oh-so-horrible fate here.

I do oppose your opinion though. I have my life in control and I know what I want. For me, this is only a hurdle. Great thing, if some people learn about themselves and others while forced into duty, but I would have some better things to do. For example working, so I can easily afford a place once I get into Uni.

Ulukai on 29/10/2009 at 19:31

Knowing what you want, and experiencing things that you might not otherwise have done are two different things though.

In the UK, there's a whole generation who thinks that intimidating people on council estates with flick knives and committing other delinquencies of various seriousness is what they want to do, because they've never experienced anything else of note.

Kuuso on 29/10/2009 at 19:38

Quote Posted by Ulukai

You really think these people change, when they're put together with other men for 6 months outside normal civilisation? Finland has it's chavs as well and army doesn't really have anything to do with them.

Ulukai on 29/10/2009 at 19:42

I think it makes a difference, yes.

But you're stuck wiping bottoms for a year by the sounds of it. You might as well embrace it and do it with gusto.

Have fun :D

AR Master on 29/10/2009 at 19:55

god what the fuck happened that a young man is given the opportunity to go running around in the wood and shoot rifles and drive tanks and he goes "bawwwww" instead of "fucking right"

the_grip on 29/10/2009 at 20:04

I'm sayin'... if they let you shoot a fifty cal, that's time well spent

p.s. I'm against hunting and the like, but give me a nice old truck to gun up with a fifty cal and I would be a happy boy

Aerothorn on 29/10/2009 at 20:26

Quote Posted by the_grip

I'm against hunting and the like

YOU'RE NOT A REAL TEXAN :mad:

the_grip on 29/10/2009 at 20:39

Last time I went hunting I was in high school. Dove hunting. After winging one bird and having to dispatch it with my bare hands, I realized I didn't need to kill them to survive. Call me crazy.

I do love Texas, however.

henke on 29/10/2009 at 20:40

Quote Posted by Aerothorn

These two sentences do not agree with eachother. Either you think there is a real possibility of invasion or you don't. If you're not speaking in fanciful hypotheticals, my questions remains valid. If you are, then you can't keep using the "DEFEND THE HOMELAND" argument.

Oh, the WHO and WHEN is hypothetical. The question of IF we will be invaded I have no idea. However, just shrugging our shoulders and going "probably won't happen" and putting our guns down seems like a bad idea. It's more about keeping up appearances than any specific threat.

Quote Posted by Kolya

I think an army of professional soldiers will certainly be more effective than a few youths without experience who just wanted to get a pilot's license cheaply and never expected this to get serious.

I know lots of countries do just fine with volunteer armies, but it's unfair to compare Finland to e.g. USA. The US can have a volunteer system and still have a sizeable army. Finland has a population of 5 million citizens, if just the ones that really wanted to fight joined the army it wouldn't be a very large army. And it's not like having a mandatory system cancels out the really competent soldiers either(like you seem to be suggesting). When I was in the army there were lots of guys who were really into it and very dedicated. The higher-ups notices stuff like that and those guys get sent of to sargeant-training and sometimes offered steady jobs in the army after their training is over.

Quote Posted by AR Master

god what the fuck happened that a young man is given the opportunity to go running around in the wood and shoot rifles and drive tanks and he goes "bawwwww" instead of "fucking right"

Haha, honestly the cool rambo shit only accounts for maybe 2% of the time spent in training. The rest is marching until your feet are killing you and then marching ten kilometers more, having to do stupid chores like cleaning the hall every night, being so sleep-deprived you start halucinating and standing outside in the freezing winter for hours on end thinking why oh why didn't I go for civil service instead? I could've gotten away with just wiping some old people's bottoms :(

But of course once it's all over the things your remember is sitting around in the forest during a break, eating what you could swear is the most delicious oatmeal ever made and having a laugh with your mates. And getting to drive the jeep through the obstacle-course during basic driving training. And that time you fired a LAW bazooka shot and hit the tank-target just perfectly in it's weak-spot and your sargeant gave you the thumbs up. Ah... memories... :)