Should U.S. require national service?
Service would help build both nation, participants
Now is the time for all citizens to participate in national service as a coming of age and a coming of responsibility from adolescence to adulthood.
During the 30 years I have been privileged to work in higher education, currently as president of Clarion University in Pennsylvania, I have contributed to the education and graduation of more than 100,000 college students. Given the thousands of interactions I have had with college students from working directly with students as a teacher, adviser, mentor or university leader, I have begun to wonder if now is the time for everyone 18-20 years of age to serve their country through two years of national service.
I ask you to imagine with me the many benefits to the individual and to society that would occur if there was a mandatory requirement for all of the more than 9 million 18- and 19-year-old men and women in the United States to give their time and talent in service to their country in a variety of capacities. The benefit to our country:
A program of national service would instill in a generation the American ethic of service to country as a ritual of attaining adulthood and fully joining our democratic society.
National service would enable the 9 million young adults to work and make a meaningful contribution early in their lives.
The work would be in the governmental and nonprofit sectors to advance the greater good of our communities. This would continue to include military service and would extend to other sectors of public service, including service to children and families, the improvement of public parks and other public spaces, and assisting and apprenticing with professionals currently working in the governmental and nonprofit sectors.
Work could be achieved for the public good that the private market has not or will not support.
More than 9 million young men and women not entering the traditional job market but working for the public good would reinvigorate the economy.
Infusing young, energetic and prepared citizens into communities across the country to work on behalf of these communities could yield benefits that improve the quality of life for all. The benefit to the individual:
A two-year service assignment would allow those 18 years old to more easily transition from adolescence and dependence to adulthood and independence.
The time spent in training and in service would have the benefit of allowing 18- to 20-year-old men and women to grow up. Recent advances in brain research clearly indicates that the human brain is taking longer to mature.
At the conclusion of the service, we could expect the 20-year-old participants would make better, more focused and thus more successful early adult decisions such as choosing to attend college or entering the full-time workforce.
A grateful nation would fund the national service to train the young adults for their service assignment, feed, clothe and provide a minimal stipend during their assignment as our show of support for our newest adults. The training, stability and discipline of such a program would provide a productively transformative experience into adulthood.
At a latter stage of their assignment, the individual would receive transition guidance, training and financial support for life after national service. The post-service support would be at the choosing of the individual, who could use the funding they have earned to help launch them into their adult life by going to college, seeking technical training or even starting a small business. The post-assignment support should be sufficient to enable every participant to have two years of post-secondary education — an associate degree, for example — fully funded.
Imagine more than 9 million young men and women working either in military service or in other areas of public service. Sons and daughters of everyone from truck drivers to tycoons would serve.
We would all benefit both personally and as a country.
For the good of our country and for the good of our newest generation, now is the time for mandatory national service.