Mandatory Military Service in the United States The 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, dating back to the original thirteen states, of involuntary conscription in times of conflict. Citizen service is a standard tenet of American military service, placing an obligation on citizens to serve and ensuring 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 being part of a collective effort in which everyone will have and do their part for the good of the nation. Therefore, military service in the United States should be mandatory, because it will provide young adults with economic and social benefits that will allow them a better understanding of commitment and sacrifice, making them better citizens and a great asset to the nation. Scholars have defined compulsory military service as a “motivational force that induces individuals to perform significant 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 nothing new; in fact it is as old as civilization itself. Starting with Roman and Greek societies, which established their armies not through standing armies, but by requiring every able-bodied male, aged 18 and up, to be prepared for service when required. This helped not only prepare the nation and people for any conflict, but gave citizens a sense of duty. These companies created the blueprint for creating “citizen soldiers.” Before the founding of the United States as sovereign...... middle of paper ......lehite, Estaban G. and Luicija Birskyte. “Shared sacrifice? A survey on willingness to perform compulsory military service”. Journal of Military and Strategic Studies 12.1 (2009): 1-16. Print.Ruschmann, Paolo. Compulsory Military Service (Point/Counterpoint). New York: Chelsea House Pub, September 2003. Print.Galston, Williams A. “Compulsory 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. U.S. 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.