Community service would benefit country

Sir - I read with interest the comments of Anon of Kimberworth and Mr. D Rochell of Maltby (Advertiser 2nd September) with regards to the unruly yobs in our communities and I have to say that we have been let down by the successive British governments ove

Other countries in Europe have national service / conscription that all teens have to take when they hit the right age, like Finland for example.

The difference in our cultures is vast.

Go to Finland and there are hardly any obese people, fat kids etc! But in England... we have so many fat people, chavs... criminals etc that have no idea about life, they expect everything to be provided to them -- they probably don't even know that we have nuclear weapons!

Conscription would get discipline back into our population; it would get everyone fit and healthy!

It would keep people off the streets and committing crimesetc.

Young people who come out of school should be doing at least four years within the armed services, if they don't have a place in university or they don’t have a full time job, at the end of their school life.

Within the armed forces, these people would be given the chance of being able to train for a career and get the qualifications to set them up for life.

For instance all the trades within the army can be modified for civilian life too.

Long distance and heavy goods licences, mechanics and engineers with community-based projects involved.

The young people would get just a basic wage, but there would be a fund for when they had done their training, a sort of bonus as a thank you for their service to their country.

They would be able to have parades through their towns, so that their families could have a sense of pride that their children have achieved something special for themselves and the country as a whole.

Why is it important?

1. Conscription would identify anyone who hasn't got to grips with basic life skills and professionals can take that person to one side and let them fulfil their potential.
2. Conscription would bring back a sense of pride and commitment to our country with people not only gaining respect for themselves, but also for their country as well.
3. Conscription would make it harder for drug dealers to get to grips with our young talent as the young people would feel they have a purpose.
4. People of the country could benefit, from community based projects that could transform our country from the sorry state it is in now, with graffiti all over walls etc, to being a nice clean place to live and work.
5. People of this country have to believe in our country and stop taking all the negativity that is going on. We need to transform not only our communities but how people see our country from the outside world.

If England had its own Parliament perhaps it could bring back conscription and stop events such as the recent riots instead of the current situation of British MPs ignoring the issues.

David Miller, Rotherham Road, Maltby.