"Baby Boomers - those born after WW2 until 1965 - were conscripted into military for Vietnam war.

Gen X 1966 - 1976: Never had to be conscripted.

Gen Y 1977 - 1994: Brett Hutton, the author of this thread, is a member, but I suspect born closer to 1977 than the rest of the Gen Y's, so feels safe proposing mandatory military service for those born later than him. Ironic huh?

Gen X 1994 - 2012: Brett wants these people to be conscripted because like each older generation, they think the younger one needs a bit of discipline."

Thank you Fractelle. Did you mean Z for the last one? Those keys are close together.

I am an Gen X and my kids are Y's (just scraped in). To tell the truth, my kids are much nicer law abiding teenagers than their father and I were. Yet we had much stricter parents than I think I was.

I can see community work as a great way to go but maybe just anything is a great way to go to help expand the Z's focus and understanding. But yeah, I wouldn't see teaching them all things military as anything particularly advantageous. Would be just as interesting for city kids to be sent to farms and the farm kids sent in to a city.

Looking back at verious "work schemes" I was placed in as a horrible teenager I did learn a lot of stuff without once being taught about weapons. A really nice Dutch man taught me how to make the perfect pancake once. And I learnt how to use a gestetner - okay that wasn't so useful.

Foxy is also right aye - some kids already have it sorted and don't need to be directed.

Thanks Piper

I did make a typo, please read as Gen Z.

I agree some kids don't need any extra aid.

I like the idea of an exchange program for country and city kids.

The opportunity to spend some time in another's shoes has benefits far beyond the usual "conscript them, that'll learn 'em" and "if it was good enuff for me, its good enuff for them". Both of which are completely devoid of any thought. Time spent cleaning gun barrels and snapping to attention is unlikely to produce broad-minded individuals who can empathise with others.

Question to ask, what does the community of the future need most?

Yep Fractelle I agree that is what I meant everything from acting as guides for visitors in cities, galleries, museums. Doing work in teams for the elderly etc in home maintenance. Working in the outback communities alongside with the local aborigines or even doing fly and builds (under supervision) to some of the south Pacific Islands etc. Anything so long as they learn and do good for the communities.

Maybe they CAN do what my gen tried naively to do but didn't really succeed at. Failing that they can join the curmudgeons and tell the next generation how much better they were. Then Gen Z can earn their name Gen Zzzzzzzzzz. (joke) :-) he he

Dear Piper,

Thank You for the compliment of "information gatherer."
I love it! (Big hug!)

Fractelle has answered the question you asked me about
the various Generations.

However the following website may be of interest to you -
just for your info.:

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-army-today/cadet-history.htm

"Today the Australian Army Cadets which is fostered
by the Australian Army is one of the 3 youth military
services organisations that make up the Australian
Defence Force Cadets. The other organisations are -
1) The Australian Navy Cadets that are fostered by
the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
2) The Australian Air Force Cadets that is fostered by
the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The aim of the Australian Army Cadets is:

...to better equip young people for community life by
fostering initiative, leadership, discipline, and
loyalty through various training programs ..."

Take care.

A big pat on the back to:

Foxy
Examinator
Pied Piper
Maximillion

and

moi

For finding solutions for our youth which benefit both themselves and our community. There should be some sort of merit involved (no not for us!) for our young people, depending on time spent and achievements, such as a diploma and salary could be equivalent to what they'd receive as Privates in the military.

*Question to ask, what does the community of the future need most?*

Fractelle, interestingly enough, only a very small part of my military
training, had to do with carrying a gun.

But did that training make youngsters more employable? Absolutaly.
Did it untie some of the apron strings for those still tied to
mommy? Yup.

Did it teach kids self discipline? Yup. Did it teach kids how to
work in teams and assist one another? Yup.

Was it character building? Yup.

17 weeks, that would do no teenager any harm, but many would surely
benefit.