NationStates Jolt Archive


New Take on Mandatory Service (Reactions Please)

Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 16:29
The Star League has decided that in order to get the most out of its troops their service should begin early, but not in a traditional manner.

Ages 0-6: Parents are expected to work with their children to develop balance, coordination, and a love of learning from an early age. By the time they near age six children should be able to speak enough standard to talk to adults and be understood, know how to read simple children's books, and know some rudimentary addition and subtraction (ex: 5-1 or 5+1). It is also encouraged that they enroll their children into some kind of martial art, such as Tai Kwan Do or Judo.

Ages 6-12: At age six all children must be enrolled in school. In early years the teachers are required to extend and enhance upon what they have already learned. Structured Phys Ed begins at age six also, with children learning basic exercises and how to pace themselves to avoid injury. By age twelve they are expected to have mastered basic algebra, English, government, geography, basic chemistry and biology, a martial art of their choice, and have an advanced knowledge of an alternate language of their choice.

Ages 12-16: Here we pick up the pace a bit. Students will again be exposed to more advanced subjects and expand upon ones they already know. Students will soon find that instead of homework their classes will be geared toward an end of the year project instead of endless homework and tests. Students will begin working on advanced Algebra and learn some basic Trig and Calculus towards the end of their visit at this level of school. For English they will be expected to cover debate, perform a Shakespearian monologue, read a piece of classic literature and then break it down and explain it, and give speech on a subject of their choice. For Government they will be assigned a country, then be required to study all facets of that country (economic policies, foreign policies, social policies, important wars, and technological advancements), and finally hand in what will be equivalent to a book on their assigned country (it will be edited, published, and added to school and government libraries as well as being available for purchase by interested parties. The writer will receive royalties on all sales). The student's geography class will coincide with their government class, they will be required to draw an accurate map of their assigned country with all relevant data (large fresh and salt water bodies, mountain ranges, cities, publicly known military bases, major highways, and any other data that is usually found on a map). Students' Science studies will include all major areas usually covered in other high schools but advanced studies will be in chemistry and biology. They are expected to be able to pass for a citizen in whatever country their chosen foreign language is native to and be advanced in a second, more difficult martial art. Outside of school they are required to hold a minimum wage job, give community service one day of the weekend, and be a part of at least one extracurricular activity. Students who perform poorly here will not go on to further levels and will have their voting rights restricted and they will be required to sign up for reserve service for four years.

16-18: This is what is known as the evaluation period. Here students will take classes that will prepare them for their military service and take battery tests that will narrow down the fields that they would do best in. At this level teachers are actual military officers, so the schooling is more regimented but the days are half as long.

18-22: This level is equivalent to places like West Point. Classes taken depend on the student, but they also go through what could roughly be called boot camp. Here they learn basic weapon skills, how to properly dress themselves in every class of uniform they are issued, basic military law, and field exercises between students towards the end of their stay. There are no automatic promotions to officer; it must be earned through outstanding service in their branch of the military. After this is completed they are told that they have one year of leave and then at the end of that leave they will be given deployment orders.

23-25: Here they learn the specifics on how to do their job in whatever branch of the military they chose (this is narrowed down before hand to make sure that a soldier's skill is not wasted). How they do here will decide what kind of assignment they get.


25-35: Ten years of mandatory service. People typically stay in the same unit unless they are needed elsewhere or a transfer is either requested or recommended (whether that recommendation is for a good reason or a bad reason could make or break their time in the military). This kind of management of the troops breeds a stronger sense of brotherhood and loyalty to their country and unit than would typically be found in other country's services.

35+: If someone is invited or requests to stay beyond the 35-year mark and is accepted is either guaranteed an officer's position or posting in an elite unit. Once they get to this point they may leave at any time and are all but guaranteed a Discharged with Honor citation and a Distinguished Service Star.
Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 17:10
OOC: I've disappointed, seven reads and no comments. Hell, I wouldn't have minded someone accusing me of civil rights violations, just to perk some interest.
Crookfur
14-09-2003, 17:21
You might aswell go the whole way and start teachign them military discipline and uniform stuff at about 12 after all in the RW people do this voluntarily (Boy's Brigade, Army cadets etc) you can even start teaching them to shoot. Even if it's just simple .177 air rifle and pistol stuff at 10m they will learn the basics and become rahter good.

I would say that having your pupils be able to pass themselves off as citizens of other countries is borderline gomoding after all some of us have rahter insular populations why details that could only be learned by living with them.

Of course having a one size fits all system like this really isn't going to produce optimal results unless you have extensive levels of streaming people are just too different and an overall aim of a army of supermen is a bit of a porblem as armies need a good blanace of John Clarks and forrest Gumps.
Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 17:32
I mean in their abilities to speak the language, not their dress or mannerisms. I'm not trying to create spies, just people who can be proud of their skills. Besides, there are so many languages spoken within the Star League that the only reason English is standard is that it simplifies things.

I'm not really trying to create an army of supermen, Ma-tek made a comment to me that really graded on my nerves once and I decided to do something about it. As it is, nothing is really geared toward the military until a student reaches 4th Level and then things take on a martial edge. 5th Level is where the student decides which branch they want to serve in (Navy [space], Army, Aerospace Force), after some strong recommendations, but there is usually a couple of choices. People who do particularly well in school are likely to end up as a pilot in the AF or in Special Forces. People who do average get more choices as there are more jobs available at that skill level.
14-09-2003, 17:33
yeh

I think you shouldnt use 10 year madantory service, and not as long in boot camp.

Remeber, you still need people to office work for you, and to actually make the military equipment.
Kalmykhia
14-09-2003, 17:38
Sounds like a pretty good plan, but publishing a book on each country? Surely there aren't enough to go around? I mean, not all 400,000 countries still exist or are RP'ed or even exist in your personal timeline (mine sure won't exist to you, I'm a RW time country, you're futuristic with your Star League and all). Plus no twelve year old with intelligence short of genius is going to be able to produce a book that could be useful for military of diplomatic use. Most adults couldn't! Geography should be more to do with thing like orienteering and map-reading. Plus, you have no grunts. Maybe at age 12, the best are fast-tracked and do what you just described, the rest do a more physical, less highly intellectual course. Just my two cents, but great plan. Hope you don't mind if I base the Kalmykh education system on it
Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 17:50
Actually, the low skill jobs like logistics and office stuff goes to people who didn't do so well. 60% of the people who make it through the system don't go to a combat assignment.

The books are done so that future students can have a reference for their country. Basically the books can be considered extended versions of the CIA factbook. I personally thought that it would be a cool final project for Government. In the 7th grade I was expected to create a fairly good map of Africa with just the outline as a reference from memory, so I don't think it would be too hard to do it when the students have the resources that they do. Also Kalm, I don't operate on a seperate timeline as I was once a modern tech nation and in fact most of my equipment is still modern (all of my armor and a good portion of my air force is). The physical side is covered fine, by the time they get out of what is considered standard school they have usually been on a sports team for a large majority of the time, did community service (which is things like giving swim lessons to young kids), have mastered a martial art and are fairly advanced in a second. Remember, most of this process is dedicated to schooling, I don't want stupid people in the work force after they've retired from the military.
Rukemia
14-09-2003, 17:56
Sounds much like an ant colony, by the way check T-Grams.
14-09-2003, 17:57
Why would it sound like an ant colony?
Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 18:46
bump for more critiques
14-09-2003, 18:51
I think it's pretty good to be honest.
Scandavian States
14-09-2003, 19:28
bumpity bump bump...bump bump