| # | Name | Your City and State | Comments |
|---|
| 51 | Mark DeWaelsche | Halifax, PA | People these days seem to feel that our way of life is a free ride paid for by a few. I believe a program like this would give our younger citizens a sense of responsibility and direction while at the same time fulfilling the needs of our country and teaching them a trade. I also believe everyone should be required to go through a military like training. |
| 52 | Anonymous | Potomac, MD | |
| 53 | Robert Browne | Reno,Nv | |
| 54 | Greg Spignese | Richmond Va | |
| 55 | David C Joachim | Collierville, TN | I have thought and said this very thing for the last 15 years. I am proud to sign this petition though I wish it wasn't necessary. American citizens should WANT to serve! |
| 56 | Elizabeth I.Riseden | Carson City, NV | I strongly agree with this idea. Service should be designed to move citizens of one economic/social/racial group into another so that we begin to know one another as people, not as red/blue blobs.
I would suggest everything from the most menial of tasks (clean up the park), to much more complex tasks (multi-tiered education about United States history, with emphasis on concepts, not dry facts).
It is imperative we rebuild a sense of belonging in this nation. Community will either unite us or we will surely die from our own egotistical involvements ("I've got mine; screw you.")
Also, service should beget at lease minimum wage, so that the poor among us can serve with as much dignity as the wealtier, and all should learn what minimum wage will buy. |
| 57 | Anonymous | Saugus Mass | Mandatory service to your country would be postive in several ways. one it would keep our country prepared in the event of any huge disaster i.e. should we be attacked second it would keep the youth on a positive track for life and give better direction for the youth that are undecided what to do and it would keep more of youth on the straight path of life |
| 58 | Ronald H Sevier | Spokane, WA | I only believe in this if EVERY male and female, without exceptions, will be required to serve preferably in the military unless religious beliefs prevent this then they can be a military non-fighting clerk here in the states or over seas posting away from the fighting. |
| 59 | William Koeppen | CO | Yes, everyone should serve. When our president started the Iraq war and young soldiers starting coming home dead he would say its the cost WE pay for freedom. Who is WE. The poor and lower middle class? How does one get an appreciation of how valuable our freedom, our rights, are. How many youth seriously appreciate the sacrifice these young men and women paid - for our freedom. Everyone should be required to some form of public service. Over the span of a lifetime to serve your country for a year or two is nothing |
| 60 | Anonymous | kahului,hi | As a veteran of the US Navy and Naval Reserves and a single mother of 7 children, I am a STRONG ADVOCATE of all high school/college graduates to enlist in some form of service to their country.
It not only builds character and provides discipline but it also instills responsibility for self. These values I feel are not taught to the current generation. Just look at the young adults ( ages 14 - 25 ) and what kind of lives they have. They're either shooting up our schools, getting arrested for DUIs, or constantly appearing in the media for their latest mishaps. I refer to the spoon-fed, silver-plated children who have no direction. Don't get me wrong, I feel no hostility for the better life they were born to, but I do despise the fact they make the news for being STUPID yet our children are fighting for their FREEDOM to act this way. I speak of the Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Jenna and Laura Bush and the like who are given everything except being taught humility and responsibility. I despise the fact I have 5 of my 7 children serving in the ACTIVE MILITARY at this time, one currently in the Middle East, one who was recently discharged from the US Air Force and one left at home who is a Junior in High School. It was a choice made by my children to succeed in life and provide better for their families than I could for them as a single mother to join the military. All children should have that sense of pride. All children should have that sense of ownership in their country. All children should be directed to " give-back " to their country for what our forefathers gave to them. Regardless of political stature, and economic wealth, I feel all children should be directed to "serve" in some form.
Again, I feel no ill-will for those who have better than I, I am appalled that my children of their own free-will are FIGHTING FOR THEIR FREEDOM SO THEY CAN ACT STUPID. |
| 61 | Douglas W Hughes | Bonsall, CA | Until one has skin in the game, they are not in the game. |
| 62 | Anonymous | Easthampton, MA | EVERY MALE IN OUR FAMILY SERVED IN THE BRANCH OF SERVICE OF HIS CHOICE. I SERVED IN PUBLIC SERVICE, AS DID THE WOMEN PRECEDING ME. WE BENEFIT FROM A BROADER VIEW OF WHO AMERICA IS, THE DISCIPLINE OF CHAIN OF COMMAND AND STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM ENHANCED OUR CHARACTERS. |
| 63 | Bernard G. Penticoff | Riverside, CA | Freedom is NOT free. one way to repay your country for the free life you have is to do your part and serve. I believe everyone should serve at least two years in the military, if you are afraid to do that at least serve in a domestic service corp. |
| 64 | Eduardo Cotto | Orchard Beach, MD | I am not riding the bandwagon. This has long been overdue. I have believed in this since the 90's. Our young people need a sense of nation, which I feel is being lost. Dedication and commitment to those ideals our nation stands for is illustrated through their service to our nation. Be it in the military, emergency medical services, law enforcement, forest service, etc.
This would be dual edged. Not only would it provide our youth with valuable training and experience, but it would provide our nation with a cheaper source of labor. In addition to this it would alleviate our troops overseas, providing them down time back in the U.S. |
| 65 | Thomas | Corvallis, OR | I agree to making a mandatory civil service program in the US so as to have more responsible and involved citizens. |
| 66 | Christina Lindstrom | Tracys Landing, Maryland | Having served with Americorps* National Civilian Community Corps, I found an extended community service experience to be one of the most valuable times of my life. |
| 67 | Anonymous | | |
| 68 | Ethan Cross | Woodstock, GA | I fully agree with this idea |
| 69 | Byron Beddingfield | North Carolina | There are so many benefits it is mind boggling that this isn't national law already |
| 70 | Anonymous | Manteca, CA | lets give a shot and lets see what happens if don't work petiton it to be dissolved and if works..then hay holy crap it worked |
| 71 | justin good | Reading, PA | |
| 72 | Anonymous | | |
| 73 | B Michael Dann | Williamsburg VA | I cannot think of any idea that would serve the nation's present needs, not to mention the lives of millions of young Americans, as much and as well as a well-structured and run program of compulsory national service. |
| 74 | Ardith Porter | Redding, CA | There is nothing wrong with male and females serving their country! |
| 75 | Keith Weeks | Aberdeen, MD | This is the best idea since JFK spoke about service to country |
| 76 | Tom | | Introduce compulsory military service but only for men |
| 77 | B | | |
| 78 | Thomas Byrd | Randleman, North Carolina | I firmly believe in the positive impact this kind of thing would have on the people of America, especially the youth. |
| 79 | Danielle Renee Lachney | Las Vegas Nv | |
| 80 | Chris Higginbotham | Morrisville, NC | |
| 81 | Alan C. Rollins | Tallahassee | Call too upon the unions and private businesses to form a job training, education program designed to rebuild America's infastructure. Then make some of the same benefits as does the Military service. |
| 82 | Stacie Jackson | Rockledge, FL | I say YES! |
| 83 | william linsenbigler | Ann Arbor, Michigan | |
| 84 | Anonymous | Belleview, FL | |
| 85 | Anonymous | Belleview, FL | Hey why not. It could be fun. |
| 86 | Cara Johnson | Bloomington Indiana | I believe this will not only help our nation but will instill morals, values, and patriatism in our youth which is exceedingly hard to find. |
| 87 | Anonymous | Littleton Colorado | |
| 88 | Zachary Getz | Florissant, MO | |