Military conscription looms: Time to be in the army son!

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You may be wondering why are we quoting from the 1980s song In The Army Now.

Because there is a big push by our government to get young people to join the army, and there might just be a possibility that this could become compulsory.

Already the Presidency’s national steering committee has held marathon meetings amid pressure to finalise details of a youth service programme that could see government sending young people, from the age of 18, to the army for military training.

The main drive for conscription is thus not only to counteract unemployment, but also to address lack of discipline among the youth.

There is even talk about the full roll-out of the plan being set for June, next year.

And, trust our friends the EFF to also jump on board, supporting a year’s compulsory military service for the youth in order for them to be disciplined (wondering if they will demand brown uniforms to be exchanged for red ones?).

So a time might soon dawn for our young men to swop their school uniform for leather boots and brown garments (nothing to do with fashion or Lord of the Rings) and their pencil for a rifle.

Now doesn’t that sound like fun?

Many breathed a huge sigh of relief when the end of conscription in South Africa was announced on August 24, 1993, by Minister of Defence Kobie Coetsee.

After all, the thought of having to be subjected to days of rigorous exercise, crawling through the bush, sleeping in a tent, pretending to love the outdoors while being screamed at by a drill sergeant with a nervous twitch in the eye didn’t quite appeal to many young men back in the day.

For some, there were better things to do, maybe not always productive ones!

I was one of those who managed to squirm myself out of compulsory duty as I was attending to my studies. For a couple of years I had to visit the police station to offer my formal excuse for not signing up for boot camp.

Closest I got to military life was school cadet training, and then being forced to attend cadet camp where you pretend for a couple of days you are in the army. It was sort of fun … not.

While I do support the idea that the army will instil much needed discipline in some young men, it is also not in everyone’s blood.

For this reason compulsory service remains a heavily debatable subject, along with the thought that maybe many will be simply wasting a year of their life.

But cheer up all you young men who are still in school, there are two positives if conscription becomes compulsory.

Firstly, it will only be a year of sweat, pain and being uncomfortable, unlike the ’80s, when two years of your life had to be sacrificed for country and biltong.

Also, being sent to the army in 2016 could, by all accounts, be radically be less traumatic or strenuous or disciplined than 20 years ago.

Secondly, at least the chances of actually doing any kind of fighting might be minimal. We hope …

These are not the days of the Angolan War, but then again, enough trouble brews in Africa that might lead to conflict.

At least we are not living in America, where the chances are about 100 per cent that you will be posted somewhere in the Middle East, having to dodge ISIS, missiles and land mines on a daily basis.

Apart from being posted on the borders or helping the police with Operation Fiela, who really knows what the army does in this country anyway? Maybe some of the upcoming soldiers will have it lucky and be stationed at Nkandla!

Here is something ironic to consider. Abandoning of conscription in 1994 was based on the argument that it was unconstitutional (the army basically just recruited white men), fast forward to 2015, the army is now desperately looking for white men to again join them!

The army in 1994 was, thus, racially unbalanced, and today, in our free and fair country, it is still racially unbalanced! Go figure … reminds you of the same imbalances caused by affirmative action.

Forced conscription will, therefore, rectify the racial balance, even though by the general comments on social media joining the army of today is not an option entertained by white people.

Compulsory or not, the one good thing about the army is that, yes, it will address unemployment and yes, in its own sort of twisted way, will instil discipline and respect.

Is is, therefore, a good idea … most likely if the army does offer a year of productivity and contributes to the well being of the country.

So sons in high school, watch this space, because soon you might be singing: “You’re in the army now, oh-oo-oh you’re in the army now!”