Latest news with #nationalservice
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Trump administration must restore AmeriCorps programs in 24 states, judge rules
June 5 (Reuters) - A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Thursday to restore AmeriCorps programs in 24 Democratic-led states but declined to prevent it from cutting the bulk of the workforce of the federal agency for national service and volunteering. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Baltimore issued an injunction at the behest of those states and the District of Columbia who argued Republican President Donald Trump's administration is unlawfully dismantling AmeriCorps.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
How Gen Z could be nudged into conscription – from military gap years to reduced University and home loans
At the beginning of March, Poland outpaced other European nations by announcing plans to introduce universal military service for all men. Speaking in the Polish parliament, president Donald Tusk said: 'We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war, ensuring that this reserve is comparable and adequate to potential threats.' Even though Poland has taken a step that many other European nations are hesitant to take, it is evident that, despite their reluctance, forms of military service are being examined, studied, and debated among European policymakers. And all the signs suggest that the UK will follow suit sooner rather than later. Nearly a year ago, Rishi Sunak pledged that if the Conservatives won the general election, 18-year-olds would be required to take part in a scheme involving military or civilian service. While Sunak was short on details regarding who would conduct the training or how it would be funded, the proposals were pitched as a 'bold new model of national service'. Participants could opt to spend one weekend per month volunteering in civic roles such as an RNLI volunteer or NHS responder. The country, he argued, needed to be 'open and honest' about long-term challenges, and the scheme would provide young people with 'real-world skills while contributing to their country and community'. The plan was quickly derided across the political spectrum, with Justin Crump, a defence expert and veteran of 25 years, capturing the mood when he said the plans were 'ill-thought-through' and would be an 'enormous potential burden' on Britain's military. He added: 'It's certainly not the solution to the military's problems, and I think everyone I've spoken to this morning still has their head in their hands.' However, 12 months on, it no longer seems like such an outlandish idea. Sir Alex Younger told Independent TV recently that people in the UK must realise that the threat from Russia – and its closeness to the US – is real, adding: ' Putin and Trump together have done their best to persuade us that the rules have changed.' Discussing what needs to be done to prepare, Sir Alex, known as 'C' during his time as spy chief, added: 'You'd have to ask a soldier about the actual efficacy of things like conscription. I have no idea… I know that it just needs to be a more integrated feature of everyday life. 'I think that will bring broader benefits. So I think this is probably more about a more creative and broader conception of what the reserves is.' The ex-spy chief then told the BBC 's Today Podcast that a new type of enrolment should be looked at. He said: "In extremis, I think we'd be looking at something like the model I understand exists in places like Sweden, where the Government theoretically has the power to compel people to give their service one way or another, but doesn't exercise it except in areas where it's really needed." As the US becomes a less reliable ally in an increasingly volatile world, the government has said it will implement all 62 recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review, and has promised to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an 'ambition' – but no firm commitment – to hike it to 3 per cent in the next parliament. Meanwhile, defence secretary John Healey has warned that Britain would not be ready to fend off an invasion given the state of its armed forces, and agrees that a recruitment drive is needed to bolster Britain's depleted military. The review includes improving recruitment to tackle the hiring crisis, with innovative new ways and points to Australia's military gap year as an 'exciting model'. The Australian Defence Force offers a 12-month gap year programme which allows youngsters to experience military life without a long-term commitment, training them in a number of roles while giving them benefits like salary, accommodation and healthcare. The SDR also suggests that Cadet Forces should be expanded across the country by 30 per cent by 2030. With almost a million young people not in education, employment, or training, this group has also become a key focus as ministers cut benefits while seeking to strengthen defence. As Rachel Reeves announced substantial cuts to the welfare bill earlier this year, former Tesco chair John Allan suggested that out-of-work young people should be required to undergo military training in exchange for benefits. Under the government's new welfare reforms, those aged 18 to 21 will be given a 'youth guarantee' offer of training or employment but risk losing their benefits if they decline. The chancellor told ITV: 'In the changed world we face today, there are opportunities for good jobs in our armed forces, but also in the defence sector that produces the tanks, machinery, and ships that our military uses. And of course, as this government increases defence spending, more good jobs with decent wages will become available in that sector.' So, could a voluntary national service or conscription 'with benefits' soon become a reality? Conscription ran in the UK from 1916-1920 and again from 1939-1960. It was renamed 'national service' after the Second World War. The last national serviceman left the military in 1963, more than 60 years ago. The traditional argument for ending national service was that it consumed too many regular personnel to train conscripts, many of whom were reluctant and of lower quality. A motivated professional force was deemed preferable. However, a combination of factors has brought the issue back into sharp focus. First, the Ukraine war has demonstrated that small, professional armies, which are costly and limited in numbers, can be quickly depleted. While precise forecasts are difficult, some suggest that the British army 's war-fighting arm, 3rd (UK) Division, could become combat-ineffective within six months in a Ukraine-style conflict due to casualties and exhaustion. Another challenge is filling recruitment gaps in modern armed forces, a common issue across Europe as populations age. The British army currently has about 71,300 personnel, the lowest number since the Napoleonic era. Of these, only 55,005 are fully deployable (able to serve without medical restrictions). The army's target is 73,000, yet the Royal Navy alone has missed its recruitment targets for sailors and commandos every year for over a decade. For the UK, there are concerns about protecting the home front in the event of war. The current forces can either deploy to Europe alongside Nato allies or stay to defend the UK, but they lack the depth to do both. The Office for National Statistics states that around 750,000 people turn 18 in the UK each year. The armed forces neither need nor can absorb anywhere near that number of recruits. This brings us to the question of what a new national service model could look like. In the Nordic and Baltic states, there is universal conscription with a twist: not everyone is called up. The armed forces select recruits based on their needs, and people are encouraged to volunteer through a number of incentives. In these countries, national service is highly valued. In Norway, being accepted for national service is sometimes called 'the Golden Ticket' because it significantly improves life prospects. Government jobs are prioritised for those who serve, and many private companies offer fast-track recruitment for national service volunteers. Around 15 per cent of 18-year-olds in Norway (both men and women) are conscripted or volunteer, totalling about 9,000 annually, with numbers expected to rise due to the perceived Russian threat. In Finland, the army can expand from a peacetime strength of 20,000 (including conscripts) to 300,000 within a week in a crisis. Many countries with military national service also offer civilian alternatives. Sweden and Finland, for example, as Sir Alex Younger pointed to, both provide civil defence options. Those refusing both military and civil service can face imprisonment without parole. Finns living abroad who fail to return for service can have their passports revoked. However, in countries bordering Russia, national service is seen as part of the national culture and duty. By contrast, a study by The Times and YouGov revealed that only 11 per cent of the UK's Gen Z would be willing to fight for their country in a war. Could they be persuaded if national service provided tangible benefits? In the past, British national service helped improve literacy and numeracy by sending illiterate recruits to the Royal Army Education Corps. A modern version could integrate education, offering student loan forgiveness or education vouchers for those who serve. Extending service commitments of, say, up to five years could result in complete student debt cancellation or preferential financial backing for property purchases. As in Norway, those who serve could receive priority for civil service jobs, making national service an attractive opportunity. Ultimately, national service need not replicate the model of the 1950s and 60s. The military once numbered over 350,000 personnel, but today, only a fraction of the 750,000 18-year-olds each year would be needed – perhaps 10-15,000 for military service and a few thousand more for civilian roles. Bringing back national service would require a major cultural and mind shift in the UK. However, proven models from European countries are being closely examined. Unless Russia collapses, a version of national service seems increasingly likely within the next five years and military 'gap years' are just one innovative ideas being considered. To make it work, though, the UK must shed outdated negative perceptions of national service and recognise its broader societal benefits. In an age where young people are increasingly isolated by algorithms and social media, engaging them in shared experiences that promote national values could be a profoundly positive step – if done well.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
Eritrea: Training on Social Science for Students in the Central Region
The National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students provided training on social science to over 3,836 junior and high school students, including 60% female students. The concluding event of the training was conducted on 32 May at Cinema Roma in Asmara. The training covered topics such as nation and nationalism, youth and national service, the pillars of the National Charter, information technology, the meaning of ideology, political concepts and religious philosophy, and the history of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students. Mr. Samson Kifle, head of the Union branch, said that the branch is working in collaboration with partners to enhance youth awareness and strengthen their organizational capacity. Mr. Saleh Ahmedin, Chairman of the Union, urged the trainees to transfer the knowledge they gained to their peers and noted that similar training programs will be organized. At the event, awards were presented to outstanding students and exemplary teachers. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
As an ex-army captain, I'd back national service. But conscription? No way...
A citizens' army is in the news once again after a major defence review unveiled by the prime minister. As part of a pledge to make the UK 'battle-ready', Keir Starmer has ordered up to a dozen new attack submarines, £15bn worth of nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons. The report made 62 recommendations, including creating a British Army that is 'ten times more lethal' with more personnel, long-range missiles and land-drone swarms. Welcome: the MOD's planned military service 'gap years'.... aka Gen Z conscription. And it's here that we run into a problem. It's not the first time we've heard the idea of national service mooted this year – in January, General Sir Patrick Sanders said that the British army must expand, following years of personnel and financial cuts. But the government would have a tough task forcing people to the parade ground, especially in light of the current recruitment struggles. Seeking to roll back on the cuts that have been forced on the army, with regular forces at 100,000 in 2010 shrinking to fewer than 76,000 today, Sanders was on record as saying recent cuts [from the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review and the 2021 Defence in a Competitive Age report] were a 'mistake'. Sanders ambitiously urged the UK to raise the army to 120,000, in preparedness for the unexpected. So, why do we need more troops? The British army being overstretched may come as a surprise to irregular military listeners, after the close of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. But contributions to the UN mission in Cyprus, Nato mission in Kosovo and commitments in the Falklands, Belize, Germany and Canada continue. Enter President Putin: instability in Ukraine means the Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) deployments in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland bear an unpredictability. These activities require resources. British army retention is struggling. Sanders's – and now Starmer's – solution? An expanded 'citizen army'. It might work if it is voluntary, but conscription would face enormous challenges unless the UK faced the most existential threat. The UK recruits soldiers who are aged between 16 and 35 and you must be at least 18 to serve in combat. In Ukraine, where the conscription age is set at 25, there has been strong resistance against the push for younger conscripts. The average age of Ukrainian soldiers is estimated currently to be 43. An expanded recruitment pool from a wide cross-section of society might include qualified engineers, tradespeople or IT professionals for intelligence and communications, areas where the army has struggled to recruit recently. It is a mistake to imagine that combat soldiers can be spawned overnight: modern soldiering is more complex than ever. It is an open secret that we have been training Ukrainians in the UK on short, sharp, bootcamp-style training programmes. British conscripts could expect something similar. Eighteen-hour days, combat camping, building up to section and platoon attacks, ready to be inserted into units led by experienced soldiers incentivised or pulled back into service. Mobile phones are an unhelpful aspect of military campaigns. In initial training, mobiles are locked in a box for most of the week, except for a few hours, to remove distractions. In combat, modern targeting systems have made phones a beacon to enemy missile attacks. Recruitment preclusions already exist for people with certain medical histories; asthma sufferers are currently unsuitable for service, as are eating disorder sufferers, people diagnosed on the autistic spectrum and those with serious muscular skeletal injuries, which would restrict suitability. Infanteers (combat soldiers) need to run an 8.7 'beep test'. There has been an ongoing relaxation in some areas recently because what it really comes down to is: how many people you need, where you need them and for what. National service has long held appeal, especially within the Gen Z 16-24 age group. Bringing together people from every corner and community in our society could build bridges at a time when they are sorely needed. The Swiss and Norwegians both have compulsory military registration for all 18-year-old men. There are things we admire in both societies. This form of national service could bring a sense of social cohesion and mixing that we need. Any effort to create a citizen army should be rooted in volunteering, creating broad, cross-societal engagement with tangible benefits and a fixed commitment. But compulsory immediate conscription would be a disaster in the UK: the protests, civil disobedience and helicopter parenting would be abrupt unless the threat was broadly accepted. Be warned, for this is what it would entail. Phones in the box. Stand by your beds. Pile your plate high at breakfast with whatever food is on offer, you will need the energy for 18 hours a day of basic training... Mike Crofts is a former British army captain who served two tours of Afghanistan. He is now the CEO of human performance company Leading Purpose and the founder of criminal justice charity 3Pillars Project
Free Malaysia Today
15-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Jail time, fine await national service no-shows, trainees warned
The failure of trainees to report for national service training without a valid reason is a punishable offence. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The defence ministry has reminded individuals selected for the national service training programme (PLKN) that those who do not show up without a valid reason could be punished with jail time and a fine. The ministry's national service department said trainees must report to the PLKN camp by 12pm tomorrow, as stated in their call-up letters. 'Failure to report for duty without a valid reason, or evidence of health issues confirmed by a medical expert, is considered as defying orders,' it said in a statement. The department added that those who disobey orders can be punished under Section 18(1) of the National Service Training Act, which provides for a maximum RM3,000 fine, up to six months in prison, or both, if convicted. It added that inciting or persuading trainees to not show up for PLKN is also an offence under Section 19(2) of the Act, also punishable by a maximum fine of RM3,000, up to six months in prison, or both, upon conviction. Earlier this week, there were reports that 206 PLKN trainees failed to show up at their respective camps on Monday. They have until 12pm tomorrow to report in. Last Sunday, it was reported that male trainees are based at the 505 Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Pekan, Pahang, and female trainees at the 515 Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Kuala Lumpur. PLKN is being gradually reintroduced in its third iteration to foster patriotism, unity and personal resilience among Malaysian youth, while equipping them with the physical and mental fortitude to face life's challenges.
