Compulsory military service, or sometimes referred to as conscription or draft, is an obligation for members of a country to spend some time in military training and prepare themselves for possible military actions. This form of enlisting people for the army has been around for a long time and has proved to be highly valuable in times of need. Today, some nations implement these laws and require men over the age of 18 to spend time in military training and enlist in the army. In some countries, like Israel, women are not exempt from military service and can assume all combat positions.
The reasons for maintaining conscription are many. First of all, all nations consider safety as one of the critical elements in society and will hope to ensure all citizens are safe at all times. These nations have regular drafts and have official numbers of people serving in the army. Another reason for conscription is that these nations feel that having a military education is good and serves a great purpose of ensuring discipline and an active lifestyle.
North Korea
North Korea is one of the countries in the world that has compulsory military service for both men and women. The duration of service for men is ten years, which make it the longest one in the world. The number of military personnel exceeds 6 million, with almost a million of them in active service and the rest belonging to the reserve forces. The turmoils after the Korean War continue to unnerve people and the threat from new conflicts is quite unsettling.
Norway
One of the countries that are considered to belong to a group of more peace-loving nations is Norway. However, it has seen its share of conflicts in the past and still has conscription for men over the age of 19. The curiosity about its military is that women are now expected to enroll as a new set of laws was introduced, saying that women should also participate in military service as a part of gender equality measures.
Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco is considering reinstatement of compulsory military service that will target young men, aged anywhere between 19 and 25. The reason for it is that all young men of that age, who are not attending schools or are otherwise unemployed, should go through military training to strengthen their bodies, learn discipline and social interactions, thus making themselves a significant part of the country’s life.
