Millions of American people volunteer in thousands of community service programs across the country, from tutoring disadvantaged children to assisting the elderly in nursing homes. A call for national service was originated by President John F. Kennedy with the introduction of the Peace Corps. This call was renewed by President Clinton with the creation of AmeriCorps. President Bush also called for an increase in national community service by promising to increase funding for AmeriCorps and also through faith based initiatives. National service benefits the person performing the service as well as the community being served. Congress should pass a law mandating one year of national civil service after graduating high school.
Mandatory national service has been a controversial subject of debate for years. Mandatory national service would create new education and employment opportunities for the young Americans serving. It would also bring communities closer together. If properly applied and initiated, national service would boost our economy by increasing qualified workers to fill vital roles in our workplaces. Mandatory service would also increase our military numbers thus ending the current back door draft that we are now facing. Gary L. Yates, president of The California Wellness Foundation, in a recent article, Mandatory national service: Building National Spirit and Healing Social Ills, said, He believes mandatory national service would provide a way for the youth of this nation to give something back for the freedoms they enjoy. He also said it would increase understanding of the strength in America's diversity and create increased participation in the voting booth. The benefits would surely be more civically engaged youth and adults.
Mandatory national service would allow the graduates to choose what field they serve in and receive reasonable compensation for their services. This service would give them experience in their chosen fields and would...