New Educational Format

David Brooks suggests an idea which I agree with, but Arnold Kling and King find fault with active participation in any form of community service force. I could take an entirely economic stance, and sketch out an economic model which would show that the Marginal utilities of Labor must adjust to the lowest value Labor entrant (l+0.43% of Minimum Wage) at base Wage, to avoid waste of Tax revenue in military Pay; Economists could laugh at this, but should account Military Wages as a Percentage of total Tax revenues. The Military, for all its gadgets, is a Labor-intensive occupation; tax revenues taken to pay for military forces must come from other programs usage. The United States, by the way, is unique in its regular payment of military wages, unlike most nations of the World in their history; I would not term the condition Slavery.

I did not undertake this Post to criticize, though, but in the hope of offering an alternative which would please neither David or Arnold, but could provide both the criteria of personal freedom and the benefits of personal Discipline. My Concept would state that military Basic Training be made a Mandatory Course at High School level, something I could find as equally rewarding as English Lit or going out for basketball. I know I am a heathen! It would still provide Students with an understanding of the military regime, and perhaps even some Camping skills. It might even instill an awareness of the propriety of a Dress Code, and could suggest more adequate Study habits to avoid a lumpen placement in the Workforce similar to the military usage.

An Incentive would have to be given to enjoin Parents to surrender their Children to such harsh conditions as a Mandatory Basic Training. The Opportunity exists right in the academic community itself. I would advocate Military Fund payment of Community college attendance, if the Students would take Specialized Courses equivalent to Specialty Training in the Military. Students would gain not only the appropriate Entrance Courses for a following College education, but also Specialty Rank in the Military Reserve. Students would be subject to 12 years of Reserve duty at Pay, but could obtain in addition almost 50% of their total College Education Costs. The Concept of Press Gangs has not disappeared, simply becomes more socially acceptable. lgl