[SigKapSweetie]

How about the philosophy from Starship Troopers? "Serve and receive citizenship." Those who don't want to serve our country shouldn't get to vote in it either. (In this example, 'citizenship' is defined as being a member of the country able to vote or hold political office; where 'civilians' live in the country legally, they can't do either of these things.) I think this would be only fair. If you don't care enough to defend our country, you shouldn't get a say in how it's run.

About the technology in the military these days; you've got a point. Only some of the candidates would be able to learn how to use it in a short enough time for this to be practical. However, we have plenty of 'manpower' jobs they could fulfill: coastguard patrol, infantrymen, peacecorps employees, UN/US employees, BORDER patrol (we're totally understaffed there), etc.

USA love,
Dale