Will a "National Service Year" become required for all 18-28 year old adults in the United States?

They say that adversity can help a person grow and challenge themselves to become a more complete citizen. This development can be seen in a social, physical, and emotional light; each contributing significantly to the new understandings of themselves and how they can impact the individuals and communities around them. 

Covid-19 represents the ultimate adversity test for the U.S.; arguably the biggest crisis this nation has faced since World War II. While the majority of Americans forget the sacrifice (wear a damn mask), horrors (oh, you can’t get a haircut), and public money that was spent to overcome the war, what we do remember is the growth America had immediately after. Our “greatest generation” after WW2 (and the build up to it) gave us the New Deal, the Marshall Plan, the GI Bill, and of course the suburbs. In short: America responded really well to our last significant emergency. Now? Not so much…

While there are many honorable leaders who are trying to make a difference, the one I want to focus on in particular that I believe is essential to the health of our nation is the idea of mandatory national service. This has started (again, it has been brought up a lot before) with Chris Coons, Senator (D) from Delaware pushing forth legislation in April of 2020 to expand the national service programs that currently exist in the United States. With the hopes of expanding AmeriCorps and other national service member programs to upwards of 300,000 positions, the Senator is aiming to have this included in the next round of Covid relief. 

Our leading NYT’s opinion article believes this actually isn’t enough and we need to be more aggressive with creating service fellowships, certificate programs, and specifically make a one-year national service experience an requirement for all U.S. 18-28 year old adults. Our sources will divulge into this prospect as the moment, but the ending quote I want to include is the idea propagated by the author that national service benefits not only those being served, but those doing the servicing. 

“What would it mean to the future social cohesion of this country if a large part of the rising generation had a common experience of shared sacrifice? What would it mean to our future politics if young people from Berkeley spent a year working side by side with young people from Boise, Birmingham and Baton Rouge?” It would mean a more politically moderate electorate, that is for sure.

Article & Book: We are ready for a mandatory National Service Year

Give this article a full read as the author does a really good job of painting the picture of what national service would look like in the United States. She used the information found by the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service to share with us the stories and arguments presented for the need for required national public service funded by additional government money. That is quite a loaded sentence: she is not only telling us that we should be required to dedicate a year of our lives for the country’s need, but that we should also use our own tax-payer money to finance it for others! 

However, the report and her analysis stated that: “the commissioners took a yearlong Alexis de Tocqueville-like journey across the United States, gathering stories such as Mr. Jennings’ [ the original example] in hundreds of hours of testimony. Their conclusions came with a warning: Despite high demand, service opportunities for young people through AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and other programs such as YouthBuild have long remained static and require a new level of investment. The report recommends that lawmakers increase federal funding to boost the number of young people working in national service jobs from 80,000 today to 1 million by 2031.”

That seems extremely ambitious, yet Covid-19 might be the push needed to get this into practice. The reasons the author believes National Service requirements are necessary: 

• Healthier Sympathies that create a shared sense of purpose
• Social Cohesion that helps heal the political and race divisions our country faces
• Lifeline for both the servers and beneficiaries. By serving, you are given tools to succeed in the future and a practical paycheck. As the beneficiary, you are better taken care of
• Renewed focus on Civics Education to better inform our young people about our country and the new ways that you can contribute towards it

This article is a long read, but highlights numerous reasons as to why we need these types of programs. It isn’t, however, a rosy proposition for everyone.

Video: Should this service be mandatory?

I really like this video as it highlights the different ways national service can really impact our country. National Service goes beyond building homes or tutoring students (which are still obviously good) but can also include healthcare work, IT focuses, infrastructure development, voting coordination for local and national elections, and even polling & censure responsibilities. A lot of these industries (especially polling & population surveys) are usually conducted by the retired generation, so it would be incredibly beneficial to get younger adults involved in these areas. 

The main argument brought up in this video, however, is the fact that we can’t implement a “one-size fits all” program and require it on everyone. In addition, there are many people that do not agree with the national agenda nor specific policies around it, so would choose to defer their requirement. This actually is the main reason as to why we removed the military service and draft requirements in the 1970s. In general, it violates the rights of the individual, which in the U.S. is an important consideration. 

A great video showing two sides of the decision, yet it is incredibly more complicated than this. The potential repercussions of a mandatory service are far-reaching, so simply expanding the existing services at this point might be the best first step. 

Change-Maker Organization:

Most of us have heard of it but not exactly know what it is, so we want to share more about AmeriCorps. Essentially, AmeriCorps is a foundation that partners with established non-profits and other organizations to provide consulting, oversight, and most importantly people to grow their respective causes. While AmeriCorps does have their own independent programs, they also strive to empower other organizations by providing them expertise and able-bodied individuals to assist in their goals. 

After joining the program, you will receive the necessary training and onboarding experience before being placed in your new community. As a candidate, you have an option of electing to stay close to home for local impact, or be home to moving to a new location. After you finish your service year or program, you will be provided with career building assistance, possible school funding, and a clear experience that stands out to employers. More importantly, you will learn the value of service and other soft-skills, while immediately impacting the lives in the communities you serve. 

Unfortunately…...it is a quite cumbersome experience and there are potential pitfalls. There are a few different types of programs with various parameters and numerous stipulations on who can and cannot participate. Not to mention, only 1 out of every 5 applicants is selected. Lastly…..the pay is well below the normal living standard for the majority of the communities you are placed in. 

Clearly, they have some work to do. One can argue that since it is government-run, relies on funding, and has no competition…...they will struggle to improve and be competitive enough to become a stalwart organization. More money, however, can potentially lure the right people to join the leadership team and guide the program towards greater heights. Either way, it is a great start for our national service endeavors.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

Covid-19 proved that America is simply not ready for a nation-wide response to a problem. The states and national government failed in numerous different ways, which is why we see countless other countries successfully getting back to their normal lives while the U.S. can’t even safely open schools this fall. 

Working for the government in the U.S. is seen as career suicide in the majority of circles: low pay, little recognition, an abundance of red tape hindering actual change, and a weakening pension. While that is a different story entirely, we can change that narrative in regard to public national service! Covid-19 provides the perfect learning opportunity for us to improve our national organization, social unity, and our most vulnerable communities. The best stimulus our country can provide is more jobs, more money, and more support to those most impacted. Why not accomplish all three with one change?