It’s been a long time since I read “Starship Trooper”, but if I remember correctly, it wasn’t mandatory military service—you only got the franchise to VOTE if you were a veteran. Not a bad idea, and in line with only allowing property owners to vote...so only those who are actually contributing are the ones getting a voice.
Exactly - it was mandatory, but if you didn’t show up all that happened was that you never became a citizen, which meant that you could never own property or vote. “And you never, ever got a second chance”.
Colonel, USAFR