National Service is something I've been thinking about for some time. I firmly and truly believe it is needed, but do not know what form it will or could take. It might not be mandatory. It could be voluntary. I don't know. What I do know it, the GI Bill was a terrific piece of legislation. It gave guys who never had an opportunity, a terrific start in life. And they did amazing things.
I also believe we're squandering our youth, as previously stated. Brain power will be the greatest natural resource of the 21st century and we're throwing it away wholesale.
As for women serving in the military, I believe they should have the opportunity, but not subject to the draft. There have been a lot of books written on the subject, not the least of which is Martin Van Creveld's, which clearly lays out that the vast majority of women are not as effective in combat as men. Creveld is a brilliant historian and I tend to believe him.
I don't like the idea of mandatory service. As for the draft... I disagree that women should be excluded. You seem to think that all draftees will be handed a rifle and assigned to infantry units. That's a bogus assumption. As for women in combat... They're serving in Iraq now (in Combat Support and Combat Service Support jobs) and I dare say our Army couldn't function without them. I say if it's OK for women to voluteer, it's OK for them to be drafted.
As to the size of the military... Something needs to be done. We are getting stretched too thin. Some units are spending more time in combat zones than they are stateside. That has to change as these men and women are getting tired. The abundance of talk and lack of action on this issue should be of great concern to everyone.