I'm torn. As a returned serviceman, the idea revolts me.
But I'm also a secondary school teacher and I deal with kids this age. And I have to give them a second chance when they do wrong, otherwise they don't have the chance to learn.
I want to give this kid a good hiding. But I'd let him march.
You can't write kids off because they do stupid things sometimes. They're children. That's part of what children to.
You punish them. You forgive them. And you give them a chance to redeem themselves.
Here in the States with his parents permission he's man enough to enlist in. If the same sort of thing is part of your law it might give him a real lesson and the appropriate discipline (courtesy of the Regimental Sergeant Major of course) to finish growing up and take out some of the dents in personality he's acquired.
This kid and his friends will probably just get a good laugh out of this and not learn jack. They will be laughing at the RSL and the rest of the PC BS that permeates our society.
Thanks, I apprciate you sharing your opinion.