**TL;DR** - **Mandatory service is a violation of free will.** Firstly, 'mandatory national service' is defined as conscription. National service, conversely, has a voluntary angle to it. Voluntary service is not something to be discouraged. It helps to bolster the ranks of the army and improves the communal spirit because everyone present _wants_ to be there. The same cannot be said for conscription. Conscription forces young people to join the army, regardless of their desire to participate. It can even be described as a [violation of free will] (https://connectusfund.org/10-meaningful-pros-and-cons-of-mandatory-military-service). This becomes particularly apparent when it is remembered that conscription does not simply entail the training to join the army. Those conscripted to join the army are forced to put their lives at risk by entering into combat zones. Moreover, when in these combat zones, soldiers may be asked to kill in order to protect themselves and others. The mental health repercussions of this have the potential to immense, especially when the person has not gone there of their own volition. On another level, there is the concern that conscription has a detrimental effect on [the overall proficiency of the army] (https://connectusfund.org/10-meaningful-pros-and-cons-of-mandatory-military-service). It is unrealistic to expect people who have been forced to join the army to commit to their military service with the same commitment as a volunteer. This compromises the quality of the armed forces and has the knock-on effect of endangering the lives of the soldiers.

If you want "free college" you have to earn it