h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Gnomon, I think it's always good to enquire why something should be done. It is not how the army (any army) needs their soldiers to be, though.

Did you say the basic training was 3 months, but the service time is 9 months? What do they do in between?

Does this also mean that men go to university later than women, because they have to do this first? Do women not have to do anything at all?

My granddad did his National Service (he was slightly too young to fight in the war) in the Coldstream Guards. I know he spent time in Berlin and also guarded St James' Palace.

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Good question - Bel will be able to tell us in a few months' time.

<> Yes it does. Worse still, the cut-off date for child allowance for children still in training or education is 25 - regardless of whether they did National Service or not (That is, all girls, and some boys who are not accepted on health grounds or because they're the third son) We have just been through a helluva fight to get child allowance for our 25-year-old who (to our shame) is still at university, but spent 10 months doing Community service (they have to serve longer than their military peers).

How odd. Thanks for the reply, TC.

What TC said. Although think that nowadays Community service and National service both take nine months.

The organisations which rely heavily on young men doing community service have already said that they won't employ them any more if it's only for six months. It's not worth training them only for them to finish shortly afterwards for one thing, and it's a burden for the people they care for if they have to get used to somebody new every six months.

I think many organisations already rely on those people who do a voluntary social year (which is what C did before the army).