Should service guarantee citizenship? Do we need to reinvigorate responsibility vs rights?

Thanks to Will for the idea!

Anyone that has served in the military has thought it.  Civilians talk about rights and those rights seem to always expand.  Rights have no cost to the person that gets them.

What civilians forget is that there comes RESPONSIBILITY to the nation that comes with those rights.

Demanding military service for every able bodied adult is a way to ensure that the citizen pays for the rights that the nation gives them.  If they choose not to serve (and they're capable) then that's ok.  No jail time, no fine, no public harassment.

They made a choice.

But that choice should come with consequences.  If you choose not to serve then you don't get the rights of citizenship.  No more birthright citizens!  You must contribute to the nation.  If you don't serve then you don't get the right to vote at any level of the community.  If you don't serve then you pay a special "excise" tax (assuming you were capable) to pay for the upkeep of the nation that you enjoy the benefits of but are too good to actually contribute your time and if necessary your life.

It may sound harsh but Heinlein was right.

No I'm not talking about an armed takeover of the govt by veterans, retirees etc....I'm talking about reconnecting rights of citizenship with the responsibilities that come with it.