Back in a different lifetime, I was in the army

[Abolishinist]

6. Your post reminded me of my recent thoughts

about bringing back some form of mandatory national public service. Part of me wants to keep the government out of the lives of its citizens as much as possible, but on the other hand, your experience 'forced' you to interact with those you thought you had little in common with, and conversely as well. There is much to be said for that.

From a random article that I just looked up and will admit to only glossing over...

"Essentially, participants would provide much-needed public services and, in return, receive significant benefits, including covered college or trade school tuition and living expenses, that would lessen the country’s socioeconomic divide. In doing so, they would interact with Americans from other communities, gain life skills, and transform their own futures—and that of the country itself."

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/31/us-democracy-mandatory-public-service-program-political-divides/