|
|
|
We don’t have this at all in England. A few Norwich School pupils in Upper 5 (Year 11) saw a film about it. Here they describe what they saw and give their opinions on it.
After finishing school every German boy must do either military service or social service. If they want to go to university, you can do so afterwards. It is not compulsory for girls. There are many differences between military service and social service and both have their advantages and disadvantages. People usually have many reasons when they choose between the two options.
Military service is shorter than social service. Now, it lasts 10 months and social service lasts 13 months. Earlier, they lasted 15 and 20 months respectively. Military service is more disciplined and there isn’t as much freedom as with social service. But social service can also be very demanding. You must, for example, work with handicapped and difficult children and old people. That can be very stressful and hard. It is only for responsible people. But many find it rewarding and interesting. It is something different and you can help other people. For others military service can also be an adventure. They can leap down death-slides, abseil, play sport, swim and so on. Many people find camaraderie in a group in the army but that is also possible whilst doing social service. In social service you can make friends with children and the handicapped and sometimes go on interesting journeys. By the time it ends you can understand other people much better. But there are also many problems. There are children who do not want to learn who are very difficult and have big problems. There are jobs which are not so pleasant: you have to spoon feed the children, go with them to the toilet and lift up and carry heavy people. When there are problems you can become depressed.
In the army there is strict discipline. You have to carry a heavy rucksack, march a long way, get up at six o’clock and clean and polish the guns. It can be extremely tiring. You must do what other people say, all the time. Perhaps there are people who like that kind of thing. But other people are opposed to guns and violence and don’t like discipline.
It is difficult to say whether such a system should be introduced here in Great Britain. Perhaps a spell of compulsory social service would be useful to us. It is a difficult question. But military service is not in my opinion necessary. Great Britain already spends too much money on the army and further militarisation would not help. I believe that this system (social service) could be introduced for students who leave school at sixteen or for those who do not go to university.
If I were German I would definitely do social service. I am opposed to guns and violence and the army promotes these things. That would give me no option but to do social service. I would help many people and learn many things. You don’t have to be a soldier to enjoy doing sport.
In England, we don’t have to do military or social service and we have seen a video about this. The video described the choice that the Germans have to make. When you leave school in Germany, you must to military or social service. All young men over eighteen must do military or social service. Military service lasts for ten months, whereas social service lasts thirteen months. Women don’t do either, whereas young men have a difficult decision to make. There are many good and bad points for each. In this essay, I will describe the life of a soldier and a social worker.
The life of a soldier is very hard and demanding. You have to get up at 6 am and work until 5 pm. A social worker, working with disabled children, also has a difficult life – you must help children get up, wash them and put them to bed, although it is less strict and formal. A soldier has to clean and polish weapons, march in unison and practise shooting. If you are against weapons and war, it is easier to decide to be a social worker rather than a soldier. The life of a soldier can be tough but it is adventurous. You can do jumping, abseiling, play sport and live in barracks.
A social worker must do social service for thirteen months. It is longer than military service although many people still choose it. Why is this? If I were a young man in Germany, I would do social service. This is because I could help others, get useful job training and learn to understand people better. I don’t think I would like the discipline of military service. Also I am against violence and I think that social service gives you a good start in life. Perhaps the Germans have similar views.
The qualities a soldier and a social worker need are in some ways similar and in some ways very different. A soldier must be obedient, whereas a social worker must be kind. However both need to be patient, reliable and to get on well with people.
Military or social service? - a difficult choice! What would you choose?
Last week our teacher showed us a video about compulsory public service and military service in Germany. In Germany all boys over 18 must do their public or military service. It is only boys who have to do this – girl don’t have to do it. Military service is shorter than public service. Military service lasts just 10 months whilst public service lasts for 13 months.
In the film there were many boys and they said which service they wanted to do and why they wanted to do it. One boy said that he wanted to do public service because he was opposed to war and violence. Other boys said that they wanted to do it because you can help other people, it helps your job prospects and you can work with children or old people. One adventurous boy said that he wanted to do military service because he is adventurous and one has camaraderie in a group. A reasonable boy said that he wanted to do it because it isn’t as long and one is able to understand other people better.
What do a community worker and a soldier do in a typical day? A community worker must help children who are blind, deaf, dumb, mentally or physically handicapped to get up and then wash them. After he has washed the children he must help the children brush their teeth. Then he has to spoon-feed the children. In the morning he does music therapy [with the children] and in the afternoon he prepares and cooks the [children’s] food. After lunch he must either take the children swimming or take them out for a trip and push their wheelchairs. In the evening he has to bath the children and put them to bed. A community worker must be strong and fit because he must lift and carry heavy people.
The day of a soldier is very different. He has to get up at 6 in the morning because he has to do so many activities. He must climb in the mountains and carry heavy rucksacks. He must shoot, polish and clean every weapon. He has to do parade drill and gymnastics. He must play sports and march. The soldiers live in barracks. They have to work from 6 until 5 in the evening.
What characteristics does a soldier or community worker require? I think that a community worker needs to be patient, kind, fond of children, good-humoured, and very approachable. However I think a soldier needs to be tough, adventurous, obedient, reliable and sociable.
If I were a German, I would be a community worker because I am against shooting and marching. I would prefer to help other people. I think that, even though military service is shorter. I don’t think we should introduce this system in Great Britain because our army is big enough already. But I do think that perhaps a six-month period of community service would be a good idea.