Allyce_CP5

            Well the weekend continued to be very relaxing and Arad fit in perfectly with the family, he honestly made himself right at home! My dad was a pilot in the Navy for 20 years and enjoyed having another former military member around. They shared stories about battles, guns and all sorts of things I know nothing about! Arad was a tank commander and had all sorts interesting views on recent Middle Eastern issues. As a teenager my family lived in Egypt where my dad was a flight instructor to the Egyptian Air Force which Arad found to be very interesting. Naturally, he had a different perspective on things but the debate was wonderful to listen to.

            Things did become more relevant to me as they discussed mandatory military service. Arad was all about it! He feels that it gives young adults a time to mature and really figure out what they want in life. He said that most students do not attend University until their mid-twenties which actually gives them a step up in the world. Unlike a lot of undergraduates here who spend 6-7 years trying to figure out what they want to do, he said that real life experience gives most Israeli students a stronger sense of self and they typically finish on time. My dad of course agreed (he has been spouting off the benefits of military membership to me since I was a child) and said he wished that the U.S. did the same!

            The whole discussion really made me think. Both countries traditionally share a strong affiliation with each other but it is interesting how different we can still be. I think that people would be severely divided should the government announce tomorrow that military service was required of their young sons and daughters. I have always toyed with the idea of joining the military (I think I would most likely join the Air Force) but I don’t know how I feel about being forced to serve…and then there is always that side note that I am a woman. I can see the pros and cons of both debates and I had honestly toyed with the idea of joining the military while I was in high school (although I obviously decided to straight nerd it and continue onto Grad school) but still, would I have what it takes? Both Arad and his Fiance Leah have seen real combat. What do you all think about mandatory military service?