Marcelino I. Lake Self-Evaluation Paper PHI 210 Prof. Davenport 11/26/2011

“Should high school graduates receive free education for mandatory military service?” My topic is should high school graduates received free education based on two or four of military service? Some people believe all high school graduates should be required to serve a minimum of two years in any branch of the military. All veterans should receive some sort of educational assistance. Their educational benefits should be based on years of service, job duties and if they were in a combat zone or participated in an area were combat was imminent but war wasn’t declared. Some people believe in freedom of choice and individuals shouldn’t be forced to join the armed services if they don’t wish to. Some veterans don’t feel free education shouldn’t be contingent on mandatory service; others see no problem with it especially in today current climate. I believe all high school graduates should serve between two to four years in the military either before or after college. Their educational benefits whether it is paid for 100% or a percentage of it covered, all veterans should receive some type of assistance. I stated that today’s young people aren’t very responsible and don’t have a strong work ethic. Their value system is based on “what have you done for me lately” concept and mandatory service would reinforce some of the values this country was built on. My argument can be made with the four steps within the “Scientific Method”. 1) I’ve observed high school students and their behavior and feel that military service would do them some good. 2) If high school graduates are made to serve a minimum of two years in the military, they’d become more responsible, patriotic and physical and mentally sound. Steps 3, Experimentation and 4 Verification are difficult to evaluate unless my plan is to be put in place. To “prove my theory” I can begin my argument with the number of high school grads that graduated with my daughter and aren’t doing anything productive with their lives. My intended audiences are my classmates in the Philosophy 210 Critical Thinking class and their children of high school age. I want my audience to think how this concept can improve our young people and strengthen our communities and society as a whole. I used the terms society, communities, generations, America, marketplace, physical, diet, patriotism, responsibility and respect. If parents are thinking about the military as a viable option for their children, my argument is food for thought. I would suggest my audience further educate themselves on the Armed Services and see what they like and dislike. Research the values that the military try to instill. The must understand that there are bad apple everywhere in every aspect of life and hope that if their children where to become a service member, that they learn the right things and ignore the wrong things. My audience needs to understand that the primary purpose of the military is to fight and win wars. With that, people die and no one wants to bury their child before they die. I not going to say reject my position but no one can avoid what the services prime purpose is. I believe I’ve covered most of the subject matter of my argument.