I just had to go and read a good number of the answers to this, didn't I?
I cannot believe how uninformed and idiotic people are when it comes to this subject and the military in general (the US military, at least).
Pick your poison, we have a variety of answers ranging from how the current military consists of the majority being "poor
colored people" and "rural, uneducated white trailer trash" who had no other place to turn (Yes, this one was amazing to read. It is actually necessary in their eyes to keep the poor people poor so we have someone to serve until we start creating robotic soldiers.) to twisting it around and saying that forced patrotism when it comes to mandatory civilian government service is ok as long it doesn't involve putting on a uniform and sporting a rifle.
Excuse me while I go beat myself in the head with my keyboard.