Did parents used to be able to sign their kids up for the Army against their will?

[Monty]

I’ve been busy. Excuse me. I’ll state that the judge might say, “Hey, you can always join the military instead of me throwing you into the slammer.” As I’ve already posted, there was a fairly recent case of that. The outcome: the military itself says we don’t do that. So, I already did respond to the cogent bit. In short: one cannot be ordered into the military instead of jail, unless of course the jail bit is for refusing conscription.

I seriously doubt the person’s story that he had that option in 1984. The military wouldn’t take him while trial is pending. Now, if he’d already had the trial, was on probation, then enlisted with a waiver, that’s not “choosing the Army over jail,” now is it?

And since it didn’t happen in 1984 (I just re-read that post), that’s not really the case anyway. The poster said “1970s” and I pointed out later that “1972 ain’t 1979.”

[FRDE]

@Lust4Life

I’m not an authority on "boy soldiers "in the British army but have chatted to a few ex B,S.s

B.S. s join I believe at under the age of 18(the british age of majority),they join voluntarily and need their parents written consent to enlist ,an “old and bold” n.c.o. tell them what they’re getting into before they sign and surprisingly normally tell them about the bad bits as well as the rose tinted glasses parts, indeed they’re nearly always mega keen and intend the army to be a life long career.
The ones I 've met were all career soldiers.

They are segregated from the rest of the army,no doubt to stop them being corrupted morally (alcohol.smoking,women and all that )

They endure a horrendously tough and disciplined extended training regime,are not allowed to smoke or drink and can be promoted to “Boy Soldier ranks” of corporal etc. but these ranks apply only to Boy service and vanish when they become members of the “army proper”
They can not be sent on active service until they become adults (ie 18)

Recently the UK army (and/or Airforce) had a slight embarrassment as they shipped some 17 year olds out to Iraq - I vaguely remember that they were weeks off 18.

[Eleusis]

@IAmNotSpartacus

Yes, seriously. Is there any special recognition I have to get from the government? Is there an application form or something?

Or is it as simple as you imply, going and buying some guns and signing some people up and giving ourselves a name?

Perhaps the key is subversive literature. (given the “arsenal”)