No standing large military, but a professional military base organization and citizen soldiers based on the draft for everyone. Who wants to vote needs to serve. You can serve between 18 and 30 years of age. If you omit serving, you will never gain the right to vote. Only people with the right to vote will be elegible to hold office. One year mandatory service either in the military or other civil organizations like elder nursing, etc. No religious exceptions beside military service.
After WW II Germany had a similar system (despite the voting link) and despite their own population making fun of their readiness and combat willingness, I experienced better results with this model in large military exercises in comparison with our allied professional forces.
Attracting mostly the lower class will lead to an IQ vacuum in the middle and higher ranks.
Paying of salaries which need to rival civil salaries to retain talent is a super expensive state budget draining exercise. Every combat fatality adds to this liability.
The swiss model is similar and worth consideration.
No standing large military, but a professional military base organization and citizen soldiers based on the draft for everyone. Who wants to vote needs to serve. You can serve between 18 and 30 years of age. If you omit serving, you will never gain the right to vote. Only people with the right to vote will be elegible to hold office. One year mandatory service either in the military or other civil organizations like elder nursing, etc. No religious exceptions beside military service. After WW II Germany had a similar system (despite the voting link) and despite their own population making fun of their readiness and combat willingness, I experienced better results with this model in large military exercises in comparison with our allied professional forces. Attracting mostly the lower class will lead to an IQ vacuum in the middle and higher ranks. Paying of salaries which need to rival civil salaries to retain talent is a super expensive state budget draining exercise. Every combat fatality adds to this liability. The swiss model is similar and worth consideration.