Cyprus-Forum.com

[Hazza]

I'm expected to do my national service in Cyprus, for between 3 and 6 months (depending on what documentation you have). Now I'm going to be honest and say I DON'T want to do it, nor do I see any reason why I should. I have a British passport, have been born and raised in England yet I have to do my national service here? WHY?

I'm almost 34 years old, so what will the army teach me that I haven't already learnt in the great education called life?

I was going to sign up for it and get it over and done with, but have since changed my mind. Why should I be forced to do something against my wishes?

[Piratis]

Hazza, I (and most of us) did not 3-6 but 26 months in the army. Also we have to go to the army 2-3 times per year since we were released.

It is part of the responsibilities every Cypriot living in Cyprus has.

[sk]

you will make new friends,learn how to shoot with a military gun etc.....its simply a different life

[cannedmoose]

Hazza, although I share your puzzlement as to why non-Cypriot passport holders have this requirement, the simple answer to your question is that those are the rules and you have to abide by them. By deciding to resettle in Cyprus, you made yourself subject to those rules my friend.

As for what the army can possibly teach a 34-year old about life, not much. But what they can teach you is how to strip down and fire a rifle in the extremely unlikely event that you'll ever be required to fire one in anger.

Although as a non-Cypriot beyond ties of marriage I don't have to do national service, I personally would not resent being required to do so. Yes it would be totally beyond my comfort zone having to march and salute someone just because of their rank, but that's the army for you. Since my entire family (including my own parents) live in Cyprus and I plan to follow suit in a few years, I would much rather feel useful should any calamity occur, than stand at the sidelines watching others fight for me.

And as Piratis rightly said, the chore of national service is a far bigger pain in the butt for young Cypriot men who have to waste 26 months of their lives than it ever would be for people like you and me. Also, of the Cypriot guys that I know, most of their closest and longest friendships were forged in the army, so it's not entirely a negative experience. From what I've heard of the short-stint service required from people like you, it's pretty much all marching, cleaning and drills anyway, so I think you'll be bored rather than really taxed.

Anyway, is the option that I heard was in the pipelines for community service in lieu of army service not in force yet? If it is, that's the natural option for you.

[michalis5354]

Hazza questions sounds reasonable for someone who had grown up abroad and especially passed the age of 18 y/o that most attend the army. IF a better arrangement was proposed like serving only at nights and being free the whole days this would have been the ideal scenario.

I do not know if you propose an alternative option to them like serving only at nights what their response will be but in any case you have nothing to loose by asking for that! And there is so much beaurocracy behind.

[Hazza]

Another question regarding the army. I am renting accomodation, and have my own furniture inside the flat. When I will have to do it, will the army/goverment pay for the accomodation seeing as the chances are, work will not pay me, perhaps not keep me on?

[flighty]

Seems strange that given your circumstances and your age, that you are required to do National Service.

Must say though, in general, I think it is a really good thing that Cypriots must complete National Service - if only this were the case in the UK, then the scum that are ruining the country would have had the crap kicked out of them if they tried any of their nonsense when they were 18 and might have learned to respect themselves and other people.

Glasgow is a very dangerous place to live, it has been ruined by the neds that have nothing better to do than make other people's lives a misery.

A few months national service would sort those b*stards right out.

[erolz]

Has anyone in the RoC considered challenging miltary service through the courts (to ECHR if necessary) on the baisis that it is sexualy descrimante?

As I understand it, it was this 'discrepancy' that led to the abolition of national service in France all togeaher. The authorites there realised that applying it to one sex alone was on very shaky ground and faced with a choice of extending it to women equally (and all the subsequent cost and turmoil and lost votes that would cost) and scrapping all togeather they chose the latter.

Just a thought. I wondered if anyone had tried such an approach in Cyprus?

[magikthrill]

Has anyone in the RoC considered challenging miltary service through the courts (to ECHR if necessary) on the baisis that it is sexualy descrimante?

As I understand it, it was this 'discrepancy' that led to the abolition of national service in France all togeaher. The authorites there realised that applying it to one sex alone was on very shaky ground and faced with a choice of extending it to women equally (and all the subsequent cost and turmoil and lost votes that would cost) and scrapping all togeather they chose the latter.

Just a thought. I wondered if anyone had tried such an approach in Cyprus?

You know erolz, I actualy wondered about the same thing (For Greece). But then I thought why would any woman complain about not having mandatory military service seeing as they have the option to serve voluntarily?

[erolz]

You know erolz, I actualy wondered about the same thing (For Greece). But then I thought why would any woman complain about not having mandatory military service seeing as they have the option to serve voluntarily?

Er I would assume the action would be persued by a male on the baisis that forced service for males but not females was sexual descriminating against them. Of course the risk would be that the government make service mandatory for both sexes and then the chances of said male ever getting a gf or wife would be remote However there is also a chance (assuming that a court did rule mandatory service for one sex and not the other was discrimantory - which surely it must) that in the face of such a ruling they decide to abolish mandatory service for both sexes.