I don't think organized national service is a bad idea per se, it just depends on the sociocultural situation. Over here a year of service in the army is mostly fun and games anyway, we don't get actually involved in wars and if we do it's the professional soldiers that get sent there, not the 'miliciens'. (that used to be the word for service soldiers)

Of course, if you'd be doing service in the US you have a big chance to get sent to Afghanistan, Iraq or wherever. So in that case a military service is a likely way to get killed without anything much in place, which is less amusing.

See what I mean? And besides, if a real war breaks out, all of us will get drafted anyway.