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IT should be compulsory for all youth to spend at least 12 months serving Australia, according to National Servicemen's Association of Australia vice-president Bill Dabner.
Mr Dabner, also Launceston sub-branch president, raised the point at yesterday's National Service Commemoration Day service at the Longford Cenotaph.
He said "multiculturalism is not working in Australia" and called for 18 to 20-year-olds to spend 12 months carrying out some kind of training and service.
The association represents 287,000 young men called up for service in the navy, army and air force in two schemes between 1951 and 1972.
"They gave service to their country and a lot gave their lives for the country and probably the youth of today should learn from it - I don't think we do enough to remember them," Mr Dabner said.
Australian Navy Vice- Admiral Ray Griggs was the guest speaker at the service attended by more than 60 people.
He said it is critically important to recognise all national servicemen.
"I think we are getting a lot better at recognising our servicemen," Vice-Admiral Griggs said.
"We now have a war memorial for national servicemen, we have national service day on the 14th of February - these are real indications that we got the message that recognition for service is important."
He also indicated support for Mr Dabner's ideology.
