I was born in 1944 in Malta to a Maltese mother and Welsh father, but my family soon went over to England, where I was raised and educated.

I am saying this so that you can see that I just missed the British national service call-up. All young men were required to serve a period of time in the armed forces, in case their country needed them in emergencies. At the same time they experienced a new discipline in their lives. As I was the child of a service person, I was brought up at home with the discipline expected of military families.

National service in the United Kingdom ended gradually from 1960.  On November 1960 the last man entered service, and call-ups officially ended on December 31, 1960. The last national serviceman left service in May 1963. Service normally lasted 17 to 21 months, and each person remained in reserve for the next four years.

There is therefore no national service today in Britain, and youths are left with little or no discipline, with the obvious consequences. In fact the British government is thinking of reintroducing something similar, as are many other European countries. At present, the permanent members of the British armed forces in total wouldn’t fill up the new Wembley stadium.

Now back to Malta.

In the years following the war, we did have a part-time territorial unit, where young Maltese could join and taste the discipline of the armed forces without actually joining the main armed forces of the country. This useful detachment would be there to help if and when needed.

It was disbanded many years ago, and Malta lost a group of men who could be there if they were needed and enjoyed the discipline achieved when serving in a good, organised institution.

All that has gone, and Maltese youths are left to themselves to acquire the discipline and organisation badly needed in this day and age, and at a very important stage of their lives.

In fact, the whole Maltese armed forces personnel probably wouldn’t fill up the Mediterranean Conference Centre theatre.

Not having a voluntary reserve, and not having discipline taught to our young people is a sad loss for our country. Discipline is vitally important to instil in our young people, or you will have, and you can see, the consequences.

Boy scouts and girl guides are also important for children as they grow up. They develop companionship and the need to obey and follow rules and regulations.

A country will go from success to success if its population follows rules and regulations. Children have to be brought up with this mentality

Sadly, children see these organisations as ‘not cool’ and are not encouraged by their parents to join.

A country will go from success to success if its population follows rules and regulations. Children have to be brought up with this mentality. To do what is right, when it is right.

To actually have the courage and ability and desire to do something that is good for their country and their family.

If children and youths grow up without this discipline, we will see in the future more rules and regulations being forgotten or ignored.

What I feel the authorities should do is form a volunteer, part-time reserve force or group of young people, men and women, who would be trained by the military on how to look after themselves and their country. Especially in this day and age, when more feet on the ground could be very important.

These youngsters, when they are trained and discipline is instilled in them, would be held in reserve, just in case their country needs them.

If needed these youths would work hand in hand with the Maltese armed forces, thus forming a much larger group to protect our country or for emergency services. 

The training, discipline and team building they would receive would help them tremendously for the future, however, even if, please God, they never have to do anything physical.

This volunteer force should be comprised of youngsters from all walks of life, male and female, working together for a common good. After one group has been trained and served for a period of time, that group would make way for a new one, and so on.

Look back at the members of the old Territorials in Malta, officers and other ranks alike, and you will see what a fine type of person they became, and what good example they give to the people around them.

Other countries do this. It would not be like inventing the wheel. It makes a lot of common sense.

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