Social and economic consequences of mandatory military service

Abstract

Military service is an essential strategy for sustaining the security of the country with unresolved conflicts. Armenia is one of the post-Soviet countries that are still reliant on conscription, particularly in a “no war no peace” situation. The present policy paper aims to reveal the major social and economic consequences of mandatory military service. The policy paper utilized qualitative research method conducted from 2013 to 2014 with conscripts’ families and other people involved in the mitigating the severe consequences of the army service. The paper found that there are several social and economic problems generated by the conscription. The major finding is the gap between the existing law and implementation. The policy paper analyzed four options of solutions. It concludes that the role of government is crucial in amending the law on social security of conscripts and their families. Moreover, the short run solution is starting awareness campaign with the conscripts and their families, since unawareness is the major problem revealed from the research.