La Mili - Draft or not?

Question

Hi! I know La Mili refers to Military service, but I want to know if it refers to any military service, including voluntary military service like that which is common now, or if it is only used for drafts (forced military service). OR if it only refers specifically to military service/ the draft in Franco's time.

Thanks!

Back in the "transition when Franco had died, tejero had failed to take over and democracy was being born "mili" meant conscription - lagartijaverde, Oct 20, 2011

Answer 1

if it only refers specifically to military service/ the draft in Franco's time.

What does Franco have to do with drafts? Military service has been mandatory until 2001.

This was the first so to speak:

En 1912 Canalejas quiso aportar otra solución más satisfactoria al problema de las injusticias de reemplazo, creando un servicio obligatorio para todos con la figura del "soldado de cuota" para eliminar los sistemas de "sustitución"

And it was abolished in 2001, Franco had been dead for a couple of years then, I think

El Servicio Militar Obligatorio fue abolido en España el 31 de diciembre de 2001,11 y finalmente suprimido por el gobierno de José María Aznar.

Wow! It was mandatory until 2001!? It's such a crazy idea I naturally atributed it to Franco.. So I just take the dictionary definition, Mili = any military service of any kind? - rabbitwho, Oct 20, 2011

Answer 2

It seems to refer to the "military" whether voluntary or obligatory.

Este servicio recibió la denominación popular de "mili"

mili.

(Acort. de milicia).

1. f. Servicio militar.

smo..la mili

I read that alright, I guess I should just trust the dictionary. - rabbitwho, Oct 20, 2011