One of the injustices of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is that this dangerous and arduous work has been borne by men and women who were essentially contracted to do the job. And that group, men and women who enlisted in the military, represents a small minority of American citizens. While reinstating the draft is unlikely to fly politically, an expanded national service program – perhaps even mandatory – would have far-reaching benefits. It ought to be more than a few good men and women who pay a price for living in the U.S.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama has called for expanding AmeriCorps, a volunteer program for domestic service created by President Clinton. Sen. Obama has proposed increasing AmeriCorps from its current 75,000 positions to 250,000, and he plans to add new units to address education, clean energy, health care and homeland security. He also proposes expanding service programs that use retired people and those 55 and older, and he wants to double the size of the Peace Corps from its current 7,800 volunteers to 16,000 in time for the program’s 50th anniversary in 2012. Sen. Obama also would set goals for middle-school and high-school students to complete 50 hours of public service each year, and for college students to serve 100 hours each year.

While Sen. Obama’s plans stop short of mandating national service, the case can be made for doing just that. It’s not uncommon for some young men and women to find themselves at loose ends after high school, or for college students to take a year off, tired of sitting in a classroom. A year of volunteer work, perhaps combined with some travel, would help instill adult values. A previously self-centered young person could learn a better work ethic, see up close those less fortunate fellow citizens, understand the problems of society, test themselves and learn new skills, and know the satisfaction of working to improve lives.

The value of domestic service is easy to understand; schools, nursing homes, hospitals, veterans care centers and parks would all benefit from some enthusiastic young helpers. Internationally, young Americans could serve as ambassadors, which is what President Kennedy envisioned for the Peace Corps.

“The American people are not the problem, they are the answer,” Sen. Obama has said when asked about how such a program would work in the face of growing anti-Americanism around the world.

Similar programs created by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Depression years, and those created by presidents Kennedy and Clinton, are almost universally seen as successes today. Continuing in this tradition seems like an obvious step to take to reconnect Americans with a sense of duty to their country, fellow citizens and the world.