I often see people say that men aren't fully mature until around 25, because that's when our frontal lobe is fully developed. Now that is true, it's a medical fact as far as I know. However, people only use this to talk down on or make fun of men, and that got me thinking.

In the US you can be called up for mandatory military service from the age of 17-18 so that you can be registered for duty if necessary. If the Congress and the president where to authorize a draft, the Selective Service System will start calling up able bodied men between the ages of 18-25 for service.

You can not come and tell me that a man isn't fully matured until he's 25, when he, from the age of 18, can be sent against his will into combat- and war zones with a fully automated rifle where he has to risk his life for a country that might not even have given him much to begin with. He has to navigate around landmines, watch the horrible state of the middle east and often he has to kill people. There's a reason why so many soldiers suffer from PTSD after all.

Because surely we wouldn't send immature, undeveloped men to fight in wars and to protect their countries right?

And for those who say: "But surely men can just refuse service right?" Nope, it's mandatory for a reason. And let's hear what usa.gov has to say about what can happen if a man does refuse:

If you are required to register and you do not, you will not be eligible for state-based student aid in many states, federal job training, or a federal job. You may be prosecuted and face a fine of up to $250,000 and jail time of up to five years

So yeah, not really an option if you want a normal life now is it.

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In conclusion: If the government and society think it's okay to send an 18 year old man to war, then society clearly thinks that man is mature, developed and competent. I'm guessing society thinks so, considering practically nobody is talking about it.

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Sources:

https://www.usa.gov/selective-service

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621648/