Well after the disasters of Klendathu the federation did conscript children.

The incompetence and desperation of the regime and military is so very well illustrated in this film with even complete fuckup like Rico getting promoted with his appointment of becoming Lt of the roughnecks despite being 21-22 fuckin years old (if that).

It looked like the Hitler youth when he gets his replacement for the assault into planet P. Their fricken children.

Although i hated the book. Its hands down the worst fucking book I've ever read (and I've read thousands of books, fuckin phone books even).

Its a great film in illustrating how everyone is expandable in a fascist regime, even their own children.