I have some friends who are in the Canadian army. It's actually a pretty good deal because the army will pay for your university education. Plus, Canada isn't involved in many serious conflicts, so it's one of the safer countries to join the army (not counting accidental injury from outdated equipment due to lack of government funding). Also the Canadian army is involved in a lot of humanitarian efforts, such as disaster relief. I wouldn't join myself, and I don't agree with everything they do, but a lot of what they do is helpful and beneficial.

Oh, and in Azerbaijan military service is compulsory as well. Each guy has to serve for one year, unless he has some disability, or enough money to bribe his way out.