MINT HILL, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Democrat in a U.S. House special election is proposing a fivefold expansion of a civilian national service program in hopes it will better tie the country together.

Dan McCready made the proposal Wednesday in suburban Charlotte alongside retired U.S. Army four-star Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

McCready proposes adding 300,000 slots per year to AmeriCorps, the program that now places 75,000 young people to work in early childhood education and environmental conservation. Participants get a living allowance and help paying for higher education.

McCready says he hopes for further expansion so that in a decade all young Americans perform a year of civilian or military service.

The former Marine officer in Iraq and 9th Congressional District candidate says it shouldn't take another war to pull the country together again.