Patriotic education in Kazakhstan is commonly discussed alongside civic identity, national security, and preparation for military service. These concerns overlap, but public support for one does not necessarily imply support for all. This article examines how adults in Almaty understand the relationship between patriotism and national security, assess the Zhas Sarbaz initiative and military service, and describe possible improvements to patriotic education. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in April-May 2025 among 437 respondents aged 18 or older. The quantitatively led mixed-methods instrument contained 12 closed and four open questions; 390 free-text submissions were thematically coded. In the closed items, 81.7% linked patriotism with national security, 83.3% supported Zhas Sarbaz, and 34.7% expressed reservations about joining the armed forces. The open responses most often called for renewed school and university programmes (28.7%) and greater attention to family and preschool socialization (10.3%). Smaller groups mentioned media projects, practical and sports activities, and the social position of service members, while 46.2% made no concrete proposal. The pattern suggests that patriotic orientation, approval of a youth programme, and personal service intentions should be examined separately. The findings offer practical directions for education and youth policy, but the convenience sample and single-city design do not support national prevalence estimates or causal claims.