Pros
The Army is a meritocracy, meaning, no matter what your background, if you work hard and use your head, you will do well. There are plenty of options for advancement. I spent seventeen years an an enlisted Soldier and then applied for a full university scholarship with an officer commission at the end. That earned me more pay, more family time and more leadership experience. The Army is a place that, if you allow it, can become as much a part of you as you of it. The problem is, you have to leave it eventually, and it almost feels like losing a family member. It is that deep. You get leadership experience, and a lot of it, at all levels of service. 30 days vacation a year with pay, reduced food cost, medical, dental, retirement plans, reduced child care costs, four day federal holiday weekends (usually) and a laundry list of other things.
Cons
The Army is at the whim of the national situation and politics. With that in mind, it takes a while for those policies to affect us, so you usually have time to adjust your career to deal with the politics. We go where they need us to go, and sometimes for a long time. This is hard. On the flip side, you see the world with a clearer vision. You understand how precious life is, how precious family is, and even though you may cover it up with a little bravado, you understand the importance of doing the right thing. Experiences vary depending on a lot of different things: where you get stationed, who you work with, what your job field is. Most of the time it is a good experience. Then there are those that have a really bad time. About half of those who have a hard time usually had a bad attitude to begin with.
