Pros
1. Achievement: The Army has given me the chance to do several awesome things that it would have been difficult (if not impossible) to do otherwise. 2. Resilience: If nothing else, the Army has taught me to put up with a lot of stuff that most people don't have to deal with. 3. Character: My experience has definitely given me an opportunity to be a better me. 4. Loyalty: Being "voluntold" isn't always bad. I've been given plenty of opportunity to prove that I'm a trustworthy and loyal person. 5. Respect: I now better understand and respect people from all walks of life, regardless of their position or likeability. 6. Strength: Physical strength, obviously, but emotional and mental strength as well. Passing through difficult circumstances has certainly made me stronger in the end. 7. Improved Integrity: The Army can't instill integrity if a person chooses not to have it, but it has placed me in some situations where I have the opportunity to increase my integrity. 8. Courage: Again, this is a personal choice. Some people choose to be courageous in difficult situations, and others don't. At times I have broken down. At other times though, I have made use of the resources available through the Army to become more courageous. 9. Paycheck: The commitment required of a servicemember is less than desireable, but the paycheck is not too bad. It's hard to beat without a college degree. 10. Education: School is expensive. If you take advantage of the education benefits, most or all of the cost can be paid by the Army. 11. Brotherhood: It's true that friendships developed through shared experiences can nurture relationships that become stronger than family bonds. I have gained many new brothers and sisters thanks to the Army. I would list them all, but they already know who they are. I love you guys! 12. Appreciation: I will never again take anything for granted, most importantly my freedom. I deeply appreciate the men and women who have served before me, those who currently serve, and those who choose to serve in the future. 13. Hawaii: I probably never would've lived there if it wasn't for the Army.
Cons
The obvious sacrifices are: being shipped away from friends and family, taking time out of your life to train for military conflicts, and spending time deployed to other countries in support of military operations. Some also pay the ultimate sacrifice by breathing their very last breaths in military service. These sacrifices themselves should be reason enough to respect and appreciate those who have taken the oath, but there are numerous smaller sacrifices as well. Many freedoms given to United States citizens are taken away from servicemembers as a part of their contract. Few people realize just how much they sacrifice. It may seem silly or insignificant to want to choose one's own hairstyle, which color socks to wear, or how physically fit they want to be, but these are some of the things that servicemembers aren't allowed to choose for themselves. Greater sacrifices such as how often they change jobs and/or need to pack up and move to a far away state or country are also sometimes beyond their control. Driving on through all of these sacrifices requires daily determination, loyalty, and honor.