Pros
The work can be hard but rewarding and exciting when you actually get to do it. Demolition is obviously what we’re all here for, but I got a strong sense of camaraderie and accomplishment with any engineer task. Overall the people were pretty good and looked out for each other. Direct leadership such as team leaders and squad leaders were usually great advocates and treated us well. The biggest benefits are the National Guard tuition waiver as a way to get started in a civilian career. Career progression opportunities within the army are also pretty plentiful, both for enlisted and officer.
Cons
Field work and being exposed to the elements is what it is. The army doesn’t really care if they abuse your body and you are prone to lifelong injuries. As a female, I sometimes felt culturally isolated. There was no more than a handful of other women during my time there, and I was the only one at times. Most people were fine but I definitely felt like I wasn’t treated like ‘one of the guys’. Upper leadership especially beyond the unit was a disconnected mess, and often arbitrarily screwed us over due to incompetence or a lack of communication.