Pros
There was no fraternization. Not once was I invited to a meal or home. Ate alone. Perceived mission as valued at expense of safety and health.- Opinion and expertise considered.- Responsibilities and duties perpetually grow and evolved. Opportunities to do more with less abound. Recognition is possible but very rare if you are mission focused. It comes more often for those who are promotion driven and proactive in building their careers. I
Cons
Very long hours - Poor pay and compensation - Potential of high risk to life. Loss of rights. No support for family during long separations.. Diminishing and deteriorating recreation areas for families to reconnect after those long separation. Now need to pay for family health care post military retirement. Slow to respond to health needs from line of duty injuries outside of combat zone. Culture of promote or out. facilitates a rise to level of incompetence culture. No Warrant Officer rank structure to address this. Systematic failure to care and mentor. Loss of organization empathy. for individual. Service is structured is purposely shortsighted to be more flexible to address changing threats at the expense of corporate knowledge retention and lost efficiencies and experience as an organization. Increase risk to safety and systems that are depend upon are imbued with this organizational short nearsightedness. Lack of a true representation in the officer and enlisted ranks of the peoples of the United States