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Soldiers Join the Army for Family, Institutional, and Occupational Reasons

• The importance of family is a recurring feature in the narratives of soldiers.
• Soldiers cite call to serve and perception of honor, but also thirst for adventure, benefits, and pay.

Many Soldiers Value the Opportunity to Become a Military Professional

• Most soldiers in the research sample acknowledged the unique benefits that they got from Army service.
• Despite generally favorable experiences overall, soldiers are frustrated by the bureaucratic characteristics of work in the Army.
• The information soldiers consume prior to joining their first unit may influence expectations about Army service; more accurate information than that derived from action movies might improve satisfaction with their real experience.

Soldiers Value Relationships with Other Soldiers as a Critical Feature of Army Life

• The critical importance of camaraderie and good small-unit leadership suggests avenues to enhance soldier recruitment and retention.

Most Soldiers Enjoy Positive Well-Being and Satisfying Social Lives

• Most soldiers in the research sample said that their leadership and peers were an important source of support.
• In fact, leadership and fellow soldiers were cited as the most important source of motivation, camaraderie, and overall social support.

Soldiers in the Sample Were Satisfied with Army Life

• A variety of factors affect soldiers' intent to reenlist, such as family concerns, injuries, promotions, civilian opportunities, and the likelihood of deploying to war. The majority of soldiers believed their Army service would help them find future work.