It seems every day they gripe about how there are not enough of us to do all the required duties. Maybe these soldiers feel they are helping the recruit get the right job, but those soldiers do not know the recruit's qualifications. Low test scores, military occupational specialities that are filled, and most of all, the needs of the Army, all dictate who gets which job. Not every applicant will be qualified for any particular job. But with 241 jobs to choose from, there are several that appeal to a potential soldier.
Soldiers also talk about bad experiences at duty stations.
Sometimes when I speak with fellow soldiers, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., comes up as having horrible weather, making training there unbearable. They recall shoveling through three inches of ice before digging into frozen ground to make their foxholes. Others say it rained the entire time they were stationed there. Growing up, I lived next to Fort Leonard Wood and loved it, rain and shine. Young recruits are making a huge decision about what to do with their lives.