Pros
The foundation of the Army is its Soldiers. It relies on teamwork at every echelon in order to function. So when you join the Army, being a member of a team is an intrinsic part of everyday life. You learn how to be a follower, a team member, and a leader. These personal pros are in addition to the practical ones such as free healthcare, matching up to 5% contributions to your TSP, the salary, and having a reliable and stable employer.
Cons
The Army has high physical demands, so it may not be for everyone. And if you’re active duty, you work for the Army 24/7, so with that also comes mental and emotional demands. Although the Army relies heavily on teamwork, you may somehow find that you are surrounded by people in your daily life that are very difficult to work with. In addition, I speak as a former officer but believe this applies at almost every rank, you’ll often be inundated with tasks that seem to be pointless or have no practical benefit to the unit. The Army will take and take until it’s done with you, and then it will easily find someone else to replace you. Its best workers are rewarded with more work, while under-performers can skate by without pulling their own weight. It is this way by design. Joining the Army is a monumental commitment in anyone’s life that I feel is often understated by recruiters, both for enlisted personnel and officers. There are many benefits, but you are subject to the Army’s demands 24/7, you cannot chose where you live, you and your family will have to move about every 3 years, and you will often have to deploy for at least 9 months and be away from your family, even at a moment’s notice.