For me, its also planning for the future. I do not know for a hard fact that I will want to make the military a career 8, 10, 15 years down the road. Having a college degree is usually very important. For me, I see education as a way to broaden my horizon and give me more possibilities in life. Also, the AF is by far the most family friendly service. Being an officer has its responsibilities and its benefits. Pay is one of them. It'd be very hard to raise a full family on lower enlisted pay. I'm don't even have a signifacant other, never really have, but I want to the keep the possibility of a good life open. Besides, I firmly believe that a man who is 110% at work and only 25% (and I don't neccesarily mean time-wise) at home has failed his family, his community, and his country miserably 
. The next generation is just as important as the current, my my priorities will always be in the order of God, family, country.
My priorities are the same. I have decided that I want to be the best Infantry Officer (or the longshot SF) that I can possibly be. If that means putting off having a family, not seeing my family, and not being in our country that is hardly putting my job 1st. The entire reason that I want to be in the Army is not for myself so I can feel cool and get warm fuzzies knowing that I did something, its because I love my God, my family, my friends and my Country; and I feel that it is the least that I can do to serve them to the best of my abilities. I dont want to make compromises, because in the end, a compromise (be it whatever, not training as hard as I should, etc) could cost me my life.
Rick
