My youngest joined the Navy her senior in high school. She was having some problems and decided that it would be the easiest way to go to college. It ended up being the best and worst thing that ever happened to her.
Back to that in a minute: I had a professor in Grad School that had a daughter in the Navy and we discussed how wonderful it was. My daughter had JUST left. She told me that sons could never decide what to get their moms in distant countries. They had no clue. However, daughters knew just what beautiful things to buy their moms. So far, I have gotten several beautiful Opals (my birth stone) from Australia and this last time, she gave me these wonderful, beautiful bowls from China. I use them for everything. I love them.
Now, back to the beginning. The Navy was the best because they actually put her through college and paid for it while she was working full time. She now has a degree in Criminal Justice. And then she went to OCS and became an officer. Also, she can retire when she is 37 years old. How awesome is that? She met her husband in the Navy, but he is now out and a commercial pilot. The Navy provides services that she could not afford in civilian life. They paid for eye surgery and she has 20/20 vision now. (We tend to be a rather blind family)
The bad? She has to stay in until she is 37 to retire. Her job can get boring at times and it drives her crazy. Also, she has to go to sea a lot and the days are very long at sea. They work 12-18 hour shifts. She misses her husband and me of course. No cell phones to talk to family with, just email. She is one of the few women in her job position so there aren't many people to talk to. The pilots wives don't much like the fact that their husbands work with a woman and can make things difficult all around.
However, let me say that putting your kids in the Military to serve their country is still a good idea. It helps them grow up and learn responsibility and respect. It has made a tremendous difference in my daughter's life and I am very proud of her.