Another factor is base assignments. The military does not do a good job at all trying to match recruits (or re enlistees) with their preferred locations. I have friends in the service and never heard any complaints about woke. A friend of mine's son has been trying to join for several months now, but the nearest recruitment center, in Guam, is too busy to process him now. The pay is low of course, but so are the expenses. Housing, insurance, etc are part of the package, and it's still a challenge for families, for single people it is a good start.