Pros
Service to one's country. Job satisfaction. Making a difference. Making the world a safer place for our kids. Belief in something greater than yourself. Working with smart, dedicated, and selfless individuals. Competition. Challenging work with far-reaching impacts. Opportunities for growth. Variety - I haven't had the same job for more than one year at a time. Travel to exotic locations. Closeness of culture. Values that resonate personally. Respect for people of all skills and abilities. Fairness. Transparency - our leaders do a great job of conveying strategic needs and telling us how our roles fit into the larger picture.
Cons
The biggest detractor for me is the set career path and the relatively slow pace at which one can advance. I have tremendous satisfaction in what I do, but this one factor may eventually cause me to separate from the Air Force. Up to a certain point in your career everyone will advance at the same pace. For example, the promotion rates for officers hover above 95% for First and Second Lieutenant, and remain above 90% for Major. Thus only the bottom 10% of your peers are not getting promoted for your first 10+ years of service. It does, however become substantially more competitive after that.