text: The wave of patriotism that swept the nation after 9/11 was a double-edged sword.  If someone who was already leaning toward military service decided to enlist, that may have been the reason.  But the ads for the services tend to focus on the "glamour" and not all the truly grunt work that most enlistees endure.  For every pilot, there are countless, faceless others.  I believe if a more realistic picture were painted, only the truly devoted would sign up, therefore reducing desertion.