"The armed forces are having a tough time attracting new recruits ""lately,"" in no small part due to the mess in Iraq. Young people are getting wise to the many excellent reasons not to join ""up,"" and this handy book brings them all ""together,"" combining accessible writing with hard facts and devastating personal testimony. Contributors with firsthand experience point out the dangers facing ""soldiers,"" describe the tricks used by ""recruiters,"" and emphasize that there really are other ""options,"" even in a sluggish economy."