I said this before and I'm saying it again. DOn't go for power and protocol. Maybe you expect too much and might gain too little. If you want to join the public sector, be it in the civil service or the military, your first priority should be to serve the nation because this is the only thing you can do in these services if you stay honest. Like the thread starter has said, he measures "life standard" by the number of cars and/or houses a person has. In this case, the army and Civil Service is far far behind. But both have their own prestige and priviledges. You want money and cars? Join the corporate sector. THere is no money in the public sector. But if you want prestige and power, this is the way to go. In the end one is remembered by how he/she has served the nation. Not by the amount of wealth he has (unless one is the heir of such a person :).