Should you volunteer in the Army?

I guess I'm a cruel leader. I always would ask for volunteers without telling them what the task was. Sometimes the person who volunteered got the task of taking the afternoon off. I mixed it up. It was like Russian roulette.

Know what you're getting into.

One of the most powerful phrases in your arsenal is "What do you need done, Sir/Sgt/Etc?" which can be followed on by "I've got this going on," which allows them to make a determination whether their task is more or less important than the task you are currently doing (or about to do).

Volunteering shows willingness. Volunteering "blindly" shows something else.

But here's the deal, even crap details have rewards. You learn things, you meet people, and there are often benefits above and beyond the detail itself. The reward for hard work is more hard work. In the Services, that is usually Leadership roles. So having done a crap detail before, can often mean you will be (nominally) "in charge" of it the next time, which in turn means recognition and chances for "better" crap details. Instead of cleaning latrines, you're trusted with mowing lawns, the guarding ammo, then coordinating picnics, then running events, etc.

Do what's right for you! You can't go wrong that way!!