What is the best way to lead a new soldier who is uncertain if they even want to be in the army?

Back in '91 we had a troop say the same thing, and that he'd go AWOL if we got orders to deploy. He got a DD and wound up having to pay back his college money as well as his bonus

It's the leaders faults for creating an easy system... You loose interest when you stop progressing or your seniors start playing favorites... Siting at E-4 for 4 years and was never given the chance for a board even after I spent a years saying sgt I'm ready... Then slapping me with Cpl strips as a bribe and yet still no board... Yeah.... They gave my board slot to a guy who enlisted when I got pinned SPC. just like that progress stopped I said my goodbyes and now I never have to work again if I don't want to. Sweet love for post army

As a Drill Sergeant I deal with this all the time. Usually it's due to some sort of home issue or leadership issue. Look at what he has been doing the past few weeks. If it has been mundane tasks and crappy details then he has obviously came to the conclusion that the Army has its down side. I have had leadership that has made me want to quit. Some Soldiers are very big in family and that's an issue that usually heals with time. At the end of the day he signed a contract and is being paid. If he is being paid then he is expected to work. If he disobeys or shows patterns of misconduct then that is a different story. I wake up at 0400 every morning not wanting to play Army anymore. I scrape my ass out of bed and get to work. I love my job, but there have been days I would have quit if I could. Talk to him like a man and tell him you understand. Let him know that at the end of the day he is still employed and will be expected to pull his weight. If he wants college have him fill out the tuition assistance and drive him to the Ed center. Enroll him! Show him you care about his success. Exhaust your resources before you ucmj him.

Find out what's really at the root of the problem. Set rank and time aside and just talk and see if the EM is salvageable. I had maybe 5 NCOs that had any sort of faith in me, as well as a few Officers. My DS, a SGT in my first line-company, that Company 1SG and the CSM at my final unit. Had PSGs that took personal issues out on me, etc. When the E-5 board punted me for a temp profile technicality, I got instant short-timers' disease. I had the papers at home and all I had to do was sign one set, and I had less than 90 days left to DEROS and ETS on terminal leave of almost 3 months. Out of spite, I still did my job as well as anyone ever had, but damned if I was going to take any flack. Went in a PFC, got screwed around and made SP4 on my own, then got the Hell out. My CSM understood all too well and nobody had a shot at my back.

Good, it makes doing cutbacks easier

Not bashing, just asking.
What was done during the counseling sessions? was there goals set-up and follow-up conducted? weighted options explained? career guidance? how well do you know the Soldier? Just a few basic questions that came to mind. Don't have to be written counseling's either, could of been just simple talk as to ensure Soldiers well being. We are failing as Noncommissioned officers by not knowing anything about our subordinates outside of work area. Specially with those Soldiers who are married. Only because he/she lives in housing/off post, doesn't mean you can announce a visit just to check on things (living conditions) and family well being. Conduct a 530 in the morning barracks check on a Monday morning (Barracks check, living condition check, ensures he/she is alive, ensures they make it to formation, etc). How many of the Jr NCOs can say they do those things? if you do, you have been mentored right. "I know my Soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own"
My suggestion, get to know what "the plan" is if ETSing and also provide guidance on a plan on how to make a career in the Army. The rest will just fall in. If we don't know what really is the issue, we cant fix it... So ask.

I used many different leadership techniques over the years as I learned myself. The easy solution is to threaten this soldier with an OTH discharge, losing benefits, etc to force them to work or to transfer or punish them if they don't get onboard. This was the option I took far to often as a young leader as I'm sure most other NCOs have done early on. But over the years I found that this method doesn't always have the desired effect. Sure it's good for soldiers/sailors who are late, have unsat uniforms, and other smaller things.
But this is a larger issue and you will never shape your people into productive members of your team with threats. I have found it's best to have a 1 on 1 sit down. Invite them to speak openly and honestly and actually hear what they have to say with no rush to judgement. Maybe the have legitimate reasons they feel they need out. I got divorced and became a single dad. Eventually I chose to leave to fulfill my fatherly obligations. If they have such an issue work with them to find a solution. Use the chain of command for help if need be. I found that junior people will feel better about military life just by having a COC that cares and will help them. Show them all their options and help them decide the best path. If possible I challenged them to honor their obligation and I'd do everything in my power to help along the way. But most importantly make sure you keep that promise. Show them their COC does care. Thats what a good leader should do in my opinion. And after all that if they still want to leave, them go to your COC and make it happen knowing you did everything you could.
To often often in my service I saw senior personnel who just barked orders and saw their subordinates as nothing more than worthless employees who hadn't earned their place yet. All superiors should apply the knowledge obtained in their various leadership courses and use it to help those beneath them. Its our job to mold those who will eventually replace us. And I'm glad you are reaching out for help on how to properly deal with this. At least 1 young soldier is going to be a good leader throughout his career

Sounds to me like there may be a leadership issue, maybe from a squad leader, section sergeant, platoon sergeant, etc…soldiers don’t quit the service after their first term of enlistment because of great leadership.
So, for me, this is a great opportunity for the leader to become a better coach. Leaders who have become effective coaches are members of a select group who can call coaching a habit. These leaders add value to their unit because they motivate soldiers and boost engagement; they leverage soldier’s strengths and close skill gaps; they enhance team performance; they improve peer collaboration and relationships. In so doing, they optimize the performance of their soldiers and the unit at large in a sustainable fashion.
Get the soldier involved by first learning and understanding the question behind the question…what are they really saying. Examples: Are they saying “I want to quit soldiering because I don’t want to play soldier anymore?” Or are they saying “I want to quit soldiering because I see favoritism, and my squad leader rides me harder than another soldier for the same mistakes?”
Look, soldiers have reasonable expectations – treat me fairly, provide me with a leader who I trust and respect, and give me an opportunity to be a significant contributor on the team. Soldiers join, and will re-up if we honor these expectations. Leaders play a significant role in inspiring and cultivating collaborative work environments that enable achievement of those expectations. They do so by:
• Prompting their ideation by asking questions
• Helping them see change as an opportunity, not a risk
• And by Recognizing their hard work and contributions
Work with soldiers on their development, but it’s more than just showing them how to do something, and expecting results. You have to have them come with an action plan on how they are going to improve, and then you as their leader can help them by working with them, removing barriers, and strengthening their weaknesses
By making them accountable, and by working in collaboration versus the alternative will produce higher reenlistments/retention and better performing soldiers.

At the end of the day, you signed a contract. The Army by and large holds up it's end of the bargain. It doesn't always work out like in the movies. There are times it will suck and we did pick our MOS's. I think if someone wants to "quit" they should be allowed to. Just pay back all the money they paid you. And no VA benefits.

I have seen some that it is best to remove them, others just need a reason to stay. The college is an incentive, whether or not they are willing to do what is required to earn it is up to them. My thinking was I signed up, therefore I needed to honor my end of the enlistment agreement. Looking back, the recruiter did his job, yeah, he sugar coated some, but there are a lot of angles that he could talk about, but you have to go through yourself before totally understanding it