This study addresses the challenge faced by military organizations in ensuring long-term sustainable personnel supply and examines how socialization influences motivation and career choices, with a focus on the specialist officer role within the Swedish Army. Drawing on Battistelli’s (1997) motivational theory and Jones’s (1986) model of socialization tactics, a qualitative analysis based on semi-structured interviews was conducted. A deductive thematic analysis explored how socialization tactics interact with motivational factors and affect continued engagement. The results show that socialization shapes which motivational drivers are reinforced over time. The study contributes to existing literature by clarifying the link between socialization tactics and motivational shifts, offering a conceptual basis for designing strategies that support long-term commitment in military contexts.