I’m not looking for a self sacrificing martyr. And people join for all kinds of reasons. Some for a ticket punch.
I joined in 71 to keep my dumbazz out of the jungle, seems they were printing me a ticket. Instead I spent the time underway, underwater, running a Navy Nuc plant. All gave some, some gave all, it always been that way. I know a few in both groups. Don’t mean I’d recommend voting for me for anything.
There’s a lot of air between “self-sacrificing martyr” and someone that wants to contribute to an effort greater than themselves. Sure, people join for money for college, because their wife is gonna have a baby.... sexual reassignment. My grandfather told my dad that he joined the Army to get a decent meal....1922. He was commissioned in the field and retired a major.
I ran into plenty of folks in the military that thought they’d make better decisions than the CIC...Ronald Reagan. Still plenty of folks that think that way.