It all depends on where you are a soldier. With us it is the opportunity to get a well paid secure job, All drivers licenses and other educations are for free. If you sleep at the kazerne (station) instead of traveling home 10 kilometers you get paid at least 45 euro more per night. Easily earned while doing basically nothing.

I had soldiers and higher ranked in the family. Many did not fight for their country to protect it but help starting wars abroad, rob and plunder...the real soldiers are the people, those without training, payment, forced to fight for ideals set by someone else.