Yes - that front was rough.My grandpa was a Nazi soldier who was killed in action by the Russians. Does that give me any street cred?
My grandpa was a geologist for the German Army - he went in prior to the armored divisions plotting sections for the highways and bunkers. Heavy sh!t. He only talked about the funny parts, not the bad. He had his own driver and gunner. Driver was always drunk, though, and dumped the vehicle into the gutter many times where they had to upright it and push it out. But I think, man, every time I am on the road, it would be nice to have your own gunner. People camped out distracted on their cell phones would be distracted no longer.
Then he came back home only to endure the firebombing of Hamburg. Last one in the bunker; wedged himself in when they threw a sick guy out. My mom grew up in the aftermath, very poor, surviving in bread lines and such. And yes, the SJWs were out in force afterwards as she got chastised for singing "Deutschland Deutschland Uber Alles" in the streets.
Rough times.
And no, I would not have my kids join the military. Just mercenaries for the ahem, managerial class to gain further riches.