I won't dispute your lived experience, I just know that I have read about families with prior military service being more likely to have children who similarly prioritize service. Thanks for being a support for them.

The vast majority join for the absolutely insane benefits that come along with service.

Many of them also join because it is basically their only/best option.

Unfortunately yes, and in some cases a whole people of a place send themselves to serve in exchange for those benefits, like American Samoans to recruiting stations as much as Nepalese to sign up hoping to become Gurkhas.