I have lived more years as a Christian than as a soldier. I can say with certainty, at least in my life, the army life is modeled after the Christian life.
As a Christian, I am called to a greater purpose and higher calling. I am rewarded for bringing others into the fold. I am asked to memorize words or wisdom and council and to make them part of my daily life. I am tasked with giving up a part of myself for a greater nature. I make a commitment and live by it. I pursue my relationship with God with all fervor and willpower because he resupplies me.
The spiritual and relationship aspects of Christianity make this walk of life better than any other of the same age.
The Army follows the same ways but with less reward. Discipline yourself to work out and maintain fitness. Memorize your tasks and drills and commit them to not only intellectual memory but muscle memory. Make your life about impossible drills, seem mundane. Live your life as an Olympian.
So I guess one might say that Christians are called to be soldiers, as soldiers should be called to be Christians. Soldiers work on a discipline of the body and mind, while Christians work on a discipline of the spirit and mind.
I wonder what an army of Christian Soldiers would look like.