“Your Local Misnagid”:
No, it is not exaggerated despite your alleged few friends that are allegedly still religious.
And no real “talmidei chachamim” ever supported it, of course, including Rav Steinman.
First of all, the numbers are what they are, and, more importantly, the intentional shmad of that army is what it is.
Second, you don’t know what damage to their emunah was done to them in that army even if they still appear outwardly frum.
Emunah must be 100%, not tainted by nationalism or any other idolatry