It's pretty hard to get into those squads(or whatever they want to be called), you need to make application, get reviewed, get trained and then be expected to "report for duty" at certain times, play missions which may take as much as 5-6 hours, missing that you will get booted eventually. It's a commitment much more than what people out there are willing to give/can give. Also they hardly get public exposure, so people don't even know they exist.
Public ArmA 2 is mostly a waste of time, and save for some popular Warfare and Domination servers, it's mostly barren. So I think before DayZ, we could pretty much say that it was dead for a lot of people.
Hopefully some mission/mod makers take notice of the ideas DayZ has and make some great missions that will capture some of the DayZ newcomers and make them stay. After countless idiotic Domination/Warfare clones, I think it's time ArmA's public potential is exploited by some creativity.(I'm actually wondering when will someone make a "Zombie Domination", we gotta have that.)
I know at least two communities that doesn't require it, but I was never looking. In DayZ friends found couple, joined one, play together and have massive fun.
Regarding ArmA 2: for me it's natural to play with community in team based game where fun, immersion and teamplay are most important. As a solo player or rambo type you can't do much, but die quick. It's not a run and gun game.
2,5 year ago friend recommended me one clan where "you need to fill application". I never was into such groups, I prefer freedom, but after 1-2 hours of downloading mods and great chat with other members I was ready to play - nothing scary and it was totally worth it. It's good to have such community because:
- you have solid and well configured game and TS server
- ACE, ACRE, ASR_AI and other "must have mods" are in
- you don't play with random people or jerks from public, but friends that care about teamplay
- you never get bored of playing the same (like on domination) because you play brilliant campaigns, custom missions and other mods (i.e. Invasion 44, etc).
Missions take about 2,5-3 hours and there is no problem to be late or leave early. All members have a job and more important "duties" like real life or family and no one gets angry. We play 4 fun, like it suppose to be played. You also always can take a break and leave for a few weeks if you have too. You won't get kicked.
Perhaps you are talking about "ultra" realistic military groups with weird leadership where commitment is more important than having fun or life and you have to salute to officers
. "Sir, yes sir!" is not for me neither
.
You need to remember that in ArmA 2 you have free choice to pick community that fits best your needs.