Its not a joke on its own, but in game context it is a joke. Because we have Ost with pios who can spot from the get go, and we have Tommies who has more sight earlier aswell as having AOE self heal much earlier.
So it is indeed a joke. Just like molotov throwing time next to rifles molotov. As I said, its nice flavor vet bonuses, but its not more then that.
The molitovs thing is a travesty which I've talked about before but to keep on about the heals and sight, these are great bonuses because they are extra- or rather should be, volks vet as a whole is lacking compared to other units but in context of those being fixed these are good boons.
Just because another unit can do it doesn't dilute THIS uniy doing it, because otherwise it can't.
Contextually it even makes sense for volks:
Pios are a starter unit on a very defensive faction. It let's ost keep tabs and be ready for what's about to come. It let's them position thir mg or pak ect.
Tommies, we're supposed to be defensive infantry, so the boons for pios sort of help in the same way.
Volks, late game we know fall off. The bonus let's them get their combined arms ready a bit sooner when defending or scout the enemy when attacking.
For Volks it lets the okw player decide if it's something volks can handle themselves or if they need help. It let's them spot flanks to their expensive armour ect
Its really a part of the evolution of volks as the match progresses. They become more defensive and more supportivem in theory of course.
Not to say there isn't room for improvement, but we mustn't down play an extra 7 radius of vision (so really an extra 14 range in diameter) across 4ish squads and the information that can yield.
The thing about Intel bonuses like this is that it's hard to quantify as you are using it without even knowing.