 In 1937 , Misch received a call up notice for military service . In Offenberg , he joined the SS @-@ Verfügungstruppe ( SS @-@ VT ) , the predecessor to the Waffen @-@ SS , instead of the German Army as the SS @-@ VT did not require Reichsarbeitsdienst ( National Labour Service ) time . Along with eleven others , he was selected for Hitler 's personal bodyguard unit , the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ( LSSAH ) . In August 1939 , he was promoted to the rank of SS @-@ Rottenführer . 
