It doesn't make them entirely different, it just complements them.
Are you saying that +10 Sticky range does not change the use or dynamic of a rifle squad at all?
Or that .5 received suppression wouldn't change a unit's use, or allow for uses that could not be achieved before?
The fact is that all the best abilities that require Vet encourage vet whoring, and punish newer players, or really any player that doesn't have a massive amount of Vet.
By allowing these abilities at Vet 1, you'd be allowing many more players/units to actually benefit from them, while still having some sort of XP requirement on their use (so that not
every unit can access the 'best' abilities). Vet requirements/ability effectiveness would need to be looked at, but it would really benefit the whole mod if done correctly.