Posted on Aug 16, 2014
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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2006 to present

"Army Strong" is the recruiting slogan that is used currently by the United States Army. The composer of the song used in the Army Strong television commercials is Mark Isham.[3]

2001 to 2006
A humvee wrapped with the slogan in April 2006
"Army of One" was a relatively short-lived recruiting slogan. It replaced the popular "Be All You Can Be" and was replaced in 2006 by the new slogan "Army Strong".[4]The Army of One slogan was meant to mean as described Sun Tzu's Art of War in Chapter VI Weak Points and Strong, that you are only as strong as your weakest link,if the enlisted soldiers are not trained by the non commissioned officers,because the officer are not with troops and checkout what they need,a Army is very weak. The reason for the replacement is believed to be[by whom?] that the slogan "Army of One" is contrary to the idea of teamwork.[citation needed] It is unknown whether this slogan was taken directly from the poster for the 1976 Clint Eastwood film The Outlaw Josey Wales, which had "An Army of One" under a drawing of the Josey Wales character. The "One" in the slogan was an acronym, standing for Officers, Non-Commissioned, and Enlisted,[citation needed] the three types of Soldiers in the US Army.

1980 to 2001

Be All (That) You Can Be was the recruiting slogan of the United States Army for over twenty years.[5] This popular slogan was created by Earl Carter while at the advertising firm N. W. Ayer & Son. He was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Award for his efforts.[6] In his autobiography Soul of It All, Michael Bolton claims to have sung the jingle in the early 1980s.[7]

1971 to 1980

"Today's Army Wants to Join You" was a recruiting slogan from the 1971 Volunteer Army (Project VOLAR) campaign, which was introduced as the country prepared to transition to an all-volunteer military. When N. W. Ayer & Son, who were engaged by the US Army, believed they felt the army said "Today's Army is changing; we want to meet you half way", the firm came up with that slogan. General William Westmoreland asked "Do we have to ask it that way?" but agreed to the campaign. The slogan was replaced by "Join the People Who've Joined the Army" in 1973, which later evolved into "This is the Army."[8]

Slogan was written in 1971 by Ted Regan Jr., Executive Vice President and Executive Creative Director of N.W. Ayer, the Army's ad agency. Regan also wrote the follow up slogan, "Join the people who've joined the Army."

Circa 1950s–1971
"Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army!"was a recruiting slogan in the 1950s and 1960s. The Big Picture,[disambiguation needed] public announcements on broadcast television, and highway roadway signs advertised the slogan during a time of a national draft of young men 18 to 34 years of age. The advantage of volunteering for Service, vice being drafted, was choosing the career field you wanted to serve and/or first unit or location of assignment.

World War I
"I Want YOU for US Army" featured on a poster of Uncle Sam painted by James Montgomery Flagg.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slogans_of_the_United_States_Army

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Mc1uQW8RI
Edited 5 y ago
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SGT Petroleum Supply Specialist
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I joined the Army under "Be all that you can be" in 2000. I got out for a while and came back in right when "Army Strong" started.
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SGT Roshone Morgan
SGT Roshone Morgan
>1 y
I joined the Army in the be all you can be era (1993)
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SGT Roshone Morgan, I know we always clicked when I was Truckmaster, were from the same school of hard knocks!!
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CPT Jason Torpy
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You mean which ad campaign. The Army motto is This We'll Defend. I think the ad campaign I joined under was some variation of 'get money for college'. The worst was the lone troop running across the desert. 'be an individual' was a terrible ad campaign for the Army...
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SGM Luther Thomas
SGM Luther Thomas
>1 y
Thank you for making the point that the Army's Motto is "This We'll Defend."
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SFC Derek Ashman
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Mine was "Be all that you can be" when I join in 1998. I do not think it changed until 2001 attacks
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
AWESOME WITH A CAPITAL "A"
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SP5 Joel McDargh
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I went in when I was 17, January, 1970. My slogan was "Momma, I either go into the army or I'm going to wind up in jail", and the rest my friends is history.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
6 y
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL thank you for the mention brother Joe.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
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'71-'80 slogan, then I never really paid that tight of attention, I wanted to serve my country.
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
SSgt Boyd Herrst
>1 y
I was an AF guy and I
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
SSgt Boyd Herrst
>1 y
I was an AF guy and I was into the “FLY High, Go Air Force ! And I didn’t get into the Aerial Part.. I was part of Support Services.. Food Service.. I worked Airmen Dining Facility, Inflight feeding Facility, Alert Feeding Facility.. Missile Command site Feeding.. I had also spent time working Hospital Food Service.. I worked both sides.. special dietary Feeding.. and preparing sustenance for the staff.
Differences of opinion led me to apply for return to “the Real Air Force”. I got orders and went to
Grand Forks AFB, ND and SAC. That was the real AF .. where a NCO’s decision was backed by his superior(s) if they felt he was correct in line with the regulation(s)
And it was a sound decision. Anyway U was comfortable in SAC.
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
SSgt Boyd Herrst
6 y
It should be I was comfortable in SAC.. they had my ‘6’ it seem more than the Travis Hospital.. well,a couple had my 6... I’ll leave it there..
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SGT Benjamin Lindsey
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Be All You Can Be
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
8 y
SGT Benjamin Lindsey roger that, that a good copy there, I love that slogan, "Be All You Can Be". I know your humming it in your head! (LOL)
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SGT Benjamin Lindsey
SGT Benjamin Lindsey
8 y
I am and the tv commercials we awesome
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SSG John Jensen
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join the army or go to jail?
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SSG John Jensen
SSG John Jensen
9 y
actually that wasn't me, but i had a number of partners in crime who had that option after their youthful indiscretions
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SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
9 y
heard it more than once in '68
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SSG John Jensen SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. Roger that and Charlie Mike--so true during that era. Much respect gentlemen.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
5 y
Your draft board wants you......your number is up!
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MSG Bruce Richard
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8
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Be all you can be.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
MSG Bruce Richard , those were the days and I miss the camaraderie of yesteryears. Glad to be part of the best slogan ever.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
9 y
MSG Bruce Richard, What a slogan, one for the ages. The memories are bittersweet!
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SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
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I joined under " Be All You Can Be" , and I may be biased on this. I think was the best! I was recruiting when Army of One came out. Didn't like at all, but I try to make the most of it. My job was to sell the empowerment of the Soldier and the enormous impact even one Soldier had in the Army. I really embraced and like "Army Strong". Really it's the same Soldier empowerment message as "Army of One". It's just in a different package to highlight the team concept
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PFC Zanie Young
PFC Zanie Young
>1 y
You are not wrong on that SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
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SFC Intelligence Analyst   Atl
8
8
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I joined under "Be... All that you can be." If I think about it, I can still hear the jingle from the commercial on the TV.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SFC (Join to see), so true that you mentioned it, I am visioning it and hearing it. You know you got a good slogan after all these years brother.
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PFC Zanie Young
PFC Zanie Young
>1 y
Not I hear it, I live it!
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