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 6 y ago
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LCpl Sr. Sales Associate
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I enlisted in the Marine Corps with the same motto that it has been for decades "The Few, The Proud, The Marines" Wasn't in the Army to begin with...when I joined the Guard I don't really recall what the motto was.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
11 y
You get a bye, the Corps is up there with one of the best motto of all time.
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LCpl Sr. Sales Associate
LCpl (Join to see)
11 y
True that.
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LTC Stephen C.
LTC Stephen C.
>1 y
LCpl (Join to see), you posted this twice! #1
:)
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1SG Eoc Ops Coordinator / Ga Certified Emergency Manager
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543610 3325656418392 1511260782 n
Another well remembered motto and rally call. Often (past tense) used at Troop/Battery/Squadron and Regimental Formations, Dining In's and Dining Out's.
Not so politically correct today, however, still heard from time to time I'm sure.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
1SG (Join to see), legendary 11th ACR, I was in 3rd Armored Division, Thanks for protecting the Fulda Gap (11th ACR) in West Germany in the good ole days.
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
>1 y
All My units were ACR But I would have liked to have worn the 11th Cav. Patch !!!
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SFC Jopes Action Officer
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Mine was "Be All You Can Be" in 1995, well 1994 if you count the Delayed Entry Program. But I think they need to go back to that.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
11 y
I agree, I hope you remember me, we were stationed at FT. Lewis together int the 57th Trans BN
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SFC Movement Nco
SFC (Join to see)
6 y
Agreed
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SGT Team Leader
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Unclesam
Mine was "Be All You Can Be", which quickly changed to "Army Strong" by the time I got to my first duty station.
I grew up on the old slogan. My bedroom wall, when I was a teenager was this, though:
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LTC Stephen C.
LTC Stephen C.
>1 y
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SGT (Join to see), I always like that poster also. I had a giant copy framed, and even researched it. It's a recruiting poster from WWI, and one of the most popular and recognized recruiting posters ever created. The illustrator was James Montgomery Flagg and he used his own face for the now iconic and most accepted depiction of Uncle Sam!

SFC Mark Merino SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL LTC Stephen F. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
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SGT Team Leader
SGT (Join to see)
>1 y
LTC Stephen C., I had no idea about this. Pretty cool!
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1SG David Niles
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Army, be all you can be.... Hated the Army of One slogan
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
11 y
I say hoooha!!
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
>1 y
I never understood that one either.
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SSG William Jones
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SP5 Gerald Barnett COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SGT Jim Barrows SGT (Join to see) SGT Robert George Alan K. SPC Douglas Bolton LTC William Smith LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold Cynthia Croft SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Woody Bullard LTC Alton Smith LTC Stephen C. Maj Marty Hogan MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi

"Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army" would've been mine officially, I guess. "Bad Moon Rising" by CCR would be my "unofficial" slogan/song.
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SPC Margaret Higgins
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Edited 7 y ago
I did not join with this slogan, but: "This we'll defend." SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL An Army slogan.
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CWO2 James Mathews
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Personally, I didn't need a "slogan" to join the service. That was set up in my own mind long before my graduation from High School, but my original intention was to look into the possibility. of college before joining. No-one in my family , as far as I know had ever attended college before and although my grades were pretty good, I was still cautious about it! In regard to service slogans I had uncles who had served in the Army Air Force and Navy, so I was fully aware of what the service offered at that time. I never got the chance to look into college, since my Father came to me with a request, the first I ever remember as a request rather than a "strong suggestion!" My Father, for whom I had the greatest love and respect, asked of me a favor. Such, was to join the Navy, immediately, so he could take my Mother with him on a job offer in Turkey as the Maintenance Superintendent for a large dam project there. There was no way I could refuse this man, who had done so much with so little for me. He guaranteed that when my enlistment was over he would send me to college. Unfortunately, he passed away when he was in Turkey, my Mother was devastated, and never really got over his passing, so I stayed in the service, and finally got my degrees when I got out. In regard to the "Service Slogan" during the year I enlisted (Navy - 1954), I couldn't tell you, but the "slogan" I enlisted under was a favor I felt that I owed my Father!!
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CPT Robert Hampton
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Driving to ROTC class in 1964, there was a huge billboard along the road that showed a company commander in front of the company.

The caption said, "Be in charge of your own company before you are 30 years old."

Catchy, eh! Got me.

(Thought I posted this earlier from my phone. Don't see it now. Pardon me if it is listed twice.)
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
7 y
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CPT Robert Hampton my goodness, that is awesome to know. True and profound indeed my friend. I really appreciate the memories from 1964 that are genuine and of much delight. Thank you for sharing.

PO1 Tony Holland SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack Cardwell]] COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield SPC Jovani Daviu LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold SSG William Jones MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
7 y
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL thank you for the mention brother Joe.
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Sgt Joshua T.
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The Few. The Proud. The Marines. Think that was it back in '96. Either that or "Since 1775. Making Marines, winning battles", or something like that.
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SSG David Phetteplace
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Join the people who joined the Army
1974, Me standing front, right
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SPC Robert Stewart
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todays army wants to join you
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
7 y
SPC Robert Stewart thanks for sharing, well received my friend.
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SSG Craig Thompson
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Fun, Travel, Adventure! 1967
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SPC William Szkromiuk
SPC William Szkromiuk
7 y
Ahah! another FTA memory. Thought I was losing my mind haha.
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Maj Marty Hogan
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Aim High- sorry Air Force. The Army however sent me a set of sweatbands when I filled out the recruiting form from my Air Force PSC box.
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SFC Ronald Burris
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I went to basic in Jun 74 and I don't believe there was a slogan at that time since people were still hateful of Vietnam and the Military Personnel that served during that time. I was thankful that I didn't get more than spat on when I first came in. I am glad that the Armed Forces serving today is getting the recognition that it deserves. I am saddened that the Military has to pay Sports Networks for recognizing the Armed Forces personnel at Professional Sports games. I think since it is genuine that the Armed Forces protects this Country that it should be genuine when they get recognized during Professional Sporting Events. Every Veteran that has ever served in the Military deserves the respect and admiration for their devotion and dedication during their service in the Military and I applaud them all. I hope all the future personnel hearing the Recruiting Slogans understand the accomplishment of signing up and serving their Country.
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LTC Substitute Teacher
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Edited >1 y ago
Mid 60s had a slogan New! Action! Army! My favorite is BE ALL YOU CAN BE especially when it was sung. ARMY OF ONE could refer to teamwork (ONE team) or ONE individual; but because of the ambiguity, it did not resonate. ARMY STRONG is pretty good-I rate it a B. The new unofficial one I think identifies the AMERICAN SOLDIER. (Im not sure if the official one has been declared. If it were up to me, I would use the first line of the Soldiers Creed--"I am an American Soldier"
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
>1 y
Excellent share sir.
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CW4 Guy Butler
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1985 under"Be all that you can be."

Didn't like "Army of One" - sucker was never around when there was work to be done.

"Army Strong"... Never mind.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
10 y
CW4 Guy Butler well said and articulately expressed.
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SSG John Jensen
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we do more before 9 am than most people do all day....

after 9 am we don't do a damn thing
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
10 y
SSG John Jensen wow what a catchphrase.
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SSG John Jensen
SSG John Jensen
10 y
the pay is bad, the hours are miserable, but it sure as hell beats having to work for a living
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