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 Kristin Myers
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I joined under Be All You Can Be. It change to An Army of One a few years later. Us "older generation" sure could tell the newer Soldiers under that slogan. Of course, there was the poking fun at each other.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SGT Kristin Myers, wow that is the truth, you could tell after Post 9/11 not to take anything from those Warriors, but if you was in during the 1990s you could tell it was a major paradigm shift in discipline and custom and courtesy.
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SGT Kristin Myers
SGT Kristin Myers
>1 y
SFC Davis, that is for sure! When it changed to Army Strong, that was even worse!
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SPC Larry Buck
SPC Larry Buck
>1 y
That's it! Right G-D too long ago! Army of one??
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PFC Zanie Young
PFC Zanie Young
>1 y
We Sure could, SGT Kristin Myers
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SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S.
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Seems I remember it being "Join the People Who've Joined the Army" December 1978
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S., NICE, what was it like to be in the Army back in 1978. Much Respect. I know it was a lot more tougher than nowadays.
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SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S.
SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S.
>1 y
SFC Davis, thank you brother. It was tougher than when I retired in 2000, that's for sure. Ha! December 1978 is when I enlisted in DEP, that's how I can remember the slogan. I shipped after graduating from HS in August '79. Went to Ft Dix and all the Drill Sergeants were Vietnam combat veterans. A lot of respect for them just like our current combat veterans. They were crazy but in a memorable way (without needing therapy, if uou know what I mean). Footlocker drills, moving your entire barracks outside to clean for inspection (not much to it really...we didn't have much) , and running around the barracks grabbing myself by the ears and yelling "I'm pulling my head out of my ass!" for some reason. Ha!! Memories!!

Then, AIT was the exact opposite. Total party barracks. No drill sergeants and the permanant party TAC NCO's didn't give a crap what we did as long as the barracks were clean and we passed inspections. It was strictly a "You've passed basic training and are a soldier, now learn your Job". Much better back then to me. You had to grow up and mature (so to speak) and be ready for permanent party instead of being carried through AIT via a continuation of basic training.

Have a blessed day!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S., thanks brother.....all I can say is much respect, much respect! Thanks for the Soldiers of your era training me to go the distance. Nowadays I think the Army of now can learn a thing or two in respects to discipline and a good ole kick up the rear-end for some Army motivation.
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SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S.
SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S.
>1 y
Funny you should mention that...I was taught there are two types of counseling. Wall to wall and boot to ass. Things got complicated when we the COC started thinking we needed to break out a skillcraft over every little thing. It wasn't the same after that. Major infractions obviously, but the other monthly counselings and all that were over the top. To me, it was the COC way of saying your verbal explanation (or word as an NCO) doesn't mean a thing.

Many thanks to the soldiers and leaders who followed us old guys in continuing to preserve our freedoms. I'm honored to call you my brother! Many heart felt bessings to you and your family, SFC Davis.
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SP5 Michael Cates
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YES! Mine was THE DRAFT LETTER FROM UNCLE SAM!!!! I tried to get out of Helping the South Vietnamese People stay FREE from COMMUNISM!! BUT FINALLY WENT AND SO GLAD THAT I WAS ONE WHO TRIED TO KEEP THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE FROM HAVING TO RUN FROM THE COUNTRY THAT THEY WERE BORN IN AND LOVED!!!! Sp/5 Cates '67-'68 TET!!!! I PRAY THAT SOME FILM MAKE WILL SOME DAY SOON MAKE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT JUST WHY THE PEOPLE WERE RISIKING DEATH TRYING TO SQUEEEZE ON A SHIP THAT HAD NO MORE ROOM ON IT AND CONTINUE TO LEAVE AT ALL COST TO THIS VERY DAY!!!!
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SPC Margaret Higgins
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Edited 6 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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PO2 John Driskill
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I never joined the Army but I remember the mid 1960's Army recruiting slogan TV ad. It showed a West Point Class and it was the "New Action Army." Followed by a song that went "If you're good enough to get in, you'll serve your country well." "Great moments can be yours in the "New Action Army." I had to admit that it was a catchy tune.
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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 Sean Lynch
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Be all that you can be. 1989
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CPL Dave Hoover
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Be All You Can Be-1987 to 1995
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SGT English/Language Arts Teacher
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I overlapped two. Delayed entry in 1979 and basic in 1980. What a great place to start!!!
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MSG Brad Sand
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Be All That You Can Be...but it was pretty new at the time.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
MSG Brad Sand That is epic and iconic in all aspects of the Army, there will never be a Slogan like that again brother.
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MSG Brad Sand
MSG Brad Sand
>1 y
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
We still fall back to the 'I Want YOU For The US Army' and never is a long time but you are correct the Be All That You Can Be is an epic one. Of course the commercial stating that we do more before 8 than most people do all day may not have been completely considered?
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SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
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To join you
I don't know if there was a '68 poster .. however I love this particular bit of fiction..
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. thanks for the historical blast from the past brother. Iconic and epic during the draft!
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