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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1SG Eoc Ops Coordinator / Ga Certified Emergency Manager
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Armored Cavalry Units are known for their "Outside the Box" way of life, committment to duty, mission accomplishment, and Leadership. My most remember time is service was with the 11th ACR. (6+ yrs). ALLONS!
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
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Darkhorse!
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1SG Eoc Ops Coordinator / Ga Certified Emergency Manager
1SG (Join to see)
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LOL....NO.... BLACKHORSE!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
Awesome, is that 11th AC?
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SFC Danny Watkins
SFC Danny Watkins
6 y
M Co. 3/11th ACR. VN. 70-71
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MSG Wade Huffman
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Just a bit trivia...The "Be All You Can Be" campaign was the most successful in the history of the Army, and one of the most successful ad campaigns in the US. It ran for a little over 20 years.
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LTC Doug McLiverty
LTC Doug McLiverty
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It was such a great campaign slogan, that other organizations wanted to use it.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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I must totally agree!
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LTC Stephen F.
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Edited >1 y ago
"Today's Army Wants to Join You" was the VOLAR Army's slogan as the draft was ended in the mid-1970's when I enlisted SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SSgt (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SP5 Robert Ruck SCPO Morris RamseyCPL Eric Escasio SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright SPC Margaret Higgins Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM SGT Gregory Lawritson
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
8 y
LTC Stephen F. thanks for your candid response, I bet things were different in the 1970s?
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SSG Eddye Royal
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Be All you can be, 1985!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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SSG Eddye Royal Say its so, brother! I am humming that in my head, so mesmerizing.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
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1983 - Be all you can be
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
9 y
SGM Mikel Dawson, Iconic and Legendary, those were the days of the Real Army in my opinion.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
SGM Mikel Dawson
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I always liked the saying, "In the Army, we do more before 9AM than most people do all day". I think of these almost every day as I get up around 0300 and get started.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr.
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"Be all you can be" was my time back in 89(DEP)/90(BED).
Still remember the commercial with the college kids 1 male 1 female and he was asking her what did you do in the army? She says "Airborne" He looks up and says "Aiiirborrnnne". Thats the only one I remember. Recruiter didnt have to come to me though, I went to them.
Like father like son. My brother took the easy path though. He went AirForce "Aim High". Traitor.
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SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr.
SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr.
>1 y
Sorry for the repeat empty responses, my phone is wierd, dont own a working computer. Anywho. Benning has changed alot. Expanding. Went through Jump School in 90 when the VD in VD Drive meant Sick Call and never go downtown. It was worse in the late 60s early 70s during my fathers time(his first five were from a C119). Now its Uptown Columbus and tourism.
We have Armor now and a Marine training detachment. A football and hockey team. Also a HiddleHouse on post. Benning/Columbus are an expanding melting pot. You should see it now.
Airborne schools training apparatus havent changed though. 34' and Ungawas still in use along with that damn slam dunk.
Cheers!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr., outstanding update and I am always proud of Fort Benning, Georgia. I miss going to Ranger Joes and Commando on Victory Drive and the new museum over on the south gate.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
>1 y
I got my Bradley tattoo at Tattoo Tommys in early 90'
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SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr.
SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr.
>1 y
The Museum is the National Infantry Museum. It used to be in the old post hospital which is now WHINSEC. It is still in need of funds to complete the Revolution to Civil War display area in the Mean time its the Armor portion till the Armor museum is built.
We also have a new Hospital now. Opened in November. Beautiful building that lets in a lot of light and has courtyards with a waterfall and all new equipment. The old hospital will supossedly become a VA Hospital.
As for tattoos. Got my cross cannons while in jump school in 90. Cant remember if it was fast freddies or tattoo tommies. Rode go carts on a long gone track on VD earlier that night.
Fast Freddies is gone but Tattoo Tommies is still around, at least it was in a new location on VD months ago. The big one now adays is Black Lotus on North Veterans.
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SFC Steven Harvey
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I joined with "Be all you can be"

It worked as a slogan and it is probably why it lasted so long.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
Thanks for sharing: Just saying it is inspirational and you get the picture quick.
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PFC Zanie Young
PFC Zanie Young
>1 y
The Army should bring it back... It was effective!
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CPT Battalion Logistics Officer (S4)
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Edited >1 y ago
Army be all you can be2
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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Captivates my 25 years and 3 days in the Army in one Slogan.
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SFC Intelligence Analyst
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

When I first joined in 97 it was be all you can be, and I still remember those commercials even to this day. Got out for a couple years and came back in 2006 for Army Of One and I was like WTF is this garbage and who was the genius that designed that campaign. Glad they got rid of that one, and can't wait for Army Strong to go away with that damned song that they always play.
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SPC(P) Jay Heenan
SPC(P) Jay Heenan
>1 y
Did you know what "Army of ONE" stood for? I don't think it stuck because they should of called it "Army of O.N.E". Then folks would of known it was for Officer, NCO, Enlisted. Still dumb, but at least people wouldn't made the assumption that it meant One. "Be All That You Can Be" is the best (and the one I originally joined under).
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SPC Richard White
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Same here in 1989
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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