Posted on Aug 16, 2014
Which Army Slogan did you join with? Mine was "Be All You Can Be " in the Army (1989)?
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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
"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
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 349
"Be all you can be" was mine..."Army of One" quite possibly the dumbest slogan we ever had...glad it's gone.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
MSG Scott McBride ABOUSTLEY IN CONCURRENCE. 'Army of One' was way out there from left field!!
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I think my Army motto coming in was, "The Points Don't Matter, and The Rules Are Made Up As You Go Along".
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SPC Christopher Smith , I understand, the Army is so different now with all this paperwork jargon on promotion points.
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1987, BE ALL YOU CAN BE!
p.s. for those of you in the same bracket, there is no "THAT" in the slogan!
p.s. for those of you in the same bracket, there is no "THAT" in the slogan!
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SSG Gerhard S.
That may be so in the written slogan CW5 Sam R. Baker , but when they sang the song in the commercial they DID use the word "that".
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VlPEg9LCKgo
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VlPEg9LCKgo
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SSG Gerhard S., I remember that like yesterday! Something about that Motto that makes you hymn it all day!! SMDH!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
MSG (Join to see), much respect to the Soldiers of 1988, I was right behind you in 1989 brother.
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SGM Paul Shenep (R)
This motto David was a, "catchy phrase" played on the radio before computers and smartphones and was very effective during the oil embargo's, cold war, and late seventies. You joined knowing you could earn up to 50K in education benefits with the VEAP program. This meant the Army matched the dollars. Today, the taxpayers and leaders have been more than generous to education benefits.
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"Be All (That) You Can Be" Thanks guys, now I have that Jingle running through my head, LOL
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I was right there with you SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL in 1989! Be all you can be was the slogan of the time, and it really meant something! Why would they change it, anyway?
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Thanks brother, as they say the sage of time. Your right that slogan motivated me so much. I told my Drill Sergeant and he said prove it, by doing front back and go's. You know how it was back then, you didn't dear cross Drill Sergeant he was everything and then some in Boot Camp. But it was my motivation Be All You Can Be. I will forever use this going forward in the civilian world brother.
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Here is a link for military recruiting commercials from all around the world.
http://gawker.com/5623970/military-advertising-from-around-the-world
http://gawker.com/5623970/military-advertising-from-around-the-world

The Best Military Recruitment Commercials From Around The World
Advertising about enlisting in the military is tricky business; a balance between agitprop and national pride. America's approach is standard, but what about the rest of the world? The international community uses robots, explosions, crazy camera angles and battleships!
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SP5 Michael Rathbun
Some of the potentially most interesting are now down due to copyright claims &c.
Alas.
Alas.
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My first active enlistment (1979-1982) was under the "Today's Army Wants to Join You" but was soon changed to "Be all that you can be". When I came back in 1999, it was the "Army of one", which I could never explain well enough for civilians to understand. To be honest I had trouble understanding it for awhile too.
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SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
"Today's Army Wants to Join You"? I've never heard it until now..interesting
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Michael Jackson, MBA, so interesting to know the past slogans of the Unites States Army. Its CAPTIVATING AND MIND BLOWING to know of the past.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
You know we in the same era brother, it brings back memories of a lifetime, that I will cherish for ever.
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Be all that you can be was the theme, but my favorite commercial was "We do more before 9 am than most people do all day". That's the one where they're on a DZ, and the soldier has a cup of coffee for the First Sergeant. Not like anything else is going on. This always made me laugh.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
CPL Rick Stasny, that commercial gave me motivation to join the Army in 1989.
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I joined right out of school to 'Be all that you can be'. Matter of fact, I am sure that was playing while MEPS was showing me a video of Engineers blowing sh!t up! I was done...that is what I wanted to do!
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This is a 1992 U.S. Army commercial that aired on WNYW Fox Channel 5 during a commercial break of the 11/14/92 WWF Saturday Night's Main Event.
We were already in when this one hit SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Fm6l8IXT0&list=PL2443E24C4672D3FA&index=6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Fm6l8IXT0&list=PL2443E24C4672D3FA&index=6
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SSG Everett Wilson
be all you can be. when I was attached to air force and would go over to transportation, they would all shout out "the army of one."
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When I joined the Reserve I came in under the "Be All That You Can Be" in Jan of 1997. Which ran from 1080 to 2001. The slogan "Army of ONE" which not many people understood ran from 2001-2006 stood for O.N.E. Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Enlisted. Hence "Army of ONE" from what I have been told. Currently the slogan is "Army Strong." http://www.army.mil/article/478/Why_Army_Strong__039_/
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LCpl (Join to see)
I agree wholeheartedly, I was one of these supply people who ordered all of those uniforms, the expense associated with the uniform changes in the Army are astronomical and it's money that could be better spent. Uniforms don't change that much in the Corps. The fatigues have changed over the years but the Class A, Class B and dress uniforms have stayed the same.
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