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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SP5 Michael Rathbun
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Hmm... if you are talking about words to get the recruits in the door, then the slogan of my era was

"Greeting:

You are hereby ordered for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States..."
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MSG Biran Colwell
MSG Biran Colwell
5 y
If you went in between 1950-11971, the Slogan was "Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army!"
Thanks to all who have Served.
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MSG Biran Colwell
MSG Biran Colwell
5 y
1950-1971, My Bad.
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SP5 Edwin Overstreet
SP5 Edwin Overstreet
3 y
Yep. Thats the one that convinced me . L.B.J wrote to me !
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SP5 Michael Rathbun
SP5 Michael Rathbun
3 y
And, just for fun, I notice that my appointment for the second Covid 19 jab will occur fifty years after I got off the airplane in Kansas City on my way home from RVN. Within a couple of hours of exactly fifty years.
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MSG Visual Information Operations Chief
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Edited >1 y ago
I joined when it was Army of one. I have to admit "be all you can be" was the best marketing slogan that the army had.
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SGT Bryon Sergent
SGT Bryon Sergent
>1 y
I also was 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
Roger that, I say hooha
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SSG Computer/Network Support Technician
SSG (Join to see)
8 y
I was and always will be all you can be. The new slogans are junk in my opinion.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
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Edited >1 y ago
93192dd4
United States Marine Corps (1975)
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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Sgt Nick Marshall
Sgt Nick Marshall
>1 y
The truth is always best :)
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Which Army Slogan did you join with? Mine was "Be All You Can Be " in the Army (1989)?
CMSgt Senior Enlisted Leader
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1991, "Be All You Can Be".

The first urinalysis I had to take at MEPS, the Navy guy was calling us one by one with our impending Branch. "MCGIRR, STEPHANIE P., Army... Ok, here you go. Pee all you can pee." I will never forget that. :)
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
9 y
CMSgt (Join to see), thanks for the post. Well said and eloquently expressed.
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SSG Trevor S.
SSG Trevor S.
7 y
I never had an Air Force whiz quiz guy tell me to "Aim High".
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SCPO Morris Ramsey
SCPO Morris Ramsey
5 y
Too funny
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
5 y
SSG Trevor S. You'll flunk your gunnery test if you do! :-)
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SSG Tim Everett
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I joined to "Be All You Can Be". It changed to "Army of One", which I thought was the stupidest thing ever.
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CPT Adjunct Professor
CPT (Join to see)
>1 y
When I think of "Army of One", I believe the concept is selfish and does not reflect on the core values of selfless service or honor. I am glad it was short lived...
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SFC Jeff Stevenson
SFC Jeff Stevenson
>1 y
From "Stripes" We don't ask for experience, we give it, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. What a great place, its a great place to start.
That and I love Stripes.
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
7 y
Team effort !!!
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SPC Medical Specialist
SPC (Join to see)
>1 y
The group Coldplay has a song named Army of One. I wonder if stole it from the Army.
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SFC Military Police
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Be All That You Can Be- 1987. Had to go find my sign in the garage.
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SFC Mark Merino
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Edited >1 y ago
220px recruiting poster new york mounted rifles 1
Old Cavalry recruiting poster. And no, that isn't me on the horse.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
I see you really like "Be All that you can be"! Profound Statement!
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MAJ Michael Scharff
MAJ Michael Scharff
>1 y
I joined when I could "be all that I could be" :-)
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1SG Vet Technician
1SG (Join to see)
>1 y
Are you the horse, then? :)
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LTC Cavalry Officer
LTC (Join to see)
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Mount Up!
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1SG Vet Technician
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I think my motto was:

"Never Sign Anything While Still Drunk"

or "Be All You Can Be"...i can't recall which one
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SSG Trevor S.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
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SFC Mark Merino
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CSM Michael Lynch
CSM Michael Lynch
>1 y
Mine was the same in 1981
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
Thanks for the blast from the past brother....intriguing.
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LTC Deputy Branch Chief
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
Same here
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CW4 Michael LaGrave
CW4 Michael LaGrave
6 y
SFC Shirley Whitfield - The “Good Morning ISG”, was classic and something of a running joke.
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Sgt Packy Flickinger
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Edited >1 y ago
I always thought your slogan of "Army of One" was stupid. Isn't that anti-teamwork?

I thought "Stripes" was the Army's best recruiting slogan. :p Long live the EM50
Sorry, couldn't resist the temptation.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
>1 y
Yea that mind-set, in my opinion was selfish.
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MSG(P) Michael Warrick
MSG(P) Michael Warrick
>1 y
Be all you can be in the Army !!
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SFC Scott Carroll
SFC Scott Carroll
>1 y
Didn't the Soldier in that video get busted for drugs?
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