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Return of an old ‘friend’. Be All You Can Be

by David••38
New recruit cadets stand in line to be processed.

The Army is going to resurrect its most effective recruiting slogan. “Be All You Can Be”.  About the only campaign more effective for recruiting was WWII: the original campaign slogan is considered one of the most effective of the 20th century, far more enticing than “Be an Army of Uno” or “Join the woke vaxxed class!” or whatever they are using now to fall short of current recruiting goals by what, 95%?

Army’s “Be all you can be” ads ran for over two decades starting in the 1980s, according to the Army Historical Foundation. The public first saw the campaign during the 1981 New Year’s college football bowl games.

The magazine Advertising Age ranked the “Be all you can be” campaign as the 18th best in a list of the top-100 marketing campaigns in the 20th century, the foundation added.

The blast from the past follows the U.S. Military Academy at West Point revealing it will use World War II-era themed uniforms in its upcoming annual football game against rival Navy.

Army Times

Think I was immune to this particular slogan, it started running during the ’81 bowl games and (Ronnie having won instead of Jimmeh) I had already re-enlisted for what seemed the rest of my life. I do recall during “alerts” at 2AM in Germany hearing someone say “Be all I can be? Just this once, I want to be a little less”. Ah, the Tuesday mornings after three-day weekends – I am sure more than one of you remembers them.

And if anyone wonders what the Navy is using to countering Army’s uniform choice: a space/NASA theme.

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38 thoughts on “Return of an old ‘friend’. Be All You Can Be”

    2. Great slogan. Look at the soldiers it attracted:

      PFC John Winger
      PFC Russell Ziskey
      Pvt. Dewey Oxberger
      Pvt. Howard Turkstra
      Pvt. Francis Soyer
      Pvt. Elmo Blum

  2. Sorry, but old slogans do not an effective Army make. Need to return to old standards as well.

  3. I can see the commercials now…draq queens dancing and prancing about…yep, be all you can be…

  6. Instead of a trendy recruiting slogan, how about focusing on the random deaths/disappearances at major army bases:

    39 at Fort Hood
    44 at Fort Bragg

    No one wants to address the elephant in the room: serving in today’s military stateside is just NOT SAFE.

    1. Don’t forget the abortions. Everyone who enlists does it for the government funded abortions.

        1. Cheapskate. When I retire, I’m getting one of those DD-214 blankets.
          Blanket: $44.95
          Not giving a DAMN: Priceless!

  9. Per the Library of Congress:
    About this ItemTitle

    • Join the Army; travel to exotic, distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people and kill them

    Names

    • Rosner.

    Created / Published

    • [1971]

    Headings

    • – United States.–Army
    • – Armies–1970-1980
    • – War–1970-1980
    • – Protest movements.–1970-1980

  10. Well, there is a war on… but too bad the machine labels its uniformed services as ‘extreeeemasts‘ and ‘sexiiisssttsss‘ for wanting the best man next to them if they’ve ever gotta combat.

    I advocate for anything other than military service for any youth that asks.

    To the meme cannons, boys!

  14. So glad to hear they spent $$$$ on new football uniforms instead of ANYTHING for the troops that matter.

  17. Off subject but cool.
    Ukrainian pilot gets shot down and takes a selfie after ejecting and still under parachute.

    1. Is that blood?

      It’s a cool selfie (as selfies go), but I’ve gotta question his priorities.

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