A revival of a foolish and mendacious Army slogan from the seventies, which used to elicit chuckles from those of us in the Green Machine at the time. Even in those chaotic post Vietnam times the reality was that you became what the Army needed you to be, no more and no else. I used to think that anyone who believed Army propaganda was probably too stupid to be of use. I thought the Marine Corps advertisement at the time did a better, and more honest job, of advising recruits what they were in for:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWW0nxi9bw&t=5s
Appeal to the longing that some young men have to belong to an elite force and there is no limit on what can be accomplished.
Appeal to self interest only, and what you will get will often not be what is either needed nor useful.
Adm. Grace Hopper, one of the pioneers of computer programming, was interviewed by Morley Safer (IIRC) around about 1980. He put the question to her about where she thought we had gone wrong as a society. She said something unexpected. “It started in the business schools”. In her view, they promoted the notion of ‘management’ when what the world needed was ‘leadership’. This is what employing marketing mavens gets you.
With the current leader, you could throw out a lot of money as incentive and self respecting youth and their families still say “no”.
We’ve seen how they’ve been treated just as if yesterday (Afghanistan, mandated jab even though ruling after anthrax vax said they couldn’t force untested on them, they way they have been segregated from that and also DEI training)). They would have to flush the whole system and replace head first.
I always thought “An Army of One” was pretty stupid, too. Same marketing mentality at work.
Oh that was a terrible slogan. The one thing the Army does teach you is that absolutely nothing gets done except through your unit: platoon, company, battalion.
Is that Kirk Douglas narrating that Marine promo?
No. I am not sure who the narrator was, but I know that is not the voice of Douglas.
My youngest son and I were approached by a couple of young men in uniform (before Covid) by shopping at the mall. I can’t remember if it was Army or Marines. We were polite, even shook hands, but I noted the young men’s hand-shakes were anything but “manly”.
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My youngest looks fit for duty–is in much better condition than many of his peers–but I would never ever, even under the best circumstances, which are certainly not now. He has subtle cognitive difficulties and a very gentle spirit (yes, he is a bit fragile).
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The other two are much sterner stuff, but would likely end up behind the lines–one in a hospital setting. The other probably in construction or logistics.
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I had at one point wanted them to go into the Nat’l Guard, which seemed very reasonable, but the vax mandates shut that door. I would no longer support that decision. Ironically, the oldest two are vaccinated (one because of a mandate, the other by choice). The youngest is not and does not want to be (for which I am very thankful).
Oh, the military leadership being seen in “puppy play” masks is not a good look.
I remember seeing T-Shirt in a store in Olongapo City, Phillipines, just outside of Subic Bay Navy Base that said “U.S.M.C. We don’t promise you a Rose Garden. But we give you enough bullshit to fertilize one.”