--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somebodies take,(and I agree) on the Army`s latest sad ass ad campaign. Author unknown. I AM AN ARMY OF ONE
I am the 18-24 year old being targeted by this new marketing concept, the
very embodiment of "what's in it for ME." The legacy of the politically
correct years. It's okay to be immoral and a pervert, and if anyone tries to
mold me too vigorously into a something that resembles a warrior, I'll tell
my congressperson!

I AM AN ARMY OF ONE

Teamwork? My chain of command consists of ME, MYSELF, and I. I'm destined to
be a dot-com millionaire. Just give me all that college money, and take it
easy on the discipline stuff. When divisions of Chinese are racing toward my
outpost like rabid lemmings I'll break out my stress card and pack myself
back to Milwaukee.


I AM AN ARMY OF ONE

I have Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome, I'm great at Nintendo, and my androgenous,
sensitive physique can't handle 10 properly-executed push-ups. I couldn't
blast my way into an old folk's home, let alone stand my ground in an
impromptu bar room brawl. I am a product of social engineering and 6 hours of
TV a day; my idea of a "Survivor" is not a Medal of Honor winner who killed
three Vietnamese with his e-tool before being shot and left for dead, but a
pudgy, manipulative gay guy on an island shared with other losers.


I AM AN ARMY OF ONE

Concepts like duty, honor, and country are passe'. If it Involves sacrifice
of my individuality to become part of a team, I'll punch out and spend the
rest of my life hanging out with my Microsoft employee slackerbuddies in
Seattle, speaking in learned tones about an unfortunate period in my life
where I endured the indignities of military service. Oh, the Patton movie?
Haven't seen it.


I AM AN ARMY OF ONE

Gimme Gimme Gimme. What can I do for my country? Ha. Let me ask that after
I've feathered my nest like so many of the non-veteran, draft-dodging,
privileged Ivy Leaguers populating Capitol Hill. Cater to me first, pander to
me as an individual, and after I don the uniform, continue to treat me with
kid gloves, and let me punch out before things get really tough-where I might
actually have to risk my life for my country, because...


I AM AN ARMY OF ONE!!!!

Actually, the campaign means to say that every man is the Army, without every piece, there wouldn't be a whole.

You obviously haven't been around many recruiters/enlistees if you believe that honor, integrity and service are passe.  Quit making stereotypical [b]ass[/b](out of)[b]u[/b]mations.  

If I remember this was posted at assaultweb, and they tore it up pretty quick.

No real flame intended, but this post is ludicrously offbase on this topic.

James

Then why is the guy in the commercial running a different direction than the rest of his outfit?  And why every army letter I get in the mail is about how I won't loose my individuality, while every Marine Corps letter speaks of a greater purpose?

FWIW, "The military reflects the society from which it comes." First Sergeant Orian E. Melter, USMC (Retired) while serving as a Drill Instructor at MCRD San Diego, CA in 1971 as told to his stepson, me.

" [size=4]I[/size=4] am an Army of One."

Doesn't matter what it is SUPPOSED to mean. What matters is how it is interpreted. When you start using words like "I" when referring to a military campaign slogan, well, guess what kind of people youre going to get...? I agree with others when they say that this slogan SUCKS.

In combat, ATTITUDE is what will win a battle and you won't win one with people who think like individuals.

Understand that I am not bashing the Army. I know many brave soldiers that I would want by my side in battle ANY day. But this "Me, myself and I" bullsh*t has to go.

Actually, this latest putrid ad campaign is quite in line with its predecessor.

If you remember how the ad went, the recruit says he did it (joined the army) for his teacher, for his grandmother, for himself.

Whatever happened to joining the army [b] FOR YOUR COUNTRY?????[/b]

It was a small, hardly noticeable omission, but it spoke volumes to me.

Now, the ideal army recruit is some loner, who likes to be a maverick, can run his own show, doesn't respond particularly well to discipline or orders, and finds greater pride in individuality than in teamwork, duty, honor, country and sacrificing for the greater good of the whole.

This is of course a slight exaggeration, but the point still stands. This ad campaign sends a very BAD mesage as to what the army is all about. The era of the army being a "social experiment" has been a total failure, and this ad just perpetuates that era.

I suspect Bush, Cheney, Powell and Rumsfeld may dump this loser ad campaign fairly quickly. At least I hope they do. Remember, this ad campaign was dreamed up during the administration of, and by the appointees of, a man who said "I detest the military."

And does it EVER show.