# Want your Kid To Be "ARMYSTRONG"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 16, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867 "2007-08-16T22:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/1 "2007-08-16T22:48:54Z")
Who dreamed up this ad campaign? They are trying to sell this army career to teenagers-and I guess it ain’t working too well. Too many highschool kids are reading the blogs, and deciding getting your legs blown off in Iraq isn’t worth $750/month. There’s strong…and ARMY Strong! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/2 "2007-08-16T22:52:24Z")
Hasn’t the military always marketed to high school kids? I mean, that’s exactly who they want: young, strong guys (and girls now!) that want an option other than trade school or college (or want their college paid for). And even with the potential loss of limbs (that has always been there, this war is no different), the military is still a great option for a whole lot of folks. Not that I’m justifying all of the recruiting techniques- lots of shitty stuff is done in the name of recruitment quotas. Wow, I abused parentheses in this post like they smacked my momma. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/3 "2007-08-16T22:54:52Z")
Once upon a time, the US Army had some very good recruiting moves and slogans. Remember the “Be All You Can Be” days? Those were the days when the people writing slogans _knew_ their target market demographic, and were serious about getting the job done. Now, it seems marketing consultants, and rather dim ones at that, are in charge. “Army of One?” Bullshit. “Army Strong?” Utter tripe. Next week, I expect some idiot to trot out a campaign based upon the opportunity to go without showers and get blisters on your feet. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/4 "2007-08-16T23:10:04Z")
[QUOTE=Tranquilis] Now, it seems marketing consultants, and rather dim ones at that, are in charge. “Army of One?” Bullshit. “Army Strong?” Utter tripe. Next week, I expect some idiot to trot out a campaign based upon the opportunity to go without showers and get blisters on your feet. [/QUOTE] \*“The US Army: Hey, Purple Hearts look pretty cool and the special license plate gets you out of tickets!” \* ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/5 "2007-08-16T23:22:20Z")
[QUOTE=Tranquilis] Those were the days when the people writing slogans _knew_ their target market demographic, and were serious about getting the job done. [/QUOTE] Perhaps we are _still in_ those days, but the demographic has shifted, so the type of appeal that’s effective has shifted too. Sure, that implies that today’s youth are aliens from the planet Mongo or some such, but I’ve suspected that for quite some time. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/6 "2007-08-16T23:39:19Z")
Tag the above poster for decribulement, Forg. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/7 "2007-08-16T23:45:23Z")
I wonder about that. Back in my day the kinda kids who took mostly shop classes would talk about which service to join. A rite of passage, sort of, make a man out of them, see the world, learn a useful trade…(I remember asking my cousin if he had seen any want ads for a radar technician in Arlington, Texas)… Most guys were thinking Army, other guys had relatives who’d been in the Navy, tough guys wanted to be Marines, and the femmy guys, well, you know… It does appear that the same sort of class divide still obtains. What I personally find insidious are the ads that appeal to the parental unit, to suggest that offering up your children is good for them, it builds character. Fuck that shit. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/8 "2007-08-16T23:49:34Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] What I personally find insidious are the ads that appeal to the parental unit, to suggest that offering up your children is good for them, it builds character. Fuck that shit. [/QUOTE] Weren’t those ad campaigns the result of people complaining that it was wrong to market to kids about joining the armed forces? It’s a catch-22 for the Army- market to the kids, be seen as the guy selling laced candy out of the ice cream truck; market to the parents, be seen as trying to convince parents their kids aren’t tough enough. Plus, if I recall, weren’t those adds more along the line of telling the parents why it was ok to worry about your kids, but why the Army might be good for them? We’re talking about the ones where the kids were like, “But mom, I know it’s scary, but I can get my medical school paid for, all while doing something good for the country,” right? ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/9 "2007-08-17T00:07:21Z")
Are we talking “Army recruitment” or “Army Strong”? The first is cool, the second is bullshit. FTR, it’s more like $3,000 a month, and I didn’t get my legs blown off. asshole ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/10 "2007-08-17T00:12:12Z")
Haven’t we had a pit thread about this “Army Strong” thing before? It sounds like something the Hulk would say. “Rrrr! Army Strong!” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/11 "2007-08-17T00:19:54Z")
At least “Army Strong” is not nearly as dishonest as [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=284236) recruiting campaign from 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/12 "2007-08-17T00:42:47Z")
[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] …the military is still a great option for a whole lot of folks… [/QUOTE] Um…surely you meant “a **viable** option for those whose other option is humping 40-60 hours a week at near-minimum wage.” Just to reiterate–Earning $36K a year and full ride to college is a **great** opportunity; risking life and limb in a misbegotten, unnecessary war incited by a meglomaniac in pursuit of said opportunity depreciates the value somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/13 "2007-08-17T01:49:49Z")
[QUOTE=Incensed] Um…surely you meant “a **viable** option for those whose other option is humping 40-60 hours a week at near-minimum wage.” Just to reiterate–Earning $36K a year and full ride to college is a **great** opportunity; risking life and limb in a misbegotten, unnecessary war incited by a meglomaniac in pursuit of said opportunity depreciates the value somewhat. [/QUOTE] Don’t say things like that. It demoralizes our troops. You may think I’m joking, especially if you know how I feel about this war, this President and this huge fucking mess he got us into, but I’m not. Those poor, deluded, young fucks who really thought that was earning 36K while getting shot at instead of humping 40-60 hours for minimum wage was a good deal. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/14 "2007-08-17T01:54:20Z")
The kind of kid who took shop classes? In my school, shop class was required. (At least in one of the grades. 8th maybe?) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/15 "2007-08-17T02:09:14Z")
“Oh, Mrs. Mc Grath,” the sergeant said, “Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted? With a scarlet coat and a big tall hat, now Mrs. McGrath, wouldn’t you like that?” ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/16 "2007-08-17T02:10:52Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] The kind of kid who took shop classes? In my school, shop class was required. (At least in one of the grades. 8th maybe?) [/QUOTE] Yeah, 'luci apparently thinks people who took shop and entered the trades are lower class morons. 'Luci, remember that next time you call a plumber or electrician or carpenter to fix something at your house. They probably make twice what you do, and don’t have to sit in a fucking cube all day staring at a screen and posting lame shit on the Dope. Yes, I took shop, am a tradesman and make damn good money and that comment pissed me off. Sorry for the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/17 "2007-08-17T02:34:42Z")
[QUOTE=Klaatu] Yeah, 'luci apparently thinks people who took shop and entered the trades are lower class morons… [/QUOTE] And you can kiss my ass till I bark like a fox. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/18 "2007-08-17T02:42:06Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] And you can kiss my ass till I bark like a fox. [/QUOTE] You’ll have to call a plumber for that. Ass and shit and all that… Only a hundred bucks to take a look though… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/19 "2007-08-17T02:45:05Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] The kind of kid who took shop classes? [/QUOTE] No. He said kids who _mostly_ took shop classes. Y’know, the sort who went real light on the science and math. Did you do that? No? Then siddown and shaddap. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867/20 "2007-08-17T02:46:04Z")
> [@](#): > > …hundred bucks to take a look though… I’m in a good mood, you can look for free. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-your-kid-to-be-armystrong/415867.md?page=2)