Since
the First World War recruitment posters have been a major part in the conscription
and enlisting process. Swaying the target audiences views towards protecting
ones country, freedom or sense of honor and duty have been key factors in a
good recruitment poster. During World War one, recruitment posters were used as
a way to get young males coming out of puberty into the armed services. Seeing
as how their testosterone levels would be at an all time high during this stage
of their life, the recruiter’s stations were never short of applicants, ready
to fight the war in Europe. Slogans like “I want YOU for U.S. Army” and “Destory
this Mad Brute, Enlist” were plastered on posters all over America, from New
York to San Francisco. Fast forward to present day, most branches of our
military have adopted their own personal slogans, much like a mass produced
brand does. Gillette’s slogan “The best a man can get” and the Marine’s
equivalent “The few, the proud, the Marines” our both slogans used to promote “brand
awareness”. This helps the Marines applicant pool and enlistee numbers by
invoking a sort of unique sense of honor associated with being a Marine. Given
Marines are among the top fighting forces in the U.S. Military, all branches
have their own way of getting people into their respectively candidate pool.
The Army’s “Army of One” and “Army Strong” both put emphasis on core strength
and putting the whole group’s needs before your own. The Navy focuses on career
advantages with their slogan, “Navy – Accelerate your life”. Many enlisted
forces in the Navy who wish to specialize in a certain field tend to have an
easier time finding careers once they have served their time seeing as how the
Navy is the most technologically advanced branch of our Military.
Then and Now
Not only are the slogans designed to
catch any red-blooded male Americans eye, but the art work or photography
associated with each picture captures the essence of that branch. The Army’s
from WWI to present day have reflected the current values of that generation.
Currently the Army has done away with focusing on “eliminating the enemy” and
has focused more on “securing your own future” while picking up core values and
work ethic that apply to all facets of life. The Marines slogans have evolved
from “Travel? Adventure? Join the Marines!” during WWI to the much repeated and
well known slogan “The few, the Proud” and “Pain is weakness leaving the body –
Marines” focused on a more aggressive personality and lending to those powerful
senses of honor and camaraderie. The Navy exploited the typical attitude of the
1910’s-1920’s sailor and put an attractive woman in dress blues on their poster
saying “I want YOU – for the U.S. Navy” or “If I were a man, I’d join the Navy!”
These posters are designed to increase enlisted numbers through application to
whichever armed branch they are promoting, and they do it very well. The Navy
has since refocused their slogans towards job security and the ability to
achieve what you wish to in life with “Navy – Accelerate your life”. Values and morals were different in the 20's and 40's even in the 70's then they are today, each generation seeing a change in direction for recruitment advertisements each trying to increase enlisted numbers.
Women in the Military
Men ages 18-35 are the prime
candidates for recruitment; however since WWII women have also come under
scrutiny in times of war and peace. During WWII the Marines ran many posters urging
women to join the Marines in an effort to “Free a Marine to fight” allowing the
women to handle the logistics side of war. Women in the Army were recruited as
nurses into the Army Nurse Corps., a non-combatant role but a vital one
none-the-less this also freed up more men in the Army to fight on the front
lines. Even at home, women were targeted to join the Navy to help with air
traffic control and communications. Such slogans as “It’s a woman’s war too!” were
posted all over with a painting of a woman communications officer operating a Morse
code/telegraph machine. Presently, women can be found in every branch of our
military and it’s not uncommon to see them in active combat roles, doing just
as much if not more than their male
counterparts. Riding off the women's rights movement in America all branches of
the Military have since focused on a woman's sense of self rather than "What could i do in the military to help?"
