Free Dog Tags For You
How are they gonna keep the rank and file filled? Such innovative campaigns as hitting the mean streets in gang areas, lowering acceptable aptitude scores and forgiving criminal convictions have not quite filled the quotas. But shy on marketing sense this Army is not.
Florida State University alumni recently received this mailing for "free personalized U.S. Army dog tags--while supplies last" when they send in the recruitment form. There is a certain morbid humor involved here, as we all know the purpose of dog tags, which is not fashion statement.
Clever marketing approach. Dead of Summer--guys have had a chance to hang out and party, maybe looking around for the next thing to do, and viola! Uncle Sam comes knocking for a few good men.
And of course, the picture featured on the back of the mailer is that of two handsome Apache pilots, who don't appear to be sweating in 130 degree desert heat, ignominiously stacking C4 incorrectly like the poor enlistee in the previous post.
I wonder if private colleges also pimp their student rosters to the government.
--Lisa
Labels: recruiting tactic
posted by rangeragainstwar at 4:47 PM
6 Comments:
Free dog tags? That's beautiful. Hey, a free body bag would be kewl! Maybe a free Iraqi finger necklace?
It's as if the US armed forces are being run by a bunch of adolescent heavy metal enthusiasts. I mean, "Shock and Awe".....are these grown men?
I can't help but think that amphetamines play a bit of a role in all this weird, masturbatory bullshit.
dave,
Glad you see that a body bag would be the only correct accompaniment to the dog tag come on.
Grown men in body, for sure. I'll not wager further.
L.
Damn! I wish this program had been available back in the 60s. I had to get my dogtag the old fashioned way, although they gave me two of them!
lurch,
Maybe they thought you'd lose one, or go throwing it as a frisbee, or somesuch. Perhaps they had you pegged as a carouser, which is entirely unfair,
L.
Australians and Americans have some interesting differences.
An American knows what to do in front of a TV camera but Ausies sort of clam up and feel uncomfortable.
No bloody muckin around might be our motto.
We don't like personality. Australian personality is sort of an absence of one. If you can get by with a few grunts and a wink then anything else would mean your gay or mad or something.
We don't like Zaney. Or whacky. We have Zaney celebrities but we think they're gay and mad.
Dog tags as an enticement to join the army is too whacky for us. Too flash. We really don't like flash. We have plenty of flash people but we hate them.
Those musclebound, shiney looking marines they send around the USA trying to recruit poor young people, too shiney for us. Too musclebound......too flash. We'd just get some average bloke in kaki saying something like, "Yeah the army's a bloody beaut job, any questions?"
We don't need complimentary dog tags to convince our kids to march blindly to their deaths....we're internationally renown for dying in droves at the drop of a hat!
dave,
I appreciate and enjoyed your description of Aussie ethos.
When you say Americans know what to do in front of a television camera, I had to smile. Most American veg out in front of their tv's and grow fat on junk food. Not very telegenic, that!
I personally don't like to muck about either, and have no use for flash. Straight to the heart of the matter is what I'm about, though this is too direct for many of my mates.
Americans have a sense of Australians as being no-nonsense, self-reliant, and having a great sense of fun, as in liking to party. But having a strong work ethic, too.
Yes, you are renown for your bravery in battle. And as for the musclebound recruiters, Jim tells me in his day, Rangers were not musclebound. I have seen the pictures--they were more lithe and mobile, and Jim swears, more thinking. Though the physical rigors demanded of them were no less.
Seems today, Americans expect pumped-up equates with force protection. However, just as strong an argument could be made that being quick-witted and agile are equally, if not more, protective.
L.
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