I think it was a dumb slogan. "Be all you can be" was far better.
" "Be all you can be" was far better."
And the jingle that went along with those commericals had a hook that seared into the brain like George Costanza's answering machine.......
It was considered one of the most recognizeable tag lines in history. They never should have dropped it.
"Be all you can be" was my favorite. Here's a story about that slogan.
A Marine is laying in the hospital bed and a couple of docs are standing around.
One doc says to other, "I wonder what would happen if we took half his brain out?"
The other doc says, "I don't know. Let's find out."
So they wheel him into the operating room and take half his brain out. He wakes up in the morning and the doc says, "How we doing today?"
The Marine says "Buh...buh, buh.."
The doc says, "Well, that didn't work too good. Maybe we didn't take enough brain out. Let's wheel him back in and take out another quarter of his brain."
So they take out another quarter of his brain. He wakes up in the morning and the doc asks: "How we feeling today?"
The patient goes - "Buh! Buh, buh, buh..."
The doc says, "Well this just isn't working too good. Let's take the rest of his brain out." They wheel him into the operating room and remove the rest of his brain.
Next morning he wakes up and the doc asks, "How we feeling today?''
He sits straight up in bed and sings, "Be, be all that you can be..."
I think front line quips from the troops would be the best recruitment. "We're killing terrorists. How about you put down the Gameboy, get off your ass, and lend a hand."
Actually, I liked Uncle Sam saying, "I need you." Like they used in WW I. But Be all that you can be does have a good sound to it.
The only problem with the "Be all you can be" slogan was that the Marines used to say, if that is all you want, then the army is ok, but if you want to be something more, join the Marines.
I propose the slogan, "Join the Army. Break things and Kill people."