I’ve wondered at times why the Army or any other armed service spends so much money on advertising campaigns for recruits when the results of the media coverage is much more powerful in getting people to not want to join. Do they really believe that some commercial about dressing up in camo and using night vision is going to alter the perceptions of the following?
- U.S. military changes how it brings dead soldiers’ bodies home
- Two more Fort Riley soldiers dead in bomb attack
- 10 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq over weekend
I think we all get the picture. I’d even argue that the $200 million a year Army campaign is not only not working but it’s having ZERO affect on getting the recruits they want.
“We’re enlisting more dropouts, people with more law violations, lower test scores, more moral issues,†said a senior noncommissioned officer involved in Army personnel and recruiting. “We’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to get people to join.†via NYTimes.com
Can you Imagine the Job Description?
World’s biggest spending budget! Great benefits. Lot’s of sun. Two-months of paid, on-the-job training. Lot’s of exercise. Free room and board. Shifts are one-year on, four months off. Work isn’t guaranteed after that, but very likely.
Now, I want to make sure and say I appreciate what the soldiers do, but I think it is completely laughable for the armed forces to think that advertising is going to counter what we’ve all read in the press on a daily basis for the last four years.