While leafing through a weekly national sports magazine, I came across some recruiting ads that caught my eye—one for the Marine Corps and one for the Navy. Our advertising not only speaks to potential recruits but also communicates to the nation and our current service members how we see ourselves. Looking at our current advertising campaign speaks volumes to me about the Navy's present recruiting and retention difficulties.
What sort of people do these ads seek to attract and what do they say about the Navy and Marine Corps? These snapshots are the face of the military to those who see them—even for those who are not hooked by their message. People build, or reaffirm, their opinion of the services in no small part through ads such as these. As fewer and fewer members of our society have direct or even indirect contact with the military, these ads have an even greater impact in shaping the public's view of the armed services they are selling.
The first ad I came across—in this admittedly unscientific survey—displayed a young recruit's newly shaved head as he strained to climb over an obstacle, and proclaimed: "Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body." The subtext speaks of the mind and body "meeting" a common goal and "winning." Who is the intended audience here? My pop-psychological Madison Avenue analysis is that this service is targeting those in a young, active demographic and offering them a challenge—both physical and mental. No direct benefit or reward is offered, save the anticipated pride and confidence that the recruit soon will have as he succeeds in pulling himself over that obstacle. What does this ad say about the Marine Corps? Is warrior ethos too much to glean out of this ad? Maybe so, but it certainly would reinforce that idea if it already were there. This ad presents a tough and challenging place to be. The Marine Corps shows itself as an organization that the reader would be proud to be a part of—if he could measure up, and if he could get over that obstacle. It also describes an organization that the nation would be proud to have as its premier fighting force.
A few pages later came another—and equally telling—advertisement for the Navy. This ad depicts an aviator with enlisted technicians to either side. A heads-up display-like graphic shows this officer's ostensible career path. Between the "journey's beginning" and its "continuation" are—in addition to flight school and boat quals—free tuition and books, possible film school or a Harvard M.B.A., and, oh, a naval aviator for a spouse. Who is the intended audience here? Again, my analysis tells me the service in question is targeting a young, college-bound demographic and offering education benefits, among other things, as rewards for going to flight school. At first glance, the cynic in me thinks this is specifically aimed at females, but then again it could be aimed at young males. What does this ad say about the Navy? First, it certainly must be short of people seeking ROTC scholarships or who want to be aviators. Second, the Navy provides equal opportunity with regard to gender and it provides educational benefits. Any sacrifice for a common goal, reinforcement of a proud heritage, or reference to a warrior ethos? The three service members do connote a team atmosphere. But nothing in this ad even implies any sacrifice—except maybe the late nights spent debating whether to "journey" to Harvard for your M.B.A. or go off to film school.
The ad also downplays any challenging training by using the soft verb "attend" when referring to "Navy flight school." Does one "attend" Parris Island? The ad, in an apparent oversight, leaves out "attending" anything else—like a deployment to the Western Pacific or the Persian Gulf in service to the nation's interests, or "attending" a potential foe's hasty departure from the breathing world.
Could the nation and current service members be proud of the Navy as displayed in this advertisement? With respect to our emphasis on equal opportunity and education, probably so. With respect to the Navy being a challenging organization with a proud heritage and a dedication to remaining a supreme fighting force, however—our recruiting and retention numbers provide the answer.
Lieutenant Bonat is a naval aviator presently serving on the OpNav staff.