Letter to Military Advertisement
By: Nico Schafer
Tags: Military, Trauma, Us Military, Military Recruiting, PTSD

Attention US Military Advertisement Agencies,

You are likely very familiar with Uncle Sam. His stars-and-stripes-clad figure would lead him to become the poster boy of war propaganda. He would go on to inspire millions to serve in the United States Military, many of them fresh out of high school. Now Uncle Sam has been replaced by other forms of military advertisement, from commercial breaks during the Superbowl to social media pages. Though the medium that our military uses to entrance viewers may change, it has always tried to appeal to new generations. But one can only wonder if these advertisements are telling the truth of what the military experience is. Could it be possible that recruiters are selling viewers a false experience?

You’ve probably seen commercials that aim to recruit new soldiers before; either on huge, flashy billboards or during commercial breaks in large sporting events such as the Superbowl. A popular image portrayed is of soldiers splashing through mud, wielding gargantuan machine guns as if they weighed nothing. These images are epic, action packed, and make the viewer feel as though they could do the same thing. They sell an experience of adventure, self-discipline, and honor. However, if you ask any US veteran, they will tell you that this adventure is not as portrayed in the advertising. Conditions for new recruits are hardly luxurious, and the treatment they receive is perhaps worse. When you first enter the military, you are subjected to mostly grunt work, and likely treated by your superiors as scum. Matt Young, a former US Marine, remembers with great detail the poor treatment he received. In an article he wrote for Time magazine he mentions the way soldiers push each other; “You’re going to die,” they’d say. “Worse, you’re all f-ckups. You’re going to get us killed.” One could perhaps find solace in the fact that peers are treated the same, if you aren’t brawling with them during free time. This lifestyle is not the one presented to you by recruiters. False advertisement has led many a young person astray, for they had just assumed that their experience would be positive.

If you went to a public high school, you might remember when one or twice a year, army recruiters visited your campus, adorned with flashy medals and pins and magazines. High schoolers, like moths to a flame, are drawn to novelty and excitement. Because the military experience has been painted in a mystical light, even as a rite of passage in some areas, adolescents may feel that it’s their civil duty to enlist. Another method recruiters use in their rhetoric is to mention opportunities for scholarships, awards, and insurance that will help students later in their life. This strategy is extremely effective in convincing high school seniors to join. The future can seem daunting to the average 18-year-old, and an organization that helps you along will draw them in. The military keeps shifting their rhetoric and propaganda to appeal to the younger generations.

One of the most infamous illnesses that has afflicted veterans is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. This is a mental illness that can inhibit people who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events. Naturally, being in the military provides plenty of opportunities for this to happen. After leaving the military, patients may have flashbacks to these events that prevent them from being able to handle daily tasks. They may avoid people, places, and objects that remind them of the traumatising events. Patients are also at a significantly higher risk of depression and suicide. In fact, a study by the US Department of Veteran Affairs shows that 18% of US adult suicides were by veterans. This is perhaps the most crucial caveat that military recruiters fail to mention to those interested. If they are drafted, they are going to see horrible violence that will change them permanently. Because trauma is not usually expected, and they hadn’t been warned of negative effects, patients often fail to cope with symptoms of PTSD and usually don’t seek help.

Another less commonly mentioned ill effect of military experience is nicotine addiction. In fact, according to a 2010–2015 study conducted by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28.3% of US military veterans use tobacco products, double the 14% of US citizens that smoked in 2017. The most concerning part: these addictions didn’t necessarily arise from conflict trauma. Training is usually incredibly stressful, especially for low-ranking soldiers, and many end up turning to cigarettes to combat this. Lighting up during free time with other soldiers is a common sight in the military, and puts soldiers at a higher risk for lung cancer and other illnesses.

At this point you may be wondering if I have heard of positive lessons that stem from military involvement. The answer to that question is yes. It is very much true that soldiers gain life skills from their participation in training. They gain people skills, comradery, kinship, and self-discipline. These skills are all helpful in future life events, and help soldiers to mature, especially if they are young. The issue isn’t with these skills. What irks me about military recruitment is that it sells viewers a false experience. The experience one could be sold an experience wildly different from the one they are about to receive. According to Tracy Westen, a former staff member of the Federal Trade Commission, this is a harsh reality for many. “Recruiting ads often don’t even meet the same standards for accuracy required of consumer ads,” she remarks. “Yet because they benefit from the US government’s credibility, people don’t view them with the same skepticism as ordinary advertising.” I believe that to combat this, recruiters must be required to make disclaimers to viewers and soldiers before they enlist. This way, viewers will still be inspired to join, ensuring that our country will have plenty of soldiers prepared to defend our country. At the same time, these viewers will be able to reconcile any misconceptions that they had about the military experience, and will be prepared to deal with the consequences of enlisting.

In the past, our military may not have been very honest about what new soldiers can expect from their experience. False advertisement has led thousands to participate in a situation drastically different than the one they were told to expect. But I believe that if the military were to inform the public about all caveats and separate fact from fantasy, our protective forces could thrive. The military offers plenty of positive experiences to soldiers, and many benefit from their experiences for the rest of their lives. There’s no reason to halt military advertisement. We just need to let newcomers know the truth about their service.

Cordially,

Nico Schafer