Military Recruiting in Old Time Radio

Modern Warfare is an increasingly technological, electronic, and mechanized undertaking. It is easy to imagine that generals are adopting the attitude that "whoever has the most/best toys wins!" However, if you ask any General or Admiral, they will tell you that their most important asset is the people under their command.

The value of the individual soldier has changed through the history of warfare. In the depths of prehistory, certain members of a tribal group would be called upon to act as warriors to protect the tribe and their territory. With the rise of the Nation-State, standing armies become an important tool of statecraft, and a standing army implies professional soldiers. This includes an officer class, often filled by the nobility, and a cadre of non-commissioned officers who would be tasked with training and leading new recruits for war.

When open warfare is on the horizon, the ranks of the standing army might be supplemented by volunteers, but more often the state must turn to conscription to answer the threat. Volunteers are believed to serve because of a love or belief in the state, while conscripts are only there because they are forced to be. As such, volunteers are generally seen to be of greater value to the cause.

The U.S. Military has depended upon drafting conscripts in the Civil War, both World War I and World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Volunteers were an important component of each of these conflicts, and in 1974, the military transitioned to an All-Volunteer Force. The military began establishing Recruitment Offices during the Great War. These offices were set up in cities and were manned by senior Non-Commissioned Officers from the various services.

Marketing has always been an important part of military recruitment. The basic reasons a young person might consider enlisting for Military Service include patriotism, the possibility for adventure and travel, educational/job/career opportunities, and a perceived increase in social status by donning the uniform. Recruiters have exploited all of these perceptions.

Recruiters are selected from the best the various services have to offer, showing the potential recruits; "this could be you". The various Services' Recruiting Commands also took advantage of the marketing power of Radio to attract recruits. Music programs were an important part of this effort. All types of popular music were used, featuring both Service Bands and popular artists. The Navy especially leaned into the popularity of Country and Western music.

Another interesting format for recruiting programs was the Heroic Stories as presented on The Voice of the Army and the Navy's Now Hear This. On these programs, stories of servicemen who go above and beyond the call of duty are related to inspire potential recruits to desire the chance to serve their country.

See also: Navy Shows in Old Time Radio

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