May 14, 2007

Hip Appeal of Armed Forces May Erode Its Dignity

The relationship of the American people with its military is especially relevant today. The plurality of opinions expressed starts to lead to an impasse among those of us who have virtually no power to enact change.

Curiously, the military behavior that is particularly pertinent to Generation Y constituents like me is the increasing “hipness” of the armed forces. Several years ago, as a high school student, I was impressed at the modern aesthetic and catchy slogan choice of the recruitment ads we had to watch in homeroom.

Then one day while waiting for a film to begin at the theater, in between a commercial for community college classes and a preview for a Will Farrell film, I saw the ad set to the music of a popular metal band.

I consider myself an open-minded person, but watching the world’s most powerful air force draw on the same music for empowerment as eighth grade boys did felt just wrong.

Reaching out to a younger audience should have its boundaries. It should not come at the price of dignity or respect. There is a difference between moving along with the times and losing the separate identity the military has always had.

Familiarity does breed contempt, and trying to forge an image of the armed forces as a part of pop culture is bound to prove harmful in the long run.

Like all institutions, the military depends on its image for legitimacy. The uniforms, the hierarchy, the salutations, the routine, the code of conduct, the principles are what separates those in the service from civilians.

More importantly, that difference is what keeps us in awe of those who willingly risk their lives to protect the country. This distance is not synonymous with ignoring the humanity of the soldiers. Rather, it is an establishment of boundaries.

Casting the armed forces as approachable and relevant shouldn’t cheapen the image of the institution. The military recently decided to put 25 clips of soldiers in action on YouTube.com. Two months later, the Multi-National Force-Iraq channel is 16 on the site’s most subscribed to list and has drawn more than a million views.

Showing the daily life of our troops is a noble concept. But the venue should not be a site that is home to everything from belly dancing instructions to Russian cartoons to high school prom videos.

The military has been defending its choice by pointing to the fact that a government-sponsored website would inhibit people, stunting participation. That is certainly a valid point, but I am still not convinced that the people who created the microwave oven cannot find another option.

At a time when the anti-war sentiment is so strong, showcasing the daily toils of the troops in a more detached context would help the American people distinguish between problematic policy and people.

Today’s high school students receive most of their information from the Internet, where information about everything is available in the same place. They should encounter a firm, although virtual, boundary between entertainment and ennoblement.