Saving Patriotism: What Went Wrong?

Patriotism was once the breeding ground of our bravest men and women at an astronomical rate. There was a time when being proud, was widely displayed with American flags hanging high and proud across neighborhoods, the long ride homes from a tour to Iraq guided by the Patriot Guard, and a vocal “Thank you for your service” heard from a stranger who noticed that young man or woman in uniform across the street. This was an era that allowed America to be a prime example of what pride meant when supporting those who courageously serve.

But fast forward to today. I notice far less flags hanging, states governing the motorcycles escorting war heroes on the freeway, and far more negative comments regarding our veterans than ever before. Patriotism has been been reported drop by nearly 70% due to a recent polling. Why could this be? Is it due to an economic post-COVID dilemma? could it be cultural change? Perhaps, social media and the way veterans voice their concerns have created an uproar in a loss of trust. The country is in a dire need for enlistees across all branches as our current 9/11 senior veterans are now leaving the military through retirement. You can’t obtain recruiting mission success if your target audience isn’t “feeling it.” It also doesn’t help when there’s poorly ran programs, little pay, and rarely pushed resources for #veterans. People talk and guess what, they’ve ben talking and it it’s a little too late.?

So, how do we give an impressive boost to our country’s patriotism and United States Department of Defense retention? Here’s my analysis that some may hate, and some may advocate for. Social media usage is a force multiplier of anti-enlistment. Platforms such as Instagram or Facebook , both Meta companies, are being used for personal postings regarding anything the user wishes to say. TikTok seems to be the primary go-to platform for voicing any topic, but it’s the "who" that is doing the talking that plays a key role in today's topic issue. Soldiers, the United States Marine Corps , and other active-duty veterans, are mocking the military in numerous videos that reflect leadership, pay, and culture. At the same time, even senior leaders are making way to the TikTok platform, engaging in very immature and unprofessional videos. This puts a bad taste in everyone who may have thought about joining’s mouth. What’s my suggestion? Ban it. Ban the usage on all social media usage on government phones as proposed before. Also, eliminate the usage of this platform while in uniform unless it’s a public affair approved marketing video. All have a right to free speech, but there are codes of conduct for employees covering social media and conducting yourself when representing your company on these platforms, and the DoD should place heavier restrictions the same way. You are always representing the military in uniform.?

Public Engagement, what a way to generate an authentic following. The military needs to focus more on this one. Corporate giving, philanthropy, or even offering free leadership and medical treatment courses for the youth would drive an interest. Instead of strategizing around what is to be cool or hip, focus on the image and professionalism these young future warriors can use. This also helps generate support of the military prospect, the parents. By using new hip jargon, you will be mocked. Remember, these people are typically between 8-25 years old. The DoD will always be looked at as the old man or embarrassing parent using generational fad language.

When I was young, I joined because I wanted to be something bigger than myself.?I wanted to earn a degree, serve my nation during a time of war, and develop structure for myself. Aside from the lack of a present war like post 9/11, these military age men and women want the very same thing. Be more involved, become the community, and trust will follow to redeem poor past marketing strategies. The #military needs to continue to separate itself from society and print themselves as something much more important, not “Hey, we are like you too.”

How do we as civilians and veterans preserve our honor and #patriotism? By simply being you and offering a reason to stand and fold your wrist with your hand over the heart during the national anthem. Leading by example as a civilian with morale, integrity, and love for country, can be contagious. Show your kids at a young age, that they live in the greatest nation on earth. Allow them to love their police, fire fighters and nurses. Allow them to play pretend in those roles.??Today’s civilians have shifted focus from supporting the veterans to bashing our heroes. This will not look great in the end with less and less courageous and brave men and women joining the fight to protect America both foreign and domestic.?organizations such as the Women Marines Association and the Grunt Style Foundation are working to show respect and support our heroes.

Lastly, more content supporting this push to save patriotism. The larger companies should include a veteran culture and establish a plan where veterans are included in the #CSR strategy, many will follow. Often, we find groups for many with all kinds of background and hear about them, but rarely do we hear about them being tailored to veterans. Hiring our heroes is not just the right thing to do, but it’s an obligation we have as Americans. I hope that one day, I will see more flags flying, more shaking a veteran’s hand, and a better light for the military to be seen in th public eye, because believe it or not, we need that more than ever.