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April 01, 2008 05:54 AM UTC

"Гјber alles" - USAF draws fire for new slogan.

  • 42 Comments
  • by: NEWSMAN

AIR FORCE’S NEW ‘ABOVE ALL’ CAMPAIGN DRAWS FIRE

This time it’s not just Bush being called a Nazi. It’s the USAF publicity section.

Some call it a thinly veiled, inappropriate lobbying effort, not a recruitment tool

By JULIAN E. BARNES and PETER SPIEGEL LA TIMES

  WASHINGTON – Troubling images flash across the screen, showing black-clad terrorists, tsunami-flooded villages and the Chinese army.

  “Only the United States Air Force has the speed, power and vision to defend our nation for the century ahead,” the announcer intones as an F-22 fighter jet flies over a snowy mountain top. “U.S. Air Force, above all.”

  There is nothing unusual about seeing military recruiting ads right now. But in Congress and the Pentagon, many people think that the new Air Force ads are less about recruiting and more about lobbying for extra money.

  Some lawmakers see an Air Force push to win funds for newer equipment. And, in rare criticism from others in the military, some Pentagon officials think that the ads are meant to buck Bush administration spending pri- orities and to push the Air Force’s agenda.

  The ads are part of a $25 million campaign designed by the Air Force for television, radio, the Internet and newspapers, and called “Above All.”

  Unlike traditional recruiting campaigns, the ads do not highlight what the military offers individuals who join. Instead, they stress how the Air Force protects the nation.

  Some Pentagon officials are asking why the Air Force needs recruiting ads, as the service has no trouble meeting its recruiting goals and is supposed to be downsizing, not growing.

The slogan – “Above All” – has puzzled other military officials. One Defense official skeptical of the campaign said the “Above All” slogan evoked the German phrase “über alles” – which roughly translates “above all” – from the national anthem words “Deutschland über alles” used by Nazi Germany.

Air Force defends ads    

Air Force officials reject those charges and are defending their ads as part of an innovative and needed recruiting campaign.

  “It’s designed to be a little provocative, to create a dialogue, to engage so that a significant portion of the public is informed about what we do for America so as to help people join our team,” said Maj. Gen. William Chambers, the Air Force’s director of communications.

  Rather than aiming the spots at potential recruits, the main target is adults who advise young people about whether to enlist in the military, Chambers said.

MORE

   

  While the ads do not contain an explicit pitch to sign up, they contain the Web address for a recruiting site, www.airforce.com.

  The service has asked for $55 million more to fund another round of “Above All” ads in 2009 as part of a $112.5 million advertising budget. Air Force officers also said that they brought in German language experts to make sure the “Above All” catch phrase did not evoke the words “über alles” with German speakers.

  And Air Force officials said that, like all recruiting ads, the campaign emphasizes the uniqueness of an individual military service but is not meant to put down the other branches.

  When it comes to asking for money, the military services must walk a narrow path. The Pentagon has large planning and acquisition staffs that set national security priorities. And Congress requests a “wish list” each year to highlight the needs of the various services that did not receive Defense Department funding.

  But it is against the law for the military to lobby Congress directly for money. To some members of Congress, the recruiting ads look suspiciously like a lobbying effort.

  Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, called the ad campaign “outrageous” and questioned whether it amounted to an illegal lobbying effort in a recent letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

  Gates asked Air Force officials to talk to Murtha, who said through a spokesman that his concerns have been addressed.

Uneasy lawmakers    

But other lawmakers also are uneasy. In a statement, Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., said the Air Force responded to his concerns but he still thinks Congress should “thoroughly examine” the ads.

  “Congress has an obligation to make sure that our taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly and appropriately,” Boyd said.

  Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., questioned Air Force leaders about the ad in a March 11 hearing. Jim Specht, a spokesman, said Lewis still considers the ads part of an effort to secure a larger budget share.

  Lewis is particularly incensed at ads that seemed to target the Washington, D.C., area. Two full-page newspaper ads ran in The Washington Post, which has a very low circulation outside of the capital region, suggesting the ads were “strictly designed to lobby Congress,” Specht said.

  One “Above All” ad on the Air Force Web site highlights its contribution in Iraq. But the bulk of the campaign is focused on other challenges, such as cyberattacks.

‘Brand awareness’    

Air Force officials say that the fact that they are highlighting their preparation for threats does not mean they have shifted their main focus from Iraq and Afghanistan.

  “It is our No. 1 priority to win the current fight,” Chambers said. “Do we have eyes on the future? Yes. But that is part of giving good military advice.”

  And Air Force officials say that even though the service is supposed to cut its size, they have asked Congress for money to halt the cuts and restore its ranks.

  The Air Force’s budget proposal, released in February, says the objective of the advertising campaign is to increase the service’s “brand awareness.”

  “The program seeks to change a mindset by educating the American public on how today’s Air Force is the most engaged, versatile, and high-tech of all military services,” the budget document says.

  But officials more recently insisted the ads first and foremost are recruiting spots. Ads have run on the History Channel and during the NCAA basketball tournament.

  “If we are even thinking about turning around from a declining Air Force to an increasing Air Force, we need to show what we are doing in support of the nation,” said Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne.  

Criticism of the new USAF slogan is:

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42 thoughts on ““Гјber alles” – USAF draws fire for new slogan.”

  1. “Das Deutschlandlied (“The Germany Song”, also known as Das Lied der Deutschen, “The Song of the Germans”)

    The Outside Germany, the hymn is sometimes informally known by the opening words and refrain of the first stanza, Deutschland, Deutschland Гјber alles (Germany, Germany above everything)”

    From Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D…

    I’m sure it wasn’t their intent, but it could bring up some uncomfortable feelings in Americans of German background.  

  2. Air Force, Above All!  Would these nut-job members of congress be this upset if the Postal Service came up with the same ad campaign?  What would these clowns like the Air Force to do?  Try to lose?  Go hide?  Start using typewriters and flying Cesnas?  Thank God for the Air Force and other branches of service, if all we had were these congressional boobs what would we have to be proud of?  

    2. Our taxpayer dollars are being wasted on consulting and media firms for a recruitment purposes for the Air Force, which hasn’t a problem recruiting new members. It’s called wasteful spending, and in a time of economic down turn and war, we shouldn’t be spending wastefully.

      What’s with you radical righties always wanted to bankrupt our country? Run up the debt on TV Ads! Great idea.

      1. …for the right to use “In the Navy” in their recruiting commercials.  

          That was until someone actually listened to the lyrics and figured out what they meant.  Then the Navy brass 86’d that ad campaign!

          Your tax dollars at work defending our nation!

      2. …that thought up Operation Iraqi Liberation. (O.I.L.)

        There is a large natural pass between two barrier islands here, Big Pass.  It’s been there for untold thousands of years.  

        A project was done to see about the channel, possible sand mining, etc.  It concluded, hold on here chillun, that if nothing is done……the pass would stay open.

        Genius, sheer genius.  

  3. Could it possibly have something to do with the fact that the Air Force is in charge of defending the air, which is ABOVE the ground and sea?  

      1. Deutschland, Deutschland Гјber alles (Germany, Germany above everything)”

        The patriotic national anthem of Germany for over 150 years has nothing to do with the American English language slogan,

        AIR FORCE – ABOVE ALL

        1. I guess I have to cover all the bases for you.

          “Гњber alles” translates to “above all.” “Above everything” or “over everything” are awkward in English, so the term is properly translated as “above all.” Just like, unfortunately for the USAF, their new slogan.

          Translators do not use literal definitions from English/German dictionaries. It’s more artful than that. So, it’s pedantic to make the case that you do.

          Sorry, newsie, but that’s the truth.

          1. and you are partially correct in your content, but wrong in your conclusion.  Just like you said, “because that’s what we would say in English”, we translate ideas, not words.

            The idea of putting your country over all other priorities, is not the same idea as the USAF slogan of Air Superiority.

            Remember the words were written over 150 years ago (before the airplane was invented),when Germany was a bunch of disorganized states, and the idea of uniting them was considered a good thing.

            BTW: According to Wikipedia, you were Ayn Rand’s greatest influence, which explains why some would call here the Saudi Arabia of BS.

            Rand’s greatest influence was Aristotle, especially Organon (“Logic”); she considered Aristotle the greatest philosopher.[31] In particular, her philosophy reflects an Aristotelian epistemology and metaphysics-both Aristotle and Rand argued that “there exists an objective reality that is independent of mind and that is capable of being known.”[32] Although Rand was ultimately critical of Aristotle’s ethics, others have noted her egoistic ethics “is of the eudemonistic type, close to Aristotle’s own … a system of guidelines required by human beings to live their lives successfully, to flourish, to survive as ‘man qua man.'”[33] Younkins argued “that her philosophy diverges from Aristotle’s by considering essences as epistemological and contextual instead of as metaphysical. She envisions Aristotle as a philosophical intuitivist who declared the existence of essences within concretes”.

            1. “This Above All,” 1941 book and 1942 movie about women in the Air Force.  “Above All,” song by Michael W. Smith.  “Above All,” Indianapolis based aerial photography company.  “Character Above All,” PBS Special on the Presidency.  I could be wrong but I think the Air Force meant for their new slogan to mean “above all.”  They are English words that mean “above all.”  I am sure any two word phrase would end up offending someone somewhere.  I think the South Park cartoon editorialized or satirized a similar subject.  The issue isn’t the phrase, but rather contempt for the Air Force’s Commander in Chief.  These are two words with legitimate meaning in the English language, trying to tie them to another language in another time with another meaning isn’t going to end the war.  And let’s be honest, isn’t that what this is all about?  

              1. There are two groups:

                For the damn dirty tree-hugging hippies, yes.

                For the Army and Navy and Marines, no.  It’s still about F-22s to them.  But the ones pulling out the “Nazi” lines aren’t in this group.  These guys are mostly pulling out the “subtle attempt to up their profile and standing” bit.

                1. Where do you come up with shit like that?  You wouldn’t be doing stereotyping, would you?  Especially of nothing current?  And where will you and your F-22’s be without trees, anyway?  Don’t you need oxygen in those engines?  

                    4. Didn’t miss them a bit. Usually when I now go to the theater I am reminded why I didn’t.

                      The ones I eventually see are on DVD; I’d much rather do that than pay $5 for popcorn and deal with people on their cell phones.  

              2. that Newsman is the one who emphasized the “Гњber Alles” angle by making it the title of his post and blockquoting the paragraph where an unidentified DOD official brings it up. If you read the article and ignore that emphasis, it’s a side note. The real point is that the USAF may be wasting taxpayer dollars in an effort to increase what’s doubtless an already bloated budget. I’m sure that doesn’t trouble a Reagan con but it should.

                1. made this otherwise typical bureaucratic infighting story unique.

                  The fact that it came not from the Huffington post or Daily Kos, but from a pentagon insider was what made it interesting to me.

            2. then you know that your initial statement about the meaning “Гјber alles” is incorrect.

              I don’t care one way or the other about this Air Force flap, as I’m sure the Madison Avenue genius who thought up the slogan had no idea about the Nazi anthem. I just wanted to set you straight about the fact that “Гјber alles” correctly translates as “above all.”

              As far as the rest of your post goes – Rand may have been influenced by Aristotle but like a lot of people calling themselves Christian and their “influence” Jesus, she came to some conclusions that I don’t think Aristotle would have had he lived today.

              1. It was just a joke. I don’t really think you’re that old, or that smart.

                I’m not a fan of Ayn Rand in any case.

                Below is (and was) my main point.

                The idea of putting your country over all other priorities, is not the same idea as the USAF slogan of Air Superiority.

  6. “Do Something Amazing”  Even though I had a buddy on one of the commercials, it was still a little lame.  This is less lame.  Maybe even something they can stick with for a few years for once.  

    Doubtful, since everyone is busy protecting their not-F-22-money fiefdoms, or becoming Godwin’s Law Straw Men.  But a guy can hope.

    I could care less about fighter geeks, hell, you can un-man the whole fleet of jets, but I’m digging the full-court press they’re putting on to get more 22s.  

      1. But I don’t think categorically calling them more useful than the F-22 is totally accurate.  

        We need to face it – the Air Force inventory has never been older.  Hell, I fly stuff that was built when my dad was in high school.  Some of that’s just the fact that it’s only been 105 years since we learned to fly, it’s true.  And some of that’s okay – thankfully people used to know how to engineer magnificent aircraft on schedule and under budget; aircraft that will last the better part of a century.  

        But eventually, that bill will come due, and it won’t be cheap.  And it will be whiz-bang cool stuff that will be expensive, but just because it’ll be whiz-bang cool doesn’t mean it won’t be exceedingly useful.

        I know for a fact that you can’t just slap on new equipment and call it a full upgrade forever.  Eventually the aircraft will say “No More,” and you’ll have a fleet of maintainers scratching their heads trying to re-engineer the re-engineering on the fly.  

        1. Is pretty cool though.  I wouldn’t want to fly it in air to air combat missions, but I bet it would do more damage to ground forces than the F-22

          1. The A-10 is like an old work truck. It ain’t pretty, but it runs and gets the job done. The F-22 is like a new Mustang GT500. Lots of power, looks good, but expensive. I wouldn’t say one is more effective than the other. It’s apples and oranges.

            And when I made the comment about the Germany Song, I wasn’t making any great statement or likening anyone to Nazis. I was only pointing out the background of the words “uber alles,” and what it might mean to people of German background.  

          2. Basically they upgraded the whatchamacallit and added a whiz-bang thingamabob… and they changed out the instrument whoosey-whatsit.

            It kills bad guys even better now and it’s always done that pretty good. (It really was a WICKED COOL upgrade)

            I could tell you more but then I’d have to kill ya.

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