Forged By The Sea

Forged By The Sea.

The new Navy slogan. 

Pure marketing bilgewater. 

Yes, it’s probably better than “A Global Force For Good”, which sounded like the Peace Corps, but it’s still worthless.  Why is it worthless?  Because it doesn’t reflect any core value of the Navy.

The Marines used to have this right with their “The Few, The Proud, The Marines”.  That reflected their core belief, and actuality, that they were an elite fighting organization and that ethos not only supplied the slogan but it transcended petty concerns like marketing.  Marketing???  That’s hilarious.  The Marines not only didn’t care whether they appealed to a mass market of recruits, they actively discouraged potential recruits and stated that they didn’t think any potential recruit was good enough or tough enough to be a Marine.  As is true with human nature, the Marine’s very exclusivity and disdain for the average potential recruit ensured that they would attract the best and toughest potential recruits – those who relished a challenge and were determined to prove themselves worthy of being one of the very best.

Of course, sadly, the Marines have now abandoned their core.

The Navy’s new slogan is just a marketing jingle.  It has no underlying meaning or value.  It doesn’t relate to any core Navy value because, frankly, the Navy has no worthwhile core values at this time.  Fat Leonard, surrendering to Iranians, ceding the South China Sea without contest, whining to Congress, lying about the LCS, waiving required basic seamanship certifications – these are the “values” that the Navy espouses now.

It doesn’t matter how brilliant or relatable or catchy or memorable or inspiring the Navy’s new slogan is because it has no meaning.

Ironically, "forged" also means to copy fraudulently or to fake.  Apropos, wouldn't you say?. 

The Navy hired a marketing firm to develop this slogan and paid a great deal of money for someone to write a slogan for them.  Hey Navy, establish some core values and the slogan will write itself.  Live some core values and you won't have to recruit, the recruits will come to you begging to be allowed in.

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