Armed Forces News

US Army photo: Still image from "The Next Greatest Generation is Now" campaign video.

The Army National Guard is launching a new advertising campaign that targets 18- to 24-year-old “Gen-Z” men and women. Guard leaders are hoping that slogans like “Restless? No. Relentless” and “Live to make a difference” will appeal to potential young recruits’ sense of duty and love of country.

“What I love is that these ads accurately capture our soldiers,” said Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, the Army National Guard director. “We’ve got the right product. Our successes are local, and these efforts can be tailored to the local level.”

The ad campaign (“The Next Greatest Generation is Now”) deliberately avoided direct references to hardships related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, it targets young people who wonder if and how they could get a foothold on their goals during a time when so many avenues to achievement have been stalled.

The ads feature real-world stories of 26 male and female Guard soldiers who have realized accomplishments both in and out of uniform, due to their commitment to part-time military service. The ads will air on major television and digital media channels, at least through the NCAA basketball “March Madness” tournament.