Re: [veterans] Digest (02/02/2000 18:00) (#2000-27)

[Guest guest]

Thought you all could use a laugh. Is this what we're having to resort to

now? By the way, as in for getting a hold of Spieldberg, what a great

idea!!!!! Thanks Cohen for the idea. With all this wierd phenomenon going

on, I'm sure he'd like to make a movie.

<< ==============================

Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2000 15:46:38 -0800

Subject: Stars " Enlist " to Spotlight Military

By D. Kozaryn

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- Because films like " Top Gun " attract young

people's interest in the military, Defense Secretary

S. Cohen is enlisting Hollywood's star power to

promote the armed forces.

For the past year, the Pentagon's top civilian leader and

his wife, Janet Langhart Cohen, have been talking to top

people in film, television and sports. They believe Tom

Cruise, on Ford, DeNiro, Brolin and

other celebrities can help attract recruits.

Reconnecting America with the military is Cohen's overall

goal. These prominent people, he said, can help deliver his

message to the public: " We've got the finest military in

the world. We want to keep them. We need your help. "

While the Marine Corps traditionally meets its recruiting

goals, the Army, Navy and Air Force are having a tough time

filling their ranks, Cohen said during a Jan. 28 session

with the Defense Writers Group. He said this is due to a

" vigorous, dynamic economy, " a smaller pool of people aged

18 to 26, and the lack of a " visible, identifiable enemy. "

To meet these challenges, the military is enhancing its

recruiting efforts and changing its advertising approach.

" When I first looked at this, they were five-year

contracts, " Cohen explained. " That to me is much too long

in terms of advertising agencies not having competition. "

And rather than buy one big ad on Super Bowl Sunday, he

said, " we're trying to get more ads out in the field. "

The military is also looking at new, high-tech ways such as

e-mail to reach out and touch young people. " The Navy, for

example, is setting up kiosks in various malls, putting in

computers to allow young people to have access to not only

computer games, but to have access to online information

about the Navy, " Cohen said. " We're trying to take

advantage of this new, younger, very computer-oriented

generation. "

In late January, the Cohens spent time in Los Angeles

talking with a dozen celebrities. They invited the

entertainers to tour military bases and to record some

public service announcements and messages expressing

appreciation to the troops.

The Cohens also met with film producers Jerry Bruckheimer,

who is doing a film on Pearl Harbor, and Spielberg,

who is doing a documentary on the Marine Corps. Cohen

honored Spielberg at the Pentagon in August for directing

" Saving Private , " and promoting national awareness of

the World War II generation's service and sacrifices.

While in Los Angeles, the Cohens also met with officials at

Fox TV's NFL Sunday. " We're now trying to work out an

arrangement where they will do a broadcast of NFL games

from one of our carriers just before Christmas, " the

secretary said. Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Cris

worth, the show's commentators, are eager to do it,

he said. " They also want to go individually to visit with

the troops. "

In fact, Bradshaw volunteered to " re-up " for a second stint

with the military. The former Pittsburgh Steelers

quarterback did his first-ever military tour in December.

" We called him up out of the blue and asked, 'Would you

come with us on this trip overseas?' " Cohen recalled. " He

said, 'Absolutely.' No one had ever asked him to do

anything like that before. "

Bradshaw, along with singer-songwriter Chapin

Carpenter, super model Christie Brinkley, comedian Al

en, six Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and several other

stars signed up for Cohen's holiday USO tour to Italy and

the Balkans. After three fast-paced days traveling aboard

an Air Force C-17 and an Army helicopter, visits with

thousands of fatigue-clad troops at five locations,

including a stop in Bosnia, where there was 50 inches of

new-fallen snow, Bradshaw declared he'd had " a blast. "

On his next three NFL Sunday shows, Bradshaw wore a maroon

military beret in tribute to the troops who presented it to

him in the Balkans. The troops " loved it, " Cohen said, " and

it was a big morale boost. " >>