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Amid Recruiting Crisis, Military Turns To Branding

September 8, 2011
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In the mid 2000s, as casualty counts grew for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the armed forces faced a recruiting crisis. So, taking a page from the private sector, the military turned to branding as a solution to their image problem — to make the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps seem accessible and cool. Everything from Marine Corps hot sauce to Army paint ball guns hit the shelves. And Washington Post reporter Christian Davenport tells Robert Siegel the U.S. military is now doing a booming business.

Arts & Culture

NPR

Fictional 'Mothers' Reveal Facts Of A Painful Adoption Process

After years trying to conceive, novelist Jennifer Gilmore and her husband decided to adopt. What they thought would be a relatively simple process was instead a long and painful one. In her latest novel, Gilmore channels these autobiographical experiences into fiction.

Food

NPR

In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial

Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.

Politics

NPR

Fears Of Killing Immigration Bill Doomed Same-Sex Amendment

Amid warnings the proposal would shatter support for the measure, Democrats backed away from a provision that would allow gay U.S. citizens to sponsor foreign-born spouses for green cards. Advocates for gay and lesbian immigration rights accused Democrats of caving in to threats.

Technology

NPR

How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started

You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.

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