The military is having trouble recruiting and the Army is doing something about it. In an effort to bolster its numbers and reshape public perception, the Army is looking to collaborate with those who once filled its ranks – veterans.

American Legion Palisades Post 283 hosted a discussion on Friday, Feb. 2, that aimed to integrate the military narrative into the fabric of national and local media. The gathering sought innovative solutions to the critical challenges of recruiting and community integration faced by service members and veterans.

The keynote address was delivered by the Army’s public affairs chief, Maj. Gen. John L. Rafferty Jr. The night focused on the urgent need for a novel approach to military recruitment and veteran affairs, emphasizing the need to counter the prevailing negative stereotypes of veterans in the media. A two-part strategy was proposed, starting with a local initiative to encourage film and media creators to portray veterans as positive community figures. The strategy aims to leverage Department of Defense assets to improve the authenticity of military representations in media, advocating for service personnel and veterans to be cast in positive roles.

“Too many times I’ve seen veterans portrayed in TV shows and movies as broken and sad, with post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional issues,” said Jim Cragg, commander of Post 283. “It could take years, but we want to change the way Americans view veterans -- not from a place of pity but one of envy and respect.”

At the national level, the proposed resolution drafted by Post 283’s judge advocate Jay McCann, a former Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, calls for a collaboration between the Legion, educational institutions, and communities to highlight the positive impact of soldiers and veterans as a global force for good. Additionally, a tripartite innovation grant initiative between the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Corporation for National and Community Service was suggested to revitalize veteran organizations and engage youth.