This article is about how the US Marine Corps is using social media to
change the perception people may have of those who serve in the
military. Opposed to showing individuals at war or fighting terrorists
this video shows the more humanitarian side of things including
different disaster relief situations. They want to be able to recruit
a different type of person than in the past that may be willing to
help others in a different way. One line in the article really stood
out to me indicating what they were trying to accomplish – “”But the
digital campaign enables us to tell a longer story that being a Marine
requires not only the right hand on the weapon, but also another hand
to extend support.”
http://adage.com/article/news/marines-shine-light-gentler-side-service/233223/
Do you think this portrays people in the armed services differently?
social media - gba class blog 
I think it shows that being in the marines isn’t just about fighting but at the same time I think that you can’t really get around the fact that being in the marines requires being prepared for fighting and the idea that these people are risking their lives. It seems like they are trying to entice more people to sign up by showing how they aid people in these countries rather than “trying to get a different type of person.”
Previously the dominant way the Marines had to “advertise themselves” was through a 30-second TV spot. There is only so much one can get across in that time. However, with social media, one can paint a broader picture. You have more time than half a minute to tell your story. That is what the Marines are doing here. They are expanding on the TV commercial “Towards the Sound of Chaos”, with videos on Facebook and YouTube that show the actual footage of how this is being done. This might give someone, a potential recruit possibly, a different view of the Marines they never had before.
This is a perfect example of the power that social media has. Marines and others in the armed forces are doing more than just shooting people and this is a perfect vehicle to show that other side.