I Am a Soldier of the United States (Service Series No. 12)
A saluting soldier in campaign hat and tunic stands against a red brush-stroke ground above a first-person pledge: he knows his trade, performs his duties 'smartly and cheerfully', has 'no use for kickers' and will stay until discharged. The tell is the first-person voice, which asks the reader to adopt the soldier's attitude as their own; 'kickers' labels complainers as outside the group.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army (issuer not printed; attribution inferred)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Army (attribution inferred). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-269.
Text on the object
SERVICE SERIES No. 12 I am a soldier of the United States. I know my trade and am learning something more every day. I perform my duties smartly and cheerfully and have no use for kickers. I shall stick until I am told that I am no longer needed and until I receive an honorable discharge.
