Thousands of Army Stories in the Palm of Your Hand

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Adapting to the evolving news landscape and readership trends, the U.S. Army launched today the all-new ArmyStrongStories.com. Built to maximize access across all devices, the award-winning Army Strong Stories blogging and storytelling program is now fully available from a single URL on any mobile, tablet or desktop device. Visitors can now navigate more than 5,000 stories about Army life through easy-to-find topic pages categorized by key areas of interest.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121203/CG22290-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121203/CG22290-b)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121203/CG22290-c)

First introduced in 2008, ArmyStrongStories.com allows hundreds of Army Soldiers representing more than 145 career fields and nearly every rank, the opportunity to share their authentic Army stories.  Family members, veterans and other Army supporters are also among the regular contributors and visitors to the site, recounting their pieces of the Army experience.

The all-new site includes:

• Enhancements and new functionality: Provides streamlined navigation and engaging visual content for bloggers and site visitors for an updated user experience. The website is now responsive, meaning it is seamlessly viewable from any desktop, mobile or tablet device.
• 15 topical pages: Give site visitors an all-access pass to hundreds of stories on topics of interest, painting a more complete picture of life in the Army. From basic combat training to educational opportunities and diversity in the Army, these pages offer an inside look at Army life. By sourcing content from beyond the site and Army walls, the picture is given greater credibility and places Army Strong Stories at the forefront of current habits in media consumption and discovery.
• Downloadable apps: Allow site visitors and bloggers the ability to access and contribute to the more than 5,700 written and video stories seamlessly using iPhones and iPads. Access the iOS app here: http://bit.ly/armystrongapp.

"Keeping our Soldiers socially connected, engaged and talking candidly about their service is important for telling the Army story," said John Myers, Director of Marketing, Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG). "The enhanced Army Strong Stories platform reinforces the Army's ongoing commitment to provide potential recruits with credible, first-hand accounts of Army life."

By continuously evaluating the evolution of online connectivity, the Army is able to remain ahead of the steep technology curve and plan for program expansion. According to a recent Google survey, 72 percent of mobile users say that mobile-friendly websites are important to them. To demonstrate this proactive approach, the Army must engage its target audiences in a mobile-friendly manner.

Mobile is an increasingly popular platform for Soldier bloggers to communicate with their units, installations, fellow Soldiers, friends and family members. The U.S. Army's mobile program facilitates always-on global connectivity, while the topic pages provide insight into key aspects of Army life that most interest site visitors.

"The iOS app enables users to read the rich content and get a good sense of the many different experiences of Soldiers," said Major Roman Ortega, Jr., a Soldier blogger on Army Strong Stories. "I look forward to using the app frequently and reading diverse stories."

With the new Army Strong Stories iOS app and website, people can:

• Upload written content, photos and videos
• Read blog posts and watch stories about Army service from Soldiers and supporters
• Easily locate nearby Soldier bloggers
• Connect to www.goarmy.com (the official recruiting website for the U.S. Army) and www.army.mil (the official website for the U.S. Army)

In addition to the site enhancements, goarmy.com has significantly grown its social communities in the last year. Specifically, Facebook fans have increased more than 117 percent, Twitter followers have increased more than 1,533 percent and YouTube channel views have increased more than 4,725 percent since February 2011.

About Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG)

The Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG) was created by order of the Secretary of the Army in April 2011 and is tasked with connecting the Army with America through a strong Army brand and establishing the Army as the desired opportunity for service for the most qualified candidates. AMRG, along with the total Army force, including Civilians, and Families, former Soldiers and veterans, exists to create brand equity and solidify what the American people think about their Army.

SOURCE Army Marketing and Research Group