There are a lot of brands out there trying to appeal to the American armed forces. They will attempt anything and everything: from discounts and swag to free concerts and events, all trying to prove that they are the number one supporter and brand for the military. Some brands, however, get adopted by American troops whether they like it or not, and become a staple of the culture, every bit as authentic as creamed chipped beef on toast.
No better example of this exists than Rip It.
Rip It is an energy drink that somehow found itself becoming the unofficial fuel of the U.S. military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. Although the full-sized can wasn’t widely available, troops stuffed the half-pint-sized Rip It cans (which were readily available in the chow halls) into their pockets by the dozen, preparing themselves for whatever came next.
The military provided the small version of the beverage everywhere in the CENTCOM theater for free, which is probably why the outcomes of combat operations there tend to be so lopsided. It was so common, in fact, that troops would have “case races,” downing as many as possible in a short amount of time.
For the uninitiated, Rip It is a product of the National Beverage Corporation, a company whose line of products has been described as everything from “low-cost” to “second tier.” It owns brands like Shasta and Faygo, and while they don’t have the sparkling reputation of a Coke or Pepsi (or even an RC), these brands are strong on their own.
Adherents to National Beverage brands become die-hards, and whether it’s unintended or calculated, this kind of cultural adaptation is exactly what a product wants. It’s what any product or brand wants. The company’s La Croix sparkling water set off the ongoing flavored seltzer craze across the country. In the 1990s, fans of the band Insane Clown Posse adopted Faygo as part of their identity. When the company debuted Rip It as part of the energy drink boom in the early 2000s, it wasn’t long before the military approved it, and U.S. troops adopted it.
In 2004, military contractors began shipping Rip It to Iraq and Afghanistan to support the Global War on Terror. American service members loved the drink, which came free in the eight-ounce can form because it kept them stimulated on long missions. The tiny cans from the chow hall became as crucial as food and ammunition.
After a while, younger junior enlisted troops began to embrace the brand as if it were an old friend – and in a way, it was. Just like a trusted battle buddy poking at you to keep you awake on a watch or convoy duty, the 160 milligrams or more of caffeine and B vitamins created an energy jolt and awareness that might have been unavailable otherwise.
The only problem was that people soon started consuming more than what was healthy for even a young adult. Or an old bull. Some troops drank as much as 18 small cans per day. Non-commissioned officers tried to rein in their troops, forcing them to stick to a two-can limit, but an NCO can only monitor as much as they see – which isn’t all that much.
So much of the stuff in a short period can create gastrointestinal distress, which ultimately results in terrible “accidents,” even in the course of a mission. Profuse sweating, dehydration, and anxiety made it worse. None of this stopped the popularity or proliferation of the beverage, however. It’s estimated that at least 99% of those who deployed during the Global War on Terror at least tried a Rip It.
Soon, Rip It was everywhere, as connected with the wars of the Middle East as Pall Mall cigarettes were to World War II. As long as there was an American troop who needed to stay awake, there was a Rip It can somewhere that had their back. And we’re pretty sure that’s why we won that war – when was the last time al-Qaeda hit the homeland? Thanks, Rip It.
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