U.S. Army uses video game to recruit soldiers

[Robb]

U.S. Army uses video game to recruit soldiers
Three-million strong online

Three million people worldwide have joined America's Army -- online.

The popular Internet video game of the same name, which can be legally downloaded for free at www.aaohq.com, has young adults around the world scrambling to join and train like a real U.S. Army soldier and act out combat scenarios in online teams.

The game is also an increasingly important recruitment and branding tool for the U.S. Army as it attempts to reach a young audience that knows little about the army and spends much of its time in front of a computer.

"It's very efficient for us in terms of communicating with people," said Chris Chambers, deputy director of the America's Army project. "This is much cheaper than those alternate mediums.... It (creates) an engagement with someone. They come in and play for hours as opposed to a few seconds for a print ad or TV ad."

(snip)

The army is not using the game to draw recruits into its offices, Mr. Chambers said, but to start a dialogue with young adults.

(more)

[saigon68]

1. They should post the PICs of the Bodies and heads cut off

That's Fresh

Reality is not a Video game.

Until you've smelled a corpse that has been rotting for 2 weeks
YOU AIN'T BEEN THERE.

[saigon68]

6. Disgusting

Players are punished with a 10-minute stay in a virtual version of Fort Leavenworth military prison if they shoot a teammate or civilian.

The U.S. Army is working on further expansion packages and a version of the game will be released for PlayStation 2 in 2004.



<>

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In this image taken from video, the body of a US soldier lies on the ground in Mosul, Iraq (news - web sites) Sunday, Nov. 23, 2003. According to witnesses, gunmen shot two American soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division as they drove through the city center to another U.S. garrison, sending their vehicle crashing into a wall. Then, teenagers dragged their bodies from the vehicle and pummeled them with concrete blocks.

[Robin Hood]

7. teenagers dragged their bodies from the vehicle and pummeled them

Are these the same kids who greeted us with roses and smiles? I suspect that these children are on the pentagons terrorist list.

[realFedUp]

2. does it include shooting at donkey carts?

or infiltrating Internet cafes?

[Robb]

3. No, but if you shoot a civilian

...you get ten minutes in Leavenworth.

Seriously. I'm not making that up.

[MUAD_DIB]

13. Damn. I was hoping for a frag count.

[name not needed]

14. only if you

rack up enough rules of engagement violation points.

[saigon68]

18. DEAD GIRL

<>


After a while, senseless brutality became little more than a mere spectator sport. We found this young woman--in her early 20s at most-- lying on the road as we swept it for mines. It was the first thing in the morning, barely after sunup, but a group of South Vietnamese soldiers and a few civilians had already gathered around. She had been shot at point blank range sometime during the night. It was alleged that she was a Viet Cong sympathizer and had been stripped of her clothing as a further embarrassment to her family. Someone else had covered her over in plastic but as we arrived, the soldiers had removed part of it and were having a good laugh. It was hard to believe someone as young and innocent looking as she could be the enemy but we soon learned that we could never be sure who to trust.

http://www.stevencurtis.com/vietnam/story5.htm

[TexasMexican]

4. Late breaking news?

I wouldnt quite call it that.

[Khephra]

5. I keep on waiting for Lieberman to come out against this

But he's never said a word on this, as far as I know.

I guess it's only violent videogames made in the private sector that bothers his morals.

[Robin Hood]

8. I have this game on my comp, and it does recruit.

There is a link to call a recruiter on the start screen of the game. I'm a gamer.

[shanti]

9. i KNEW it!

the young kids being recruited now have grown up on violent video games. to them, war is probably just like another video game....until they get to iraq. it's detestable that the gubmint is using this! :grr:

[Occulus]

12. the thing is

in about ten years or so we'll see a major, major backlash against violence in all forms of the media as the people who actually go and actually fight will know what these games made by the gov't are.

[name not needed]

15. big deal

its only a game. i play it. fun game.

[45th Med]

10. It's a crappy game.

nt

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. Hmmmm - why does "subliminal messages" come to mind ?

. . ya know

- them ones of one frame in a film of pop or popcorn to make you hungry at movie theatres?

Nah, the BFEE ain't THAT devious !

[name not needed]

16. theres

some army of one posters but thats about it. in the hospital they talk about stuff on the bases.

[Ecotopian]

17. Historical parallels

I can't help seeing things that the Bush administration does through the filter of "moving our system towards a fascist police state." Both Germany and Japan had youth military indoctrination programs through military-based schools. Although in Japan a more brutal and authoritarian model was applied which made their soldiers more cruel, especially in China. In a way, I see this video game as a part of such a program. Of course one video game alone won't do it which is why I'm not overly concerned. But I think it advises me to watch out for other signs such as encouraging children to play more war-based video games. I admit that I could just be starting to get a little paranoid, but I'm beginning to feel that the elements for a fascist regime are starting to fall into place. Neo-cons are getting far too much press to force their psychotic agenda on us.

With another 4 years under Bush, a fascist regime is possible. If we have another neo-con President after him, definitely. If we have a centrist Democrat as President, we'd move out of the red zone into a yellow zone which is ideal for us at this moment in our political climate. That would force the neo-cons to open up a dialogue with us and give us an opportunity to reason with them. Hopefully after doing that, we can bring in a more liberal Democrat or even Green President and move us more to the left, with a more true form of Democracy, perhaps an electronic-based virtual democracy.

[name not needed]

19. while it is role based

its role is not to kill as many as possible. i happen to be a medic in the game. i have also accomplished missions without firing a single shot. i dont see a problem with this.