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LAN Party Forums => FITES News => Started by: sully! on January 18, 2009, 11:36:28 PM

Title: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: sully! on January 18, 2009, 11:36:28 PM: (http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/10109_army.mil-2008-09-02-130545_610x408.jpg)
The U.S. Army gets even more interactive while trying to get new recruits

As wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to rage on, the U.S. Army is again using video games and virtual reality as methods to try and get new recruits to enlist.

The Army is looking to create these gaming depots in major shopping malls and other locations across the country. The Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia has a new Army Experience Center (http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/115379) in a 14,500-square-foot location that has a Black Hawk helicopter, Apache gunship, and a Humvee. The Philadelphia location is a $12 million, two-year experiment to see if the Army can increase recruiting numbers in the Philadelphia area.

Inside the location at Franklin Mills are 60 gaming PCs, 19 Microsoft Xbox 360s, and couches and soft drinks for visitors to enjoy while at the facility. It's also possible to participate in a virtual war zone using mock M4 assault rifles, using the Humvee as a shield while firing. Another room has a simulator in which participants can launch helicopter attacks against enemy soldiers hiding on roof tops and buildings.

Since opening in August, the recruiting facility has recruited 37 active duty soldiers and five reservists -- the one interactive center successfully recruited the same number of recruits as five normal recruiting centers. The Army has struggled recruiting new soldiers in the Philadelphia area, which is why the center was built in the area.

The U.S. Army also has its America's Army video game designed to create interest in enlisting, with the government continuing to promote the game during tech and video game tech shows.

Recruiters hope interested parties will visit the center and enjoy a more laid back, interactive atmosphere that is less pushy than normal recruiting depots.

The Pentagon believes the growing recessing and rising unemployment could help boost recruiting numbers for the Army, Marines and other military branches.

Source (http://www.dailytech.com/US+Army+Creates+Gaming+Center+to+Attract+Recruits/article13944.htm)
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Agent4054 on January 19, 2009, 12:17:44 AM: Why don't they just pull a real life Ender's Game and be done with it? Problem solved.
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: decepticon on January 19, 2009, 06:04:46 PM: Quote from: Agent4054 on January 19, 2009, 12:17:44 AM
Why don't they just pull a real life Ender's Game and be done with it? Problem solved.

Good book and series!
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Agent4054 on January 19, 2009, 08:21:21 PM: Hellz yeah!
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Petch on January 19, 2009, 10:00:08 PM: Post Count +1!
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: decepticon on January 20, 2009, 02:48:31 PM: Quote from: Petch on January 19, 2009, 10:00:08 PM
Post Count +1!

Ok....?
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Agent4054 on January 20, 2009, 02:49:03 PM: Petch is turning into the new DoubleG
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: decepticon on January 20, 2009, 02:51:56 PM: Whaddaya mean, he's already an A******! j/k petch!
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Petch on January 20, 2009, 03:25:14 PM: Hahah... I think I was just proving a point on how annoying it is for people, that check the forums on the regular, to deal with Double G and this thread necromancy.

I think my Double G'ness has been exhausted.

Also, when posting simple comments such as "Ya", "Ok....?" or "enter small comment here" seems as we are just trying to grow our post count e-peen. Yes I understand I am guilty of this...
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: decepticon on January 20, 2009, 06:16:12 PM: Actually, I am trying to have conversations with the people posting on the board. If I wanted my post count higher, I would just quote without typing any response. Or I would just type a "." or some other nonsensical gibberish. When I see "Post count +1" it makes me kinda go Mmmmmkay. So that's what I posted.
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Curse_desreveR on January 21, 2009, 05:25:10 PM: Ya... :cussing:
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: sully! on January 21, 2009, 06:41:42 PM: Anyone care to comment on the original story or has this thread been permanently jacked?
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Petch on January 21, 2009, 07:00:39 PM: Jacked......

Given this story, I think its an ass backwards way of getting recruits. I would compare this to a stranger giving a kid some candy to lore them into their house, and well then you know giving it to them prison style.

They have this "state of the art" facility to lore these kids in by playing video games, only to send them into the real word to get their face shot off.
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: Agent4054 on January 21, 2009, 07:16:36 PM: I still think Ender's Game is the way they need to go about it :P

Just condition an entire breed of master tacticians!
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: decepticon on January 21, 2009, 08:20:53 PM: I'd still go try it out.
Title: Re: U.S. Army Creates Gaming Center to Attract Recruits
Post by: DoubleG on January 23, 2009, 05:15:58 PM: All DoubleG Thread Necropmancy aside, I would go just to play the game and get free drinks.

Sweet.