US Army Sponsors Gaming Channel

[Atari]

The US Army is charging into the world of computer gaming in the hope of finding prime recruits among the legions of young players of online battle games. Yahoo! has the story.

The US Army will spend an estimated two million dollars in the coming year to sponsor a channel at the Global Gaming League (GGL) website, a popular spot for Internet computer game lovers. "We saw a lot more opportunity to bond with gamers and meet them on their turf," said McCann World Group vice president Anders Ekman, who is handling the project for the army.

[cryforlife]

The US Army is charging into the world of computer gaming in the hope of finding prime recruits among the legions of young players of online battle games. Yahoo! has the story.

The US Army will spend an estimated two million dollars in the coming year to sponsor a channel at the Global Gaming League (GGL) website, a popular spot for Internet computer game lovers. "We saw a lot more opportunity to bond with gamers and meet them on their turf," said McCann World Group vice president Anders Ekman, who is handling the project for the army.

Yeah, how's that whole Iraq thing going for you guys by the way?

They're desperate.

[booger]

The US Army is charging into the world of computer gaming in the hope of finding prime recruits among the legions of young players of online battle games. Yahoo! has the story.

The US Army will spend an estimated two million dollars in the coming year to sponsor a channel at the Global Gaming League (GGL) website, a popular spot for Internet computer game lovers. "We saw a lot more opportunity to bond with gamers and meet them on their turf," said McCann World Group vice president Anders Ekman, who is handling the project for the army.

Yeah, how's that whole Iraq thing going for you guys by the way?

They're desperate.

Yeah, because the Army NEVER did any recruiting back before Iraq.

[cryforlife]

The US Army is charging into the world of computer gaming in the hope of finding prime recruits among the legions of young players of online battle games. Yahoo! has the story.

The US Army will spend an estimated two million dollars in the coming year to sponsor a channel at the Global Gaming League (GGL) website, a popular spot for Internet computer game lovers. "We saw a lot more opportunity to bond with gamers and meet them on their turf," said McCann World Group vice president Anders Ekman, who is handling the project for the army.

Yeah, how's that whole Iraq thing going for you guys by the way?

They're desperate.

Yeah, because the Army NEVER did any recruiting back before Iraq.

Well no, it's just kinda sad just how far they're having to go to recruit these days.

[worsethannormal]

This seems in line with a recruiting strategy they've been undertaking for years. They have produced at least one FPS (down-loadable free on their web site), every other commercial on G4 is an Army commercial, and there's even that one commercial where the 4 guys are sitting around talking about playing video games and their buddy returns home from "the Army."

Personally, I'm offended by this campaign and have no idea why "gamers" (who ever they are; I have yet to determine what constitues a gamer other than they play video games; on all other counts we are a broad range of individuals) in general aren't offended as well. The entire recruiting campaign seems to be predicated on the idea that gamers a directionless losers that believe something as patronizing as "If you join the Army, you're life will be like a video game, only better." Riiiiiigggggghhhhhhht.

[Xexyz]

Yeah, how's that whole Iraq thing going for you guys by the way?

They're desperate.

Excellent question, I mean it's not like Congress and President decided to send the military into Iraq, nope, a bunch of bored generals were sitting around one day and decided to up and go over to Iraq of their own volition.

Speaking of Congress, maybe if they'd actually authorize some real increases in military pay and benefits the Army wouldn't have to resort to this.

[YuffietheGreat]

:roll: Yeah, because the Army NEVER did any recruiting back before Iraq.

Actually they tried to with America's Army which was handed out for free to anyone with interests in the military way before the war started I believe. I did the story along time ago for our newspaper and still have the game in my archives. Alot of the games originally made for VR training tools ended up being videogames. They have many virtual trainers that could be mistaken for one big videogame such as virtual convoy and live-fire training centers. I had an opportunity to play in these virtual trainers as a reporter. It was alot of work but fun.

[booger]

:roll: Yeah, because the Army NEVER did any recruiting back before Iraq.

Actually they tried to with America's Army which was handed out for free to anyone with interests in the military way before the war started I believe. I did the story along time ago for our newspaper and still have the game in my archives. Alot of the games originally made for VR training tools ended up being videogames. They have many virtual trainers that could be mistaken for one big videogame such as virtual convoy and live-fire training centers. I had an opportunity to play in these virtual trainers as a reporter. It was alot of work but fun.

Yes. Thus the sarcastic smiley at the top of my post.

The Army has been doing a broad range of recruitment methods long before video games were around. Back when I was in High School, the Army sponsored bowling parties for us to attend. And to those who are offended that the Army is targeting gamers, don't get your panties in a bunch. The Army recruits from all sorts of people, not just gamers. And being a 'directionless loser' is most certainly not a consideration for potential recruits, as some may suggest. The Army has a lot to offer.

[worsethannormal]

I know the Army has a lot to offer. As one of the largest, almost-equal-opportunity (unless you're openly gay) employer in our country, it has done a lot of good. The GI Bill helped many Latinos in this country get college degree's and move in the middle class after WWII, for example, and is still helping those who can not afford to go to a university get college degrees.

And targeting gamers as recruits doesn't offend me either. They have always targeted their recruiting certain "sub-groups", that's just marketing. What is offensive is the condescending way that they do it.

And don't say the Army and the rest of the branches doesn't consider "directionless loser" in its recruitment practices. That's one of their prime concerns. When I was younger I was in a band that toured the U.S every Summer. We weren't big and thus spent many nights sleeping on floors and in our van. Sufficed to say, we were seldom well dressed or even clean for that matter. And spent our days hanging out in front of various strip-malls waiting for the evening to roll-around. We looked like nothing but "directionless losers" and homeless (depending on how long it had been between showers and washing machines). By the time the band called it quits, we had a collection of serveral dozen recruiter's business cards. They would walk up to us in these parking lots and say we looked like we needed a direction in our lives and that the Army (Navy, Air Force or Marines) could give that to us. So please, don't try and bullshit me (and everyone else here). Truth be told, the military believes all (or the vast majority of) civilians to be directionless losers. And almost all of their recruiting campaings reflect this.

[YuffietheGreat]

Yes. Thus the sarcastic smiley at the top of my post.

The Army has been doing a broad range of recruitment methods long before video games were around. Back when I was in High School, the Army sponsored bowling parties for us to attend. And to those who are offended that the Army is targeting gamers, don't get your panties in a bunch. The Army recruits from all sorts of people, not just gamers. And being a 'directionless loser' is most certainly not a consideration for potential recruits, as some may suggest. The Army has a lot to offer.

Ah... gotcha. Misread your post. But I did look online, you can still download America's Army on the recruitment website. I thought the game was pretty informative in that as you go through your basic and MOS training such as medical you can apply that knowledge to real life such as how to properly apply a tournequette, determine which wounds need immediate attention .... etc. I thought it was fascinating, that in the game you go to a foreign language school at camp mackall and it really looks like the language school at camp Mackall ... every building, chair and so on is right where it is today.

[booger]

The Army recruits all sorts of people. Yes, that includes directionless losers. Just because you happened to be a directionless loser, and the Army tried to recruit you, doesn't mean that directionless losers are their focus. It just happened to be the looking glass that you were viewing their recruitment efforts from.

The low hanging fruit may fall easily from the tree. But the higher branches, the branches that get more sun, more often contain the sweeter fruit. Recruiters try to pick from various parts of the tree, to ensure that the juice they get is a well blended mixture.

[YuffietheGreat]

The Army recruits all sorts of people. Yes, that includes directionless losers. Just because you happened to be a directionless loser, and the Army tried to recruit you, doesn't mean that directionless losers are their focus. It just happened to be the looking glass that you were viewing their recruitment efforts from.

The low hanging fruit may fall easily from the tree. But the higher branches, the branches that get more sun, more often contain the sweeter fruit. Recruiters try to pick from various parts of the tree, to ensure that the juice they get is a well blended mixture.

.... in english please.

[booger]

The Army recruits all sorts of people. Yes, that includes directionless losers. Just because you happened to be a directionless loser, and the Army tried to recruit you, doesn't mean that directionless losers are their focus. It just happened to be the looking glass that you were viewing their recruitment efforts from.

The low hanging fruit may fall easily from the tree. But the higher branches, the branches that get more sun, more often contain the sweeter fruit. Recruiters try to pick from various parts of the tree, to ensure that the juice they get is a well blended mixture.

.... in english please.

I'm sorry... what part of what I said didn't you understand? Was my analogy too vague? I was just trying to say that recruiters seek out all sorts of people, not just directionless losers.

[YuffietheGreat]

I'm sorry... what part of what I said didn't you understand? Was my analogy too vague? I was just trying to say that recruiters seek out all sorts of people, not just directionless losers.

Yeah... it was a bit vague for me. Couldn't figure out if you were just wanting fruit juice or what ... I understand now.

[booger]

Yeah. Sometimes my analogies and thoughts don't translate as well into text as I envision. I tend to be a little too verbose at times, as well. It's a failing of mine. Still, I figure it's better than typing like a text message addict.