Wake Up Call: Activists Visit 'The Army Experience' (high tech simulations of combat video gameroom)

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/02/19-2

On Monday, February 16th about 50 activists decided to take a trip to the Franklin Mills Mall right outside Philadelphia, PA to get their look at a new "store". "The Army Experience" (AEC), as it is called, built by the taxpayers to the tune of $12 million, attracts local kids to play video games, most of which are high tech simulations of combat situations.

The group was made up of members from all over the area. World Can't Wait from New York City and Philadelphia; Delaware Valley Veterans of America; Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW); Veterans for Peace from the Philadelphia area; CodePink Women for Peace; Granny Peace Brigade; and, the Brandywine Peace Center converged on the mall at about 10:30 AM, greeted by a heavier than usual security force.

As a little background, let me explain. This 15,000 sq. ft. center has the look of a brand new spaceship, clean, polished and full of gadgets and was opened in August, 2008. On the website it announces in a welcome message "Providing unique insight into the Army Experience Center is an unparalled interactive experience designed and built by the world's premier land force - the United States Army." "See what excitement is all about!" The area contains what they call a "Tactical Operations Center" or TOC, where a separate room is available for local schools to conduct classes, with full/free internet and computer access. In the TOC, students as young as middle-school class attend and receive instructions on various topics, but mostly concerning what jobs the army has to offer them. In a wiz-bang fashion, the modern space offers the community, and mall goers the slick new and improved way that military recruitment is being ushered into the 21st century.

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Young kids can see what it's like to sit inside a real humvee, tank, apache helicopter and get first hand experience killing the enemy, and being killed themselves. When we spoke to the staff inside, all in "civilian" clothes, looking friendly and naïve, they tout the fact that they do not "recruit" kids. On the contrary, they "offer" them a place to go, no questions asked, and they can browse around what the army has to offer, if they so choose. But to get into the AEC and play these games that are so popular with high school kids, they must register at the front desk. Of course, on the application form there is a spot to check off if you "want the military to contact you."