Army recruiting at the mall with video games

[babylonsister]

Army recruiting at the mall with video games
Fri Jan 9, 2009 1:23pm EST

By Jon Hurdle


PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, struggling to ensure it has enough manpower as it fights wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is wooing young Americans with video games, Google maps and simulated attacks on enemy positions from an Apache helicopter.

Departing from the recruiting environment of metal tables and uniformed soldiers in a drab military building, the Army has invested $12 million in a facility that looks like a cross between a hotel lobby and a video arcade.

The U.S. Army Experience Center at the Franklin Mills shopping mall in northeast Philadelphia has 60 personal computers loaded with military video games, 19 Xbox 360 video game controllers and a series of interactive screens describing military bases and career options in great detail.

Potential recruits can hang out on couches and listen to rock music that fills the space.

The center is the first of its kind and opened in August as part of a two-year experiment. So far, it has signed up 33 full-time soldiers and five reservists -- roughly matching the performance of five traditional recruiting centers it replaced.

more...

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5085D420090109

[greguganus]

1. I wonder if anyone can go in and play the games. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

2. While I'm against their advertising in public schools...

I don't see why paying to advertise in a PRIVATELY OWNED location should upset me.

[Orrex]

3. Dupe thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4803832

But troubling enough to mention several times IMO.

[Occam Bandage]

4. Makes sense for the Army to keep up with the times. nt

[chucktaylor]

5. My son and I went to one of these at The Ohio State Fair. It was great.

[Joe the Liberal]

6. Sounds like fun...........

I'd just go in there an play the games and all that but I doubt I would actually join. Playing the army simulators is one thing, actually signing up is another.

[eddieb2]

7. army

They have been doing that at NASCAR events since at least 1999.

[lib2DaBone]

8. Yes..war is fun..dying is good. Death is just a big computer game..

[Libby2]

9. It makes me sick. Entice the children with games.

Disgusting