Army opens virtual-reality recruiting center

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Philly.com

Across from the skate park at Franklin Mills Mall, the Army has opened a high-tech recruiting experiment to give potential sign-ups a taste of what military life is like.

The 14,500-square-feet Army Experience Center features Disney-grade simulators that immerse visitors in missions aboard helicopters or a humvee. Visitors are briefed on their missions at the tactical operations center (TOC), which looks like a set from a Tom Clancy thriller.

Banks of Xbox 360s with plush chairs include speakers in the headrests. Participants can play popular "shooter" games such as Call of Duty 3, or kick back and just play Madden 09 football.

As younger generations become increasingly tech-savvy and their habits and routines change, Army recruitment strategies are changing as well.

"You can come in here and be put in the life of a soldier," said Amy Lindstrom, who handled public relations for yesterday's opening



Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080830_Army_opens_virtual-reality_recruiting_center.html

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The new Army Experience Center at Franklin Mills Mall includes banks of video simulators. Visitors can go on helicopter and humvee missions or just relax with football or shooter games.

[DS1]

1. If there was a random

"Oh SHIT! IED! You just got your arms blown off, and your squad leader is hemorrhaging blood from a lethal neck wound- what do you do now!" generator, I'd be all for this.

[Norrin Radd]

2. Yeah that, and, apart from the potentially horrifying and traumatizing events

that may occur, what about the mundane? Not everyone gets to be the hero in a Clancy fantasy. Do they have a video game where one has to wash dishes in the mess hall?

[rfranklin]

6. That's been outsourced to Halliburton...

they hire a Pakistani to wash the dishes for $2 per day, then they bill the Pentagon $2000 a day. It's a great way to make money.

[Norrin Radd]

7. Good point. They should have a KBR game where you give the troops

polluted water, and electrocution showers.

[dkofos]

8. That's done by contractors in the NEW ARMY. (KBR)

[DUlover2909]

3. Pathetic.

[Suji to Seoul]

4. Missions on computer? WOW!!!! Computer generated war

All of the realism and none of the blood! Scratch that. . .none of either.

They are making war seem like a damn video game now????

I HATE THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE MILITARY!!!

"Sign up, junior. You can play war games like this, only on a larger, grander and more realistic scale. And we'll throw a contract full of ways to weasel out of it if you get hurt. . .but that won't happen because we're the military and we conduct war through video game proxy!"

[hadrons]

5. Will the Army open up a virtual-reality VA Hospital???

[MilesColtrane]

9. I've heard the graphics on the grieving civilian parents simulator is AWESOME!

The tear rendering is amazing.

You'll feel like you're actually in the room as they look at you over their kids bodies and cry, "WHY?".

[Stern21]

10. That's right. oin the Army and get a job sitting around playing a X-Box all day.

Geez. What BS.