Military Uses Their Own Video Arcade For Recruitment In Philadelphia.

[KittyWampus]

Frontline just had a terrific hour long program on digital technology, virtual reality and how they are impacting both individuals and human society.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/etc/synopsis.html

Midway through the program scientists are shown experimenting with a subject who wears googles giving her the impression she is eating. It can give subjects the feeling of fullness and even nausea.

Our brains ultimately do not separate out virtual reality with real life to the extent many people care to admit.

Later in the program, we learn that in Philadelphia the US military has closed several recruiting stations and opened one big video arcade for kids to come in an play war games. Oh, and use full size simulators.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/us/05army.html
Urban Tool in Recruiting by the Army: An Arcade
By JOHN LELAND
Published: January 4, 2009

At the Franklin Mills mall here, past the Gap Outlet and the China Buddha Express, is a $13 million video arcade that the Army hopes will become a model for recruitment in urban areas, where the armed services typically have a hard time attracting recruits.

The Army Experience Center is a fitting counterpart to the retail experience: 14,500 square feet of mostly shoot-’em-up video games and three full-scale simulators, including an AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopter, an armed Humvee and a Black Hawk copter with M4 carbine assault rifles. For those who want to take the experience deeper, the center has 22 recruiters. Or for more immediate full-contact mayhem, there are the outlet stores.

The facility, which opened in August, is the first of its kind. It replaces five smaller recruitment stations in the Philadelphia area, at about the same annual operating cost, not counting the initial expenses, said Maj. Larry Dillard, the program manager. Philadelphia has been a particularly difficult area for recruitment.

snip

But while recruitment remains strong in rural areas where there are military bases, it is weak in cities like Philadelphia, Major Dillard said. “The question is, how can we get our stories out to urban centers where most of the population lives, but where we don’t have a big presence?” he said. He added that the center did not recruit anyone under 17.

snip

First Sgt. Randy Jennings, the supervising officer on this day, said the center’s intent was not just to recruit personnel, but also to inform young people about the Army, in an area where they have little contact with service members. Most recruits live near rural bases.

snip

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. War is not a game

Iraq Veterans Against the War sounds off with their stance on the America's Army game at a St Louis expo. Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) stood in mass company formation and sounded off with "War is not a game" in front of an America's Army game booth and were met with cheers from bystanders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHz4a_sgqCg

[northofdenali]

3. Thank you for the link.

Goosebumps. I worked with a bunch of kids (still in the service) for 6 months. They, to a kid, said it was a stupid, stupid, stupid war and hated their time over there - except for the food. Most of 'em were in a service capacity, and ate very well.

A bunch of fucked up kids came back. To a kid, they were really fucked up - worse than a lot of Nam vets I know.

They also said the "contractors" (read Blackwater, et al) got anything they wanted, any time they wanted.

[jmowreader]

2. They need to add a few more games to this

Of course, if they had a series of Virtual Army Bullshit games they'd have to reinstate the fucking draft. Who the hell would join the army after playing Prepare For the IG, Brasso the Water Fountain, Police Call or Motor Stables?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. LOL