Army Closes Flashy (video game) Recruitment Center

[unhappycamper]

Army Closes Flashy Recruitment Center
June 11, 2010
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - The Army is shutting down a flashy, high-tech information and recruiting center inside a mall, calling it a successful marketing experiment even as it attracted protesters and video-game enthusiasts as much as potential Soldiers.

The Army Experience Center will close July 31 after nearly two years at Philadelphia's Franklin Mills Mall, military officials said Thursday.

"It's been a great success," Army spokesman Brian Lepley said. "Basically it's mission accomplished."

The $12 million center opened in August 2008 with interactive video exhibits, nearly 80 video-gaming stations, a replica command-and-control center, conference rooms, and Black Hawk helicopter and Humvee combat simulators.

Since then, the center has hosted about 40,000 visitors and enlisted 236 recruits, Lepley said.



unhappycamper comment: Until we (that's right, Sparkey, you and me) shut down these cannon-fodder fairs our children will continue to become the New American Centurions. They will sent to hostile places to prop up the American Empire. They will be injured or they will die. And they probably will come back to us drugged to the gills.

[pinboy3niner]

1. Recruiting using video games is disturbing

Kids are used to the fantasy blood and guts in gaming. They love it. But can they really grasp that next time, it's for real--and it's THEIR blood and guts?

[bcool]

2. A success?

Let's see...that figures out to $50,000+ per recruit. I wonder how that compares to my neighbor's salary (he's an Air Force recruiter), and I'm sure he recruits more than one person per year?

[unhappycamper]

3. Your local recruiter is hanging around schools trying to find cannon-fodder.

The plan is to make military life seems 'exciting' and 'fun'. JROTC has been a successful recruiting tool, as has the No Child Left Behind Act.

But it's not a much fun when the incoming starts.

[dkofos]

4. 50847.45 per soldier recruited is EPIC FAILURE in my book.

40,000 visitors yields 236 recruits, only the army would call that waist time and 12 million
TAXPAYER DOLLARS a success.

IDIOTS