Army changes basic training to deal with gamer generation

Atricle

In an interview with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, NPR reports that the U.S. Army is altering its basic training program for the first time in 20 years, in part to better train recruits weaned on video games.

"This isn't a decline in our recruits; this is a decline in our American society in terms of their physical capacity," Hertling told NPR. "It's just a softer generation."

The news comes just weeks after the Pentagon announced plans to fund new research into using games to train soldiers. The Army in particular has had a healthy working relationship with the games industry; its freely-distributed first-person shooter America's Army has enjoyed great success as a recruitment tool.

I looked around and couldnt find this posted on here unless if I missed it. Anyways, it looks like more recruits in the army have been influenced thru video games and are not as physically fit as generations before.

I would have to agree that a there are more people less physically fit that are joining because theyve been playing games like Modern Warfare all day everyday and dont get much exercise anymore. I personally belive that more people are joining from the influence of video games, but thats just my personal view.

Adding some more training for less physically fit in basic training sounds all well for me. I mean your going to be fighting in real life, not on the tv anymore. A few extra weeks for the less physically fit recruits may save their lives on the battlefield.

Probably never a good thing when new recruits start asking questions like:

-Where are the spawn points?
-the other team is using hax

reply to post by SaturnFX


Petraus is going to have to update his new job title: "Level 70, 10th Prestige".



[edit on 25-3-2010 by bigfatfurrytexan]

that south park wow guy picture seems appropriate at this point heh.

Are videogames solely to blame. . . child obesity which continues onwards most likely has alot to do with a sedentary lifestyle and diet. Playing games being a bigger part of children nowadays is a big factor.

I would have thought that the people playing these games would have wanted to exercise more so that they can do better as recruits and get bragging rights in video games as well as in the field.

reply to post by SaturnFX


LOL you said what I was going to say, can you imagine a group of gamer recruits doing their basic training and someone cries out "H4x0R!!!! Reported to admin!" followed by a mass exodus of the 'server' (aka training facility) by all the cry-babies (aka "recruits")....

Fun times hehe, fun times....

Oh and yes I've played America's Army 2 and 3 and I love it, it's a brilliant game!

From what I have noticed, from my friend who plays the military games like Modern Welfare, a large percentage of the people who play are ALREADY in the military.

Some are even adults, who have retired from the military, for some reason or another.

Just another view... From what I've seen.

You can always condition a soldier to shoot a rifle and run a few miles. Although it is another thing entirely to improve his/her cognitive ability to understand and implement technologically advanced equipment on the battlefield. I knew years ago when I was a teenager that the games I was playing were somehow going to condition my age group into future soldiers. I was right, welcome to 'generation gun shots by computer'.
Heh rename Special Forces to 'l33t d00dz' lol...it's like that movie Idiocracy is coming to fruition.

[edit on 26-3-2010 by Blood Eagle]

reply to post by LostNemesis


Yes, soldiers play. Just like soldiers come here to post.

For what its worth, i am a 37 year old father of two. I have one graduating this year, the other is 12. I run a fairly large and influential business in my community, and am a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, and a few local economic development groups.

I am currently on MW2, and at Lvl 66, 5th Prestige. On COD 4 we never prestiged, on COD 5 we are 10th prestige.

You don't have to be a kid to play video games. I was playing "Pac Man" when i was 8, and Super Mario by the time i was 13 or so.

You never know....that "beast" that laid waste to the room and dropped a nuke might just be an old fart like me!

reply to post by Blood Eagle


Maybe it is less "Idiocracy" and more "The Last Starfighter"?

reply to post by LostNemesis


Quite a few I've come across were active duty or veterans. You might leave the military, but you never get it out of you. Even after over a decade away, I still play the wargame games, and never feel like I'm a 'real' civilian. It's just one of those things.

Someone would probably yell "Im gonna rush 'em with a tac knife" or at least... I do

but really, these games are pretty much telling people that it's no big deal to get shot. And if you die you spawn right back at alpha.




Add me on Ps3. Same as my ATS username

If you ask me, the army was asking for it when they released America's Army as a recruiting tool.

It's a sign of the changing times. People don't toil in fields all day long. Modern society requires but a fraction of the physical labor that society required even just 50 years ago. Hell, we have pretty cushy lives in the US, most people don't even want to fight anymore.

It's bad for the army, but I see this as a good thing. It shows that we are outgrowing the need for war. It will be a long, painful process for humanity to wean it's most self-destructive habit, but its about damn time we got around to it. The army guys won't like it, but only because they realize their way of life is being phased out in favor of a sedentary, peaceful lifestyle.

Love and Peace, everyone.

reply to post by buni11687


Ok seriously, screw that guy.

We aren't a "softer" generation, we are just SMARTER.

Not macho barbarian a-holes.

I prefer to kill a man in a game, why? because when I'm done...I'll be able to sleep at night.

yeah right: Video games are really going to help you when someone is trying to kill you.

Yeah the comparison to games and the military is getting really REALLY old.