Games as Military Training Tools

Nichols explained a relationship between game and military in terms of recruiting, advertisement, and military training tool. The relationship was magnified when America’s Army was released to game market. More than a 4.6 million players got involved into the game, and many additional players joined monthly (Nichols, Pg.40). The game was really successful to inform young people in positive way about Army, and thus it really helped Army recruitment.  The game was not only an entertainment, but also new aspect of Army. With advance of game technology, the game could be played as tools for training. In this book, Nichols said

“Number of other military, paramilitary and political groups has begun to explore video games as tools for training mobilization and resistance” (Nichols pg.43)

I agree with this. I served as Commandos Sergeant when I was in Korean Army. My battalion actually tried to apply some engines of video games to military training. What I did was something similar to strategy game. The training was like Simcity. In Simcity, you need to build a building stuff, but the difference with the training program is that you build not only barracks or bunkers but also solider, and officers. I need to defense anything coming from Enemy. At the end of training, I got certain score depending on how well I was defensive against enemies. we were forced to apply what we learned from the game to real physical training, and had to explain how the game really helped us for our training. It was helpful to understand how military buildings and things such as bunkers and barracks are geographically important.

People targeted by both video game companies, and army recruiters are very similar (pg.44) therefore; military games could have great influence by using the game as advergaming (advertising game). The game, America’s army, became very successful in drawing more people to get involved in an Army. Consequently, companies, and advertisers realized how importantly the video games played as a vehicle used to convey an implicit messages to their targeted audiences. And the army also realizes their strategy for a soldier recruitment has to be as many as it can be such as advertisings, advergaming, and training games. Games were used for not only an entertainment but also an advertising. Moreover, in such games, player could control virtual soldier so they could experience military life indirectly. Nichols said game was great chance to have that experience.

“Games become ideal opportunities for training players. This is one of the key goals of america's army to introduce would-be soldiers to the Army's core value system.” (Nichols, pg.48)

I agree with this. As having served in army for 2 years, I can say that in military games, there are many things similar to the real military stuff. And by playing game, I believe that players could learn many important things such as a name of weapons, military stuff, and the way soldiers talk to each other. Of course, it is almost impossible to experience exactly the same as the real military life, but I still think it can be considered helpful opportunity for would-be soldiers to know basic information about the military, and this is good enough before going to army.  

Games like America’s Army were used as advertising that inspired young men to join the Army. The game was successful tool to know the basics about the military life, and it finally magnified the number of new soldiers.

Here’s my question to you. Do you think that playing military game would stimulate young men to join an Army?