US Military Now in 'Game Immersion'... "Helps Combat vs Weakens Soldiers" [Reading Science]

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] "Online games can make the military stronger" vs. "They weaken physical fitness and should not be exploited for recruitment."

The U.S. Department of Defense is actively using online games as a means of recruitment and boosting morale, sparking controversy.

According to the U.S. daily The Washington Post (WP) on the 11th, in May, the U.S. military held the finals of an online first-person shooter game tournament, 'Halo Infinity,' featuring representatives from the Air Force and Army for the first time ever on the online streaming service 'Twitch.' As many as 500,000 viewers tuned in to watch, and the Air Force won the tournament, claiming the first championship trophy.

The U.S. Department of Defense has recently been actively utilizing games for recruitment and military life. This is because generations raised playing iPads and video games are enlisting in the military, and improving the military's image also helps with recruitment. Each branch has already created its own e-sports leagues, gaining popularity, and soldiers freely discuss popular games like Halo Infinity and Call of Duty through dedicated channels.

At the Department of Defense level, in the early 2000s, they invested millions of dollars to develop a shooting game called 'America's Army.' This game allowed civilians to virtually become soldiers, carry out combat missions, and experience military life, attracting millions of users at one point. According to a 2008 MIT survey, about 30% of Americans aged 16 to 24 said their image of the military improved because of this game.

Online games have also been shown to help enhance the combat capabilities of the U.S. military as augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and the use of automated and unmanned weapons increase. In February, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory published a report stating that first-person shooter games actually help train better combat personnel. Cognitive functions and speed improve, vision broadens, and the ability to understand missions is enhanced. Ray Perez, a researcher at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory who authored the report, told WP, "People who play video games process information faster," adding, "Playing for 10 hours can change the brain's structure and organization."

However, there are also strong counterarguments. Concerns have been raised that soldiers addicted to video games may have weakened physical fitness and reduced combat readiness. In February, U.S. Army medical officer Major John Mark Thibodeaux publicly stated, "Many young recruits who play a lot of games have weak physical fitness and are unfit for the military," claiming, "The so-called 'Nintendo generation' soldiers have weak bone structures that are not strengthened by the basic training conducted immediately after enlistment, and some are more prone to fractures."

Criticism that the military is exploiting games for recruitment also persists. Progressive Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others attempted in 2020 to pass a law banning the U.S. military from using Twitch for recruitment for this reason but failed. At the time, Representative Ocasio-Cortez criticized, "War is not a game. Military service should not be confused with shooting games or tournaments."