Since 2018, the US military has been ramping up its use of gaming to recruit more people, at a critical time when the US armed forces face the worst recruitment struggle since becoming an all-volunteer force after the Vietnam war. Targeting gamers makes sense from the military’s perspective, as it gives them access to the young, tech-savvy population they want joining up. But some veterans told me that marketing the military with video games – essentially making a game out of war – is unethical
In a small room tucked into a US navy facility outside Memphis, Tennessee, uniformed personnel sit hunched over monitors, their eyes focused on screens as they speak into headsets with clipped efficiency. Computer towers and glowing red keyboards crowd their desks. This is top-of-the-line gear, used for executing combat missions and coordinating strategy – but not with fleets stationed across the world. These sailors are playing video games. On the other end of their headsets and screens are young gamers they hope to inspire.
“In 2019, we did a big look at where we were spending our money, looking at where the next generation is,” says Lt Aaron Jones, captain of the navy’s esports team, as we sit in his office after touring the facility. A naval press officer hovers a few feet away. “This is where they are,” Jones continues. “Whether it’s Twitch or YouTube or Facebook Gaming, this is what they love.”
His esports team – navy personnel who compete with gamers online under the name Goats & Glory – consists of 12 enlisted sailors who used to work as flight officers, sonar techs and even a chaplain’s assistant. A navy recruiting command spokesperson says the navy allocates 3%-5% of its marketing budget to esports initiatives annually. That amounted to up to $4.3m from Oct 2022 through Sept 2023, according to budget information obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request…
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