Young Teens and Video Games

I wasn't surprised to learn how many teenagers have been playing shooting video games across the nation and world over the last decade, but rather how much of a mental impact these video games have had on these kids' lives. Mostly targeted toward teenage boys, the Army Experience Center that was built to provide these kids with the opportunity to indulge in a virtual version of the games that they love to play, served as a recruitment tool as well. Army recruiters were present while kids played these games and would answer any questions that they had about the Army.

It was amazing to hear how young teens could actually be interested in joining the Army just because they were the "best" at shooting a gun and killing people on a virtual video game. However, one of the misunderstandings and impacts of the virtual citizen-soldier is that these teens think they know what war is like, but they really don't. The day-to-day struggles that actual soldiers go through during war do not even compare to a virtual video game. On the game Call of Duty, it may take a player 3 to 4 shots and only one stab of a knife to kill someone. Also, this occurs with only the tap of a button. During battle, a soldier can die from one shot and their life is over forever. I liked how recruiters were there to assist these kids by answering any questions they had, but I feel like they should have really made them understand more that the Army is not meant for everyone and that a video game does not represent reality.