Video Game News: US Army aims to bring in recruits through Esports

The United States Army has attempted to connect with the youth throughout the years in order to help recruit citizens to help defend the country. And for the most part, they've been successful in bringing in thousands of new members every year.

However, this year they fell short of their goal of 76,500 recruits by about 6,500, which has caused them to take a new approach to the game. According to Stars and Stripes, the USA is looking for talented gamers in order to appeal to today's youth. The Army is asking for active duty and reservist troops to compete in the esports scene, hoping that they'll encourage younger viewers to consider the military as an option to reach their goal.

This isn't the first time the Army has broken into the esports scene. Over the summer, the USA presented the Army Esports Championship Series, which focused on Street Fighter V.

Currently, the Army is focusing on games like League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, Street Fighter V, and more. At the moment, a Tekken tournament has already been scheduled, taking place on December 8th. The winner of the Tekken Tournament will represent the Army at PAX South in January. You can check out the application form here.

The Army isn't the only branch of the US armed forces looking to break into video games as a means of recruitment. The Air Force has also begun hosting events while partnering with Cloud9's CS: GO Team.

However, it looks like the Army could very well be the first branch to bring its own esports team to the public eye. Travis Williams, a co-founder of the Military Gaming League, an esports organization exclusive to servicemembers and veterans, is hoping that other branches follow suit as the Army looks to the future. "It's going to catch fire," he said. "It's bigger than people think."

Staff Sgt. Ryan Meaux revealed in a Facebook video on Wednesday that the Army would be bringing two 18-wheeler trailers to college campuses across the country in order to connect with students who may be interested in joining up with the branch.

How do you feel about the US Military branching out into the esports world? Sound off in the comments below!

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