War is a heartbreaking mistress that removes everything you care about before you can react; then you’re reacting and desperately fighting for an opportunity to make it back home in one piece just to have another nasty surprise the next day.
It’s arguably the most horrifying experience you can participate in, and will likely scar those who have been placed in the situation until the day they pass, with a massively increased chance of suicide as they wrestle with survivors guilt and staring into the disgusting abyss that is humanity when it’s been backed into a corner.
In spite of this, the US military branches (minus the Marine Corp) continue to tempt teenagers by showing them how fun titles such as Call of Duty and Warzone are, drawing comparisons between video games and the hellish reality that is war, so they can bump up their recruitment just a bit more.
To be absolutely fair, military recruiting is a hellish field all its own, and the internet is increasingly becoming the place to hang out; it’s in the best interest of recruiters to be where the kids are.
Yet between fake giveaways that ask kids to fill out recruitment forms so they can be contacted later (to join the misery) and a stream that made the news when Rod Breslau asked a green beret what their ‘favorite w4r cr1me’ was, some were surprised to find out that the US Army has been using taxpayer money to host content on Twitch for recruiting efforts.
Twitch has slapped the hand of the US Army for hosting fake giveaways, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wanted more; she went to Congress with the intent of blocking US military branches from operating (recruiting) on Twitch.
In spite of many viewers having high hopes, the amendment was defeated with a final vote on Thursday evening of 292-126.
. @AOC’s full comments on her amendment to prevent the US Military from using funds to recruit teens on Twitch. pic.twitter.com/4XPJM8ZH6G
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 30, 2020
The US Marine’s, as AOC notes, has taken a stance against attempting to gamify combat; a stance that the other branches have not adopted.
While the US Army channel is still vacant at this time, the US Navy is back to streaming fun titles.
due to backlash and media attention not only did the US Army temporarily stop streaming on Twitch, but last week the US Navy stopped too. however now with AOC's amendment dead, the US Navy will resume streaming on Twitch officially today
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) July 31, 2020
There’s a gray area in the midst of all of this, that calls into question precisely how the military recruiting tactics of the United States operate. It’s entirely a volunteer force; without conscription, there simply must be a way for the military to maintain an armed strength should the need arise for the defense of ourselves, or our allies.
Some people are clearly beginning to think that Call of Duty is an accurate representation of conflict, however, and that is a very concerning notion that some will inevitably need to confront to the chagrin of their future. You don’t get respawns.