Army Residence Community

By David Verklin and Bernice Kanner
The authors of this Watch, Listen, click here

Since the last rookie to hold office in December 1972, Uncle Sam had to hustle to staff an armed volunteer force. In the case of the U.S. military, which means recruiting 80,000 new soldiers every year - essentially replacing more than the entire workforce of BellSouth every twelve months.
Advertising is the first round. After "the Army now wants to join you" fizzled, in January 1981, "Be All You Can Be" became the battle cry. For two decades, wrapped around ads that made the industry look like adventure as Outward Bound course, it resounds with 17-24 years (whose army is the largest employer in the country). Then, in 2001, which was scuttled for an "army of one." ("Even if 1,045,690 soldiers like me, I am my own strength ...) Critics mocked the slogan new box was wrong (does not meet more value than individuality in the barracks ?) The Army has countered that it was effective.
Then Iraq exploded.
Despite the addition of thousands of additional recruiters, climbing enlistment bonus and college funding for the fattening of the advertising budget, and ratcheting up the patriotic appeal, the military could not fill its boots.
Thus, the Army has added more weapons marketing. He has held town hall meetings where civilians could meet soldiers and hear about their accomplishments. It tried product placement: Army mechanics on the Discovery Channel's Monster Garage, wearing a Jeep. And we launched a computer game and attractive, video has quickly become a gold standard of "advergames" for its effectiveness and realism. Players take the role as real military intelligence (18F), Engineer (18C), Communications (18E) and Combat Medic (18D), and fire the same weapons of the army a. And when they fire on the runway, their aim is less precise.
Before he was released July 4, 2002, many expected the game would be $ 7.3 million join the ranks of the $ 436 hammer and $ 640 toilet seats as a study in excess. Few predicted "America's Army" would become the tool of the artillery of the most effective marketing, transmit authentic military experience in a voice that prospective recruits want to hear.
More than seven million users have registered (anonymously so as to crush any fear of recruiter harangues) with 10,000 to 50,000 new download shoot-em-up daily. In a dozen tasks running and Gunning, players advance through the stages of soldierhood - drilling in basic training, target practicing with an M-16, learning emergency medicine basic, and finally plunging into the fight. The game has been downloaded more than 16 million times, 20 percent of entering cadets at West Point have played, and between 20 and 40 percent of new Army recruits have played together.
"They look rather than the reverse," said Chris Chambers, deputy director of the Army game project in the Office of the Army of the economy and workforce analysis. With an average price of 10 cents per hour compared to $ 5 $ 10 per hour for an advertisement, it offers a dip rather than just printing.
"America's Army" has proven to be such a powerful weapon shop selling official of the game deals collectible figurines, clothing, coffee mugs and other gadgets with the logo. The Army builds parties and tournaments across the country around it. A wireless version and suites including "America's Army: Special Forces," where players try to win the Green Beret by completing Special Forces missions, have been released. Apple has created a knockoff: Boot Camp. And the army is now using the same broad in training.
Uncle Sam wants you. . . play. . . and he is not alone. Everyone in the virtual action. Some, like the army, creating a whole ga.