Synopses & Reviews
A behind-the-scenes look at how the military uses video game technology to train soldiers, treat veterans, and entice new recruits How does the U.S. military train its soldiers for new forms of armed conflict, all within the constraints of diminished defense budgets? Increasingly, the answer is cutting-edge video game technology. Corey Mead shows us training sessions where soldiers undertake multiplayer andldquo;missionsandrdquo; that test combat skills, develop unit cohesion, and teach cultural awareness. He immerses himself in 3-D battle simulations so convincing that they leave his heart racing. And he shows how the military, which has shaped American education more than any other force over the last century, fuels the adoption of games as learning toolsandmdash;and recruitment come-ons. Mead also details how the military uses games to prepare soldiers for their return to the home front and to treat PTSD.
Military-funded researchers were closely involved with the computing advances that led to the invention of the Internet. Now, as Mead proves, we are poised at the brink of a similar explosion in game technology. War Play reveals that many of tomorrowandrsquo;s teaching tools, therapies, and entertainments can be found in todayandrsquo;s military.
Review
"[Mead] has clearly immersed himself in the subject and written the definitive account of gaming in the U.S. military." --Slate and#160; "A surprisingly profound little book about the rise of the 'military-entertainment complex' in the wake of Americaand#8217;s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq... Mead's approach is straightforward and no-nonsense. Readers will learn something they didnand#8217;t realize it was important to know." --Kirkus Reviews and#160; "Meadand#8217;s account is insightful, and though heand#8217;s hopeful that military innovations will continue to benefit more humanitarian fields (such as medicine), he also recognizes its potential repercussions, as evidenced by a prescient closing image..." --Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
An expert on military innovation reveals how video games are revolutionizing warfare from the battlefield to the highest echelons of the Pentagon.
Synopsis
How does the U.S. military train its soldiers for new forms of armed conflict, all within the constraints of diminished defense budgets? Increasingly the answer is cutting-edge video game technology. Corey Mead takes us behind the scenes at training sessions where soldiers play multiplayer “missions” that test combat skills, develop unit cohesion, and teach cultural awareness. He immerses himself in 3-D battle simulations so convincing that they leave his heart racing. And he shows how the military, which has shaped American education more than any other force over the last century, is now influencing the adoption of games as learning tools—and recruitment come-ons. As he reveals, school districts in all fifty states are rolling out virtual high school courses built on the hugely popular Americas Army, a game created by the military to identify potential recruits and sell them on joining up. Mead also details how the military uses games to prepare soldiers for their return to the home front and to treat PTSD. Throughout, he offers frank insights on whether games are the best way to make our soldiers battle-ready and keep them healthy.
About the Author
COREY MEADandnbsp;is an assistant professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York. He has researched and written about the subject matter of War Play since 2005.
Table of Contents
Introductionand#8195;and#8195;1
1.and#160;The Rise of the Military-Entertainment Complexand#8195;and#8195;11
2.and#160;Building the Classroom Arsenal: The Militaryand#8217;s Influence on American Educationand#8195;and#8195;34
3.and#160;and#8220;Everybody Must Thinkand#8221;: The Militaryand#8217;sand#160;Post-9/11 Turn to Video Gamesand#8195;and#8195;50
4.and#160;Americaand#8217;s Army: The Gameand#8195;and#8195;72
5.and#160;All but War Is Simulationand#8195;and#8195;103
6.and#160;WILL Interactive and the Militaryand#8217;s Serious Gamesand#8195;and#8195;115
7.and#160;The Aftermath: Medical Virtual Reality and the Treatment of Traumaand#8195;and#8195;129
8.and#160;Conclusion: Americaand#8217;s Army Invades Our Classroomsand#8195;and#8195;154
Notesand#8195;and#8195;171
Bibliographyand#8195;and#8195;179
Acknowledgmentsand#8195;and#8195;185
Indexand#8195;and#8195;187