The US military continually trains cadets for defending the homeland, yet soldiers are not perpetually on-duty. There are days, months or even years of inactivity and it is here that the military is turning to video games to continually keep up the "warrior" mindset of each soldier.
Video games especially first person shooters are top picks for the US Military as it provides a mental gateway to battle zones. Interviewed veterans over this subject say that games such as Call of Duty, Arm 3 and Black Ops, give a sense of thrill and mental excitement that can normally be observed or experienced in real life situations. The Military approves the use of brutal and beautiful video games to continually keep the mind-set of soldier even in off-duty occasions. In the past, before video games are developed, soldiers are encouraged to use military board games to continually hone the mind.
However, many admittedly say that video games somehow blur the sense of reality. It can dull the impact of brutality, violence and war in the minds of players, especially the youth who have no battle experience whatsoever. Some critics also point out that most of the combat 'gloriously' shown on games like Call of Duty, are almost unrealistic and that most soldiers in duty would not even participate in frontline firefights in the length of their service.
Nevertheless, it seemed that video games can indeed help soldiers be mentally refreshed on their military training, especially with communication in the midst of a fight. Also, it is also a pertinent guide on selecting people suitable for military service. Though the military sees it as a notable part of the military's training process for off-duty soldiers, many are still skeptical over the 'reality' games portray as it can desensitize the horror and tragedy of every conflict that happened to man.
