FORT KNOX, Ky –
This team is being developed to compete at the local, regional and national level on behalf of the U.S. Army. The team members will build awareness of skills that can be used as professional Soldiers and use their gaming knowledge to be more relatable to youth.
"If we are going to be successful in recruiting, then we need to be where young people are -- and they are operating in the digital world," said Maj. Gen. Frank Muth, commanding general for U.S. Army Recruiting Command. "There are already thousands of current Soldiers who are competitive online gamers. Now we are giving them a chance to use their talents to help us relate to and connect with other young gamers. They will have the ability to start a dialogue about what it is like to serve in our Army and see if they are interested in joining."
The complete initiative has been in development since September.
"This is an opportunity for America to know its Army," Jones said. "I am a nerd and there is no need to give that up to serve your country. We have all been clearing bosses, winning matches and having fun for years, now we are just showing it to everyone."
All active-duty and Army Reserve Soldiers are eligible to apply. Interested Soldiers should visit https://recruiting.army.mil/army_esports/ to learn how to compete for a spot on the team.
Soldiers selected to the team will be assigned to the Marketing and Engagement Brigade at Fort Knox for three years and will involve constant competitive training, recruiting engagements and interaction with the public on a daily basis.
The team members will not complete the full Army Recruiter Course but will serve as liaisons between the American public and recruiters throughout the nation.
USAREC is planning to include a variety of games that will give the players on the team the highest level of competition and exposure to raise awareness about Army opportunities.
The team is expected to begin competing on behalf of the U.S. Army by summer 2019.