Need to sharpen that killing edge? Try video games!
January 27th, 2010 | Blogs Science and technology Seabees The deckplates | Posted by Phil Ewing
Seabees in Bahrain honed their fighting instinct. // MC2 Stephen Murphy / Navy
All you oldsters just never understood, did you — with your “fresh air,” “outdoor activities” and your “socializing” and such — the younger generation hasn’t been wasting time inside playing “Halo” all these years. It’s been developing itself into a legion of stone-cold killers!
Such is the conclusion from an Office of Naval Research scientist who finds that today’s gamers “perform 10 to 20 percent higher in terms of perceptual and cognitive ability than normal people that are non-game players,” according to this official DoD story:
[ONR program officer Ray] Perez described the war against terrorists as presenting significant challenges to [troops] on the ground because they must be able to adapt their operations to innovative and deadly adversaries who constantly change their tactics.
“We have to train people to be quick on their feet — agile problem solvers, agile thinkers — to be able to counteract and develop counter tactics to terrorists on the battlefield,” said Perez. “It’s really about human inventiveness and creativeness and being able to match wits with the enemy.”
Good point. For example, Scoop Deck’s normal load-out is the ACR (with M203 grenade launcher and holographic sight) and the M1014 shotgun (with suppressor) but sometimes, if it’s a big map, you need the WA2000 sniper rifle (with thermal scope) or if one of these other clowns calls in a helicopter gunship, you need a Stinger to bring it down. See? That’s flexibility across the full spectrum of make-believe warfare.
H/T: Joystiq
Comments
-
EQCM Dave Preston, Ret. Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 6:34 amWhen will the MC folks recognize Seabees as Seabees instead of “Sailors”? Look at the pockets of these troops to see the Seabee emblem.
Yes , they are members of the U. S. Navy, but Seabees are priud of their heritage.
Thanks to all of you for the jobs you do.
Ooh rah! -
Phil Ewing Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 9:13 amSay no more, master chief — the Seabees in our photo cutline are now going to be “Seabees”
-
EQCM Dave Preston, Ret. Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 2:54 pmThanks from the Seabee community!