In Congress, Rep. Kucinich Argues Against Army's Video Game-Fueled Recruiting Road Show
In Congress, Rep. Kucinich Argues Against Army's Video Game-Fueled Recruiting Road Show
June 25, 2009
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is no fan of the controversial Virtual Army Experience, a traveling, high-tech, video game-driven military recruiting program.
As GamePolitics reported in March, Kucinich urged the House Armed Services committee to eliminate funding for the project, charging that it "give[s] participants as young as 13 years old a naïve and unrealistic glimpse into the world of soldiering..."
In addition, Kucinich has taken the debate over the VAE to the floor of Congress. A C-SPAN video posted yesterday on YouTube shows the former presidential hopeful once again expressing concern over the recruiting program. Engaging in a colloquy with House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO). Kucinich said:
Children as young as 13-years-old are participating in the Virtual Army Experience, which paints an innaccurate picture of war by glorifying it while sanitizing the real effects. More than a mere video game, it includes interactions with real veterans, who appear to be in perfect health. It also requires that the user, regardless of age, share personal information as a condition of participation...
I think we can agree that the Virtual Army Experience video game must be revalidated to ensure that its age-appropriate rating is accurate in the context of how it's being employed; that the Virtual Army Experience content should be reviewed to ensure it accurately reflects the consequences of war; and that there must be increased transparency with regard to how the personal information of the participants, collected during participation, will be used by the Army.
Skelton's response is of interest in that he didn't exactly disagree with Kucinich:
I support the VAE. At the same time, I know it can be improved. And I would be happy, of course, to work with this gentleman to address the issues that you have so aptly raised.
GP: At this point we're not entirely sure when Kucinich made the remarks in the House; given that they just hit YouTube, we assume that they are recent. Any GamePolitics reader input on the timing of Kucinich's comments will be gratefully accepted.
Thanks to: GP correspondent Andrew Eisen...
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Posted 11/07/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
ZippyDSMlee: man I got alot of junk and dup files too >< god I need orginization...and no not the knee capping media mafia kind :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:26pm
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
ZippyDSMlee: replaced :P
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:23pm
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
ZippyDSMlee: beemoh:hey its like 60GB porn,400GB anime 100GB games and crap I have took from all my DVDs, I hate waiting on dvds to install stuff..... oh and 40GB of my porn was in the found.000 folder...mostly corrupted.... least I got names of wut needs to be repa
Posted 11/07/09 at 04:18pm
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
beemoh: @Zip: ...and you'd have to spend all that time re-downloading that porn?
Posted 11/07/09 at 03:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:58am
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:56am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:51am
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:48am
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:11am
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:07am
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:05am
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:03am
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:56am
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:45am
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:37am
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:36am
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:32am
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:30am
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:44am
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
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Comments
I don´t know what to think about people bitching about videogames, other than "publicity stunt" or "I want to be relevant talking about sh1t I don´t have any clue".
What career doesn´t use some degree of "inacurate picture" anyways for self-promotion? Just because they are using games is why he is bitching about.
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
The only thing in the past week on the House's Floor Debate Schedule which comes close is yesterday's entry which began consideration of H.R. 2647 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010).
While I know you gratefully accept the information, if you could express that gratitude in the form of an ECA t-shirt, key-ring, bumper sticker, or other such trinket, I'd gratefully accept that.
Isn't this the same guy who claims he saw Aliens? Dennis Kucinich is far to the left, very far but he does pick up good causes as well.
Now I am the biggest advocate against the far left anti Military and those who hate their country except when their guy is in charge and we must all blindly follow him and of course video game legislation.
What he says does have merit. Having went through Marine Corps Boot Camp I can say very fairly some people go in for the wrong reasons. As a teen and a young adult especially growing up in a safe country like America you think nothing can hurt you and everything is butterflies and green trees like your Liberal Grammar school Teacher tried to tell you the world is.
People join, and then there is a good chance of death or finding out you were not meant for this life. As an adult you do make a choice and take a risk but to train children that War is easy and you can just respawn well, I hate to break it you. War never changes and war is hell.
If anything American’s Army should also add in a story feature to it. To show the average person what a typical mission entails. Give them a powerful epic story as a well a shooter about life and the powerful feeling of what is it like to lose a comrade in battle. People who never served or lost a loved one find it hard to understand why people in the Military take TAPS so seriously. It’s simple, when your an honor guard at a Military funeral seeing a fellow friend off, it’s hard and we all go through it one way or another.
I don’t think we need to get rid of America’s Army, maybe edit it to give it a powerful story. Let the recruit know what it is like to lose a friend and what it is like to save lives. I just think this game would be better off as a promotional tool to show how it feels to be a Solider, Airmen, and Marine and the pains they go through so you can live in la la land and not worry about the very cruel world that is out there.
..... I am.... Speechless..
For once, if you sanitize the right wing stupidity from his comments, Kefka is right..
This "Experience" doesn't really show the reality of war. It doesn't show what it is like in training, the brutal (but necessary) drills they go through, and it sure as hell doesn't show you what it is like to lose a friend or squadmate to an enemy. It also doesn't show you the mental illness that many, many servicemen and women recieve as payment for thier heroic serivce. (PTSD, if my comment was too subtle)
All this crap does is invite children, who haven't had the time to truly find something they like, play this game and go "Oh, this is cool! I want to have this Cool Job when I graduate!"
If anything, this VAE crap is intentionally misleading the teenagers of this country into taking a job that many of them probably aren't suited for, and that has high chance of resulting in them coming home in a bodybag..
Also, Kefka.. Considering this comment was actually on point, relevant, and mostly heartfelt (again, not counting the moronic right wing rhetoric), I've come to the conclusion that you, against all odds, are actually a real person.. Which, considering I had you pegged as a satirical troll for quite a while, surprises the hell out of me.
And, on that note, I now realize you actually believe everything that you type, which scares the crap out of me, considering that you prove that there actually are people out there who believe the nonsense you spout, and that they can actually vote. Which is both depressing and frightening.
Wrong post
I think we should outlaw America's Army. Not because it's falsely portraying the US Army, but because it suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks.
---You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
That's the most intelligent thing I've heard ANYONE say on this topic!!
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin
He's right. You know, next time I go to a job fair, I think the plumber's booth should smell like shit and mildew, the roofer's booth should have a guy in a full body cast from falling off the roof, the police booth should have a cop's widow speaking, etc. Recruiters for every job should have to highlight all the negative aspects of that line of work and emphasize how awful it is, because the sole responsibility for what job a person chooses to take obviously lies with the recruiter, not the person choosing the job.
Or wait, maybe that's only for jobs I have some political beef with. I get so confused sometimes...
I find this kind of condescending, paternalizing bullshit to be truly offensive. The VAE is supposed to attract recruits. That's what it's for. There are plenty of other places where people can read, see, and hear about the negative aspects of being in the military, if they make even a basic attempt at researching the job to see if it's right for them. People are not as stupid as this guy seems to think he is. They do not live in a vacuum where the only information they have, or can have, about being in the military comes from the VAE. They are not instantly brainwashed into believing the military is their one true dream career from the moment that joystick touches their hand. I, for one, still believe in personal responsibility, and I refuse to let shmucks like this try to shift that responsibility elsewhere. If I join the military, or take any other job, without doing any research beyond what the guy promoting that job has to say, then that's my own fault and nobody else's. It is not the recruiter's responsibility to talk me out of it.
This is where I draw the line on Military recruiters. We should all know by now, don’t believe a lick of what they say and to actually talk to Veterans where you can get mixed reviews. The Armed Forces can be the best thing to ever happen to you or your family or it can be the worst. In the Armed Forces you put yourself last and service first.
To apply Xboxes and such in recruiting stations like yeah once you get in you get all these perks? It’s not like that at all. It’s hard. But some recruiters go the extra mile and they tell people to lie when joining the Military, to just rush them through to get their numbers. Recruiters don’t get paid for each person they recruit the only perk about being a recruiter you live whoever you want, and get a free car as long as you get in your numbers.
I’ve seen a lot of people go in for the wrong reasons in the Marine Corps. I have seen a lot of people freak out in Boot Camp and end up in RSP which is still boot camp but your there for a year in boot camp. Some people get sucked in for the wrong reasons now these people are adults. They choose to join and to serve which is honorable.
But know your limits before you join. Don’t join if you can’t clean you room, make your bed, do hard labor when your parents ask because believe me you join the Marines you better know how to sow. If your like that don’t make these same mistake I made, get paid to be on vacation join the Air Force you’ll most likely get stationed in Germany,
I love our Military but I feel recruiters should be held to a high standard and forcing them to get a certain number just makes them do things and recruit people who are not well enough to serve.
I would love too see some of our great writers in the Industry who made a 1st person shooter likeBioshock have such an amazing story write for this man’s armed forces.
Most off us do not know what loss is like and what hardship is like. A writer or director can make a moving story and I think this is the best place to start when it comes to this because once your in the field you need to know how to hack it.