Just out of high school, thousands of miles from friends and parents, and isolated by language and culture from the people around them, young airmen stationed on a U.S. Air Force base in Europe can find life pretty lonely.
But now the military's fresh faces can get a bit of the comforts of home -- by wasting their pals in an online shoot-'em-up game.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe, or USAFE, is investing about $200,000 into networked gaming centers at 14 bases scattered across the continent. All told, more than 100 Microsoft Xbox game consoles will be purchased, giving thousands of airmen a familiar new option for their downtime.
"Everything is so different here. So it's nice to have a taste of what (airmen) are used to -- a taste of America," said David Quinn, who heads the USAFE's Community Activities branch. "This is a way to get them out of the dorms, to keep them from sitting and staring at four walls."
Stars & Stripes had an article about this a little while back. My Wired News piece picks up where it left off.
Just out of high school, thousands of miles from friends and parents, and isolated by language and culture from the people around them, young airmen stationed on a U.S. Air Force base in Europe can find life pretty lonely.
But now the military's fresh faces can get a bit of the comforts of home -- by wasting their pals in an online shoot-'em-up game.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe, or USAFE, is investing about $200,000 into networked gaming centers at 14 bases scattered across the continent. All told, more than 100 Microsoft Xbox game consoles will be purchased, giving thousands of airmen a familiar new option for their downtime.
"Everything is so different here. So it's nice to have a taste of what (airmen) are used to -- a taste of America," said David Quinn, who heads the USAFE's Community Activities branch. "This is a way to get them out of the dorms, to keep them from sitting and staring at four walls."
Stars & Stripes had an article about this a little while back. My Wired News piece picks up where it left off.