When I was 19, and Saddam was lobbing Scud missiles at Tel Aviv, I had a brief urge to join the Israeli army. Good thing I didn't. Because the generals there wouldn't have been too happy with my dormroom Dungeons & Dragons habit. Ynetnews explains:
18-year-olds who tell recruiters they play the popular fantasy game are automatically given low security clearance.
"They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence," the army says.
Fans of the popular role-playing game had spoken of rumors of this strange policy by the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces], but now the army has confirmed that it has a negative image of teens who play the game and labels them as problematic in regard to their draft status.
So if you like fantasy games, go see the military psychologist...
"These people have a tendency to be influenced by external factors which could cloud their judgment," a military official says. "They may be detached from reality or have a weak personality -- elements which lower a person's security clearance, allowing them to serve in the army, but not in sensitive positions." (via Fortean Times)
