Source ::: wikipedia.org
America's Army (also known as AA or Army Game Project) is a series of video
games and other media developed by the United States Army and released
as a global public relations initiative to help with recruitment.America's Army
was conceived by Colonel Casey Wardynski and was managed by the U.S.
Army's Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis at the United States Military
Academy.[2] Wardynski envisioned "using computer game technology to provide
the public a virtual Soldier experience that was engaging, informative and
entertaining."[3]
The PC version 1.0, subtitled Recon,[4] was first released on July 4, 2002. Since
then there have been over 26 versions released with the most recent being
America's Army 3. All versions have been developed on the Unreal Engine and
use PunkBuster to try to prevent cheating. The game is financed by the U.S.
government and distributed by free download.
America's Army has "grown in ways its originators couldn't have imagined".[3]
Dozens of government training and simulation applications using the America's
Army platform have been developed to train and educate U.S. Army Soldiers.[5]
America's Army has also been used to deliver Virtual Soldiering experiences
to participants at events such as air shows, amusement parks and sporting
events around the country. The America's Army series has also been expanded
to include versions for Xbox and Xbox 360, arcade, and mobile applications
published through licensing arrangements.[6][7]
The game was developed by Wardynski, who recognized that a video game
might be helpful to the U.S. Army in the strategic communication efforts by
providing more information to prospective soldiers and to help reduce the
number of recruits who wash out during the nine weeks of basic training.[2]
The effort proved successful with "more than 8 million registrations and 3 billion
player rounds" as of March 2007.[8] One teenager was quoted saying the
game "provides great information. This would probably spark an interest. I don't
know how I would have found out so much
Other versions
[edit]America's Army: Rise of a Soldier
America's Army: Rise of a Soldier was released for
the Xbox in October 2005. According to the press
release, the game features "all the action-packed
realism that players have come to expect from the
America's Army game brand" and "offers the most trueto-
life Army experience, allowing players to create a
soldier and lead him through the excitement of an Army
career".[10]
[edit]Mobile game
In February 2007, Gameloft and the U.S. Army
released America's Army: Special Operations for
mobile phones. The game features three types of
gameplay. Players can pilot a combat helicopter,
man an armored vehicle or serve as an infantryman.
According to Mobicritic.com, "Gameloft does a great
job with this game and the only fault one could find is
that the game is too short. It isn't, really: you just won't
realize how fast the hours of play have passed, as
this game really gives the term 'action packed' a new
meaning."[11][12]
[edit]Arcade game
The arcade version of America's Army was developed
by Global VR and released in July 2007.[13] It is billed
as a "realistic and engaging game centered on exciting
training exercises and includes a significant amount of
authentic Army videos".
[edit]
Real Heroes
The Real Heroes program, launched in September 2006, focuses on specific
soldiers who have been recognized for various acts. Described in an article
from U.S. News and World Report, the idea of the Real Heroes program "is
to tout ordinary people who, when thrust into danger, showed extraordinary
courage".[14]
The Real Heroes program uses videos, photo albums and blogs on the Real
Heroes website to depict the lives of those featured in the program. Soldiers'
likenesses and biographies are incorporated into America's Army and used
to create action figures sold at retail and distributed at Army events.[citation
needed] Additionally, those featured in the Real Heroes program make media
appearances at America's Army events across the country such as the VAE,
gaming competitions and Technology Education programs. On January 23, 2007,
Real Hero SGT Tommy Rieman was recognized by President George W. Bush
during his State of the Union address. Bush affirmed "... and like so many other
Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and
the gratitude of our country."[15] Currently, there are nine Real Heroes in the
program.
Nam
Awa
Tou
Sel
erd r
ection Date
MAJ
Jason Amerine
Bronze Star
w
V
Device
OEF-A
2006
SGT Tommy
Rieman
Silver
Star
OIF
2006
1LT Gerald Wolford
Silver
Star
OIF
2006
SSG Mathew Zedwick
Silver
Star
OIF
2006
SGT
Jason Mike
Silver
Star
OIF
2007
SSG Timothy
Nein
Distinguished Service Cross
OIF
2007
SFC Rob
Bronze
OIF
2008
ert
Groff
Star
w
V
Device
SFC
John Adams
Bronze Star
w
V
Devi
OIF
2008
ce
SGT Monica Brown
Silver
Star
OEF-A
2009
***Muhammad Ishaque MEmon***
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