December 17, 2007 (LPAC)--Since it's public release of the video game "America's Army" five years ago, the U.S. Army, escpecially in relation to DARPA, has expanded its development of video games, using "America's Army" and others such games for "training" in multiple scenerios. Recently, the Army's "Combined Arms Center" at Fort Leavenworth, KS has announced the creation of a new office which will be part of the Army's "National Simulation Center".

In a released statement, Brig. Gen. Maffey states: "Currently, we are focusing on first-person shooter and real-time strategy games, but there are many other genres of games that have desirable training capabilities. They provide an immersive environment capable of simulating thought within a given context, thus giving us the ability to exercise cognitive skills along with functional tasks."

The video game "America' Army" was advertised as a "recruitment tool" during its release, and with the need for higher enlistments as the Iraq war drags on, we might expect the Army to turn to the spoon benders or the Micro-Soft Brains for advice.