{"id":3835,"date":"2019-05-29T17:58:26","date_gmt":"2019-05-29T17:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=3835"},"modified":"2019-05-29T20:01:15","modified_gmt":"2019-05-29T20:01:15","slug":"exchange-support-of-army-esports-drives-mental-agility-morale-of-soldiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2019\/05\/29\/exchange-support-of-army-esports-drives-mental-agility-morale-of-soldiers\/","title":{"rendered":"Exchange Support of Army Esports Drives Mental Agility, Morale of Soldiers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TwoRoad To TwitchCon Qualifier Winners To Head to San Diego This Fall<\/em><\/p>\n

DALLAS<\/strong> \u2013 The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is partnering with Army Entertainment, an Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Family and MWR Program, to bring esports tournaments to installations around the world for a chance to go to TwitchCon 2019 in September.<\/p>\n

The \u201cStreet Fighter V\u201d Road to TwitchCon qualifiers are part of IMCOM Family and MWR\u2019s ongoing effort to provide opportunities for Soldiers to recharge, reduce stress and promote esprit de corps<\/a>. MWR Programs keep Soldiers healthy and ready for the Army mission. The tournaments are open to all active-duty and Army National Guard Soldiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt its core, the National Guard is made up of citizen-Soldiers,\u201d said Sgt. Steve Johnson, Texas Army National Guard, Recruiting and Retention Command, who helped lead the first esports tournament at Camp Mabry in Austin this spring. \u201cIt\u2019s important to the people in our communities to see that we are just like you, and you can come do this too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soldiers contribute to the Army mission in career fields that draw on gaming skills, from technological support to digital security and more. Esports also have benefits for Warfighters, including mental agility, decision-making, problem-solving and team-building.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Exchange is always looking for ways to further strengthen readiness,\u201d said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, the Exchange\u2019s senior enlisted advisor. \u201cThese esports tournaments give us an opportunity to share the Exchange mission with Soldiers and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of the \u201cStreet Fighter V\u201d qualifying tournaments are broadcast on Army Entertainment\u2019s Twitch channel<\/a>, allowing Soldiers\u2019 family and friends to tune in from afar. Winners earn a spot at TwitchCon 2019 from Sept. 27 to Sept. 29.<\/p>\n

Sgt. 1st<\/sup> Class Chris Brown won the first event at Camp Mabry, a National Guard installation in Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came down here to play the game and have a good time,\u201d Brown said. \u201cNow I\u2019m standing here as the winner.\u201d<\/p>\n

IMCOM has had a relationship with Twitch<\/a>, a video streaming platform for gamers, for about a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe big thing for Twitch is spreading the joy of gaming and being a platform for everybody,\u201d said Nathan Lindberg, Twitch senior director of global sponsorships. \u201cGiving active-duty military the ability to have that esports experience on base in their environment is amazing. The fact that we can broadcast globally so that friends, family and fellow Soldiers worldwide can watch is just icing on the cake.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Exchange garnered sponsorships for the 2019 tournaments. Brands like Sony and ACER provided consoles, software and more to award the winners. At the tournaments, the Exchange also highlights services and offerings for Soldiers, such as the BE FIT program.<\/p>\n

Upcoming Road to TwitchCon qualifiers include:<\/p>\n