Go Army! Beat Air Force!

Photo By Sandra Lucas | Alabama National Guard Staff Sgt. James Trigg, Detachment 1, A Company 1-114th Aviation Battalion, a UH-60 helicopter repairer sets at his command post prepared to compete in the World of Warcraft. Trigg, aka Kanklz, participated in the developer’s competition 14 – 18 January, World of Warcraft Shadowlands, at the Mythic Dungeon International. The team finished 11th globally out of an estimated 200 participants. (Courtesy Photo)  

MONTGOMERY, AL, UNITED STATES

01.29.2021

Story by 1st Sgt. Sandra Lucas 

131st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

The online gaming industry is a fast-growing multi-billion-dollar industry. In 2004, the World of Warcraft (WoW) launched and became the first massively multiplayer online (MMO) game to eclipse 10 million active subscriptions. The term online gaming is the environment for all gaming. One segment of the mass gaming ecosystem is eSports, short for electronic sports. eSports brings the best of the best and novice to play and compete in a plethora of games.
The U.S. Army Recruiting Command found this to be a tool to compete and play while introducing themselves to the community.
“Anyone can play, it is open, and there are lots of players, it is a great way to meet people,” said Staff Sgt. James Trigg, Alabama National Guardsman, Detachment 1, A Company 1-114th Aviation Battalion.
Staff Sgt. Andrew J. Waller is the U.S. Army eSports Operations Manager at Fort Knox, Ky.
“We had 7,000 apply; we conducted tryouts to pick the Army teams. Since the program began, we have processed approximately 30,000,” said Waller.
Members of the Army eSports team compete in various tournaments across the country. The Army eSports Team started November 2018 to help the Army find new ways to connect with individuals who may not be aware of military career opportunities. The team members can have open discussions about their Army experiences while they are playing or streaming online. Other players can ask questions about careers and benefits and have an authentic engagement with a U.S. Army Soldier.
It takes more than just good playing to make the Army team.
“What it takes to be a good eSports player is equal to what a good leader is in the Army. These are the soft skills, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, creativity and integrity,” said Waller.
For Trigg, a UH-60 helicopter repairer, the opportunity to play on the Army team intrigued him while connecting to other players.
“The coolest thing for me, a full-time National Guardsman, is the people you meet. An Army captain is working on his Master’s Degree and will teach at West Point, and rank doesn’t matter. People are from all walks of life,” said Trigg.
eSports is a beneficial program to connect with today’s youth. eSports operates much like the Golden Knights and the Army Marksmanship Unit to create awareness about the Army and its opportunities. As in any sport, the players are passionate and work hard to improve their skills.
Competition gaming requires commitment; players will be online for about 12 hours a day for a chance to compete in the top six. The competition is tough and can be fatiguing. Soldiers ensure their passion does not decrease their readiness abilities, so eating right and doing physical fitness training are part of the regular day.
There are 20 different games, referred to by the community as titles to engage. Some comprise teams of six players, and others are individual competitors.
Trigg’s passion and preference is World of Warcraft. He and his team recently competed in the Mythic Dungeon International (MDI). For this competition, the team comprises five players from anywhere globally, and Soldiers who participate encompass various military occupations. . The goal is to get the lowest time possible to complete a dungeon. For non-gamers, a dungeon is an enclosed area where players engage the enemy. Each dungeon has modifiers called affixes to make them much more difficult.
Trigg, aka Kanklz, participated in the developer’s competition 14 – 18 January, World of Warcraft Shadowlands, at Mythic Dungeon International. Although teams sometimes travel to a central location, due to COVID, this event was virtual. To participate, Soldiers must request time away from their jobs, and the time cannot interfere with training. The Alabama National Guard supports Soldiers participating in civic activities when possible.
“I have competed with U.S. Army eSports (USAE) one-time prior during an event called Keystone Masters. The team placed 14th in the world for time trials; there were over 100 teams in the competition,” said Trigg.
The five days begin with the elimination of teams, getting down to the top six. The final six teams will play for the Cup. The MDI developers judge and monitor for integrity, with one or more team members streaming the play on Twitch. The team captain streams on Twitch.tv under his gaming name, Riptarx.
Although WoW is 16 years old, it remains new with improvements by the developers. New releases referred to as seasons and Season 1 challenged all competitors at the MDI.
“This is the first season of WoW, so no one knows what to expect. I am excited about the challenge,” said Trigg.
The team finished 11th globally, an improvement from the last competition, which is better than Trigg expected, but not the top eight they hope to achieve.
“The most important part is we beat Air Force gaming!” said Kanklz.
To learn more about U.S. Army eSports visit Discord online at discord.gg/usarmyesports.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2021
• Date Posted: 01.29.2021 10:10
• Story ID: 387915
• Location: MONTGOMERY, AL, US