After having a pretty dire time of it lately in regards to failing to meet its recruitment target this year by roughly 7,500 soldiers, the US Army has come up with a new way to connect to the younger generation.

According to Star and Stripes, the Army is currently recruiting members for a US Army Esports team which will represent the Army in competitive gaming and help them reach out to the younger folk and bridge the age gap with good old-fashioned video games.

In a post on Reddit, SSG Meaux who is a US Army Esports team recruiter stated that:

"We are actually in the process of standing up two new competitive outreach teams -- an Army eSports team and an Army Functional Fitness team. Both teams will be part of the Marketing and Engagement Brigade based at Fort Knox. They will operate much like the Golden Knights and the Army Marksmanship Unit to create awareness about the Army and the opportunities it provides.Both teams will represent the Army in competitions and events across the nation..."

"...This initiative will help make our Soldiers more visible and relatable to today's youth. Members of the eSports and Functional Fitness outreach teams are not recruiters. They will be in a support role to help young people see Soldiers in a different light and understand the many different roles people can have in the Army. They will help the Army address the growing disconnect with society.Competitive online gaming will be part of the duties of the eSports team, and representing the Army at fitness competitions will be a big part of the Functional Fitness team."

If you're wondering what you need to do to participate then you must be an active, reserve, or veteran Army soldier. If you're a national guard member, normal civilian, or anything else, I'm afraid the answer is a solid no. If you're thinking about it and you fit the bill, you have until November 30 to register your interest via the online application form.

Actually looking at the application form gives you a good indication of what video games the US Army esports team will be playing. It seems as if Fortnite, Tekken, League of Legends, PUBG, Overwatch, FIFA, Madden, and NBA 2K are in the running. Even though the US Army live-streamed an esports championship series for Street Fighter V back in August, if successful, this will be their very first real go at developing its own all-Army esports team.

Would this entice you into joining the US Army? Let us know in the comments below.