WIRED Staff
Culture

Slideshow: Shooters Kill Troops' Off Hours

Rather than letting airmen run wild through the red-light districts of Europe, the Air Force is sponsoring networked gaming centers at its bases. Now homesick young military personnel can shoot their buddies in their spare time. By Noah Shachtman.
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Lajes Field, in the Azores islands off Portugal, has four game consoles, connected to 29-inch TVs, in a room festooned with Xbox-inspired art.United States Air Force

See related story: Shooters Kill Troops' Off Hours

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U.S. Air Forces in Europe, or USAFE, is investing about $200,000 into networked gaming centers at 14 bases scattered across the continent. All told, more than 100 Microsoft Xbox game consoles will be purchased, giving thousands of airmen a familiar new option for their downtime.

United States Air Force