So it’s not the kind of recognition that you might get for being on American Idol or, say, having the front of you photographed, but we are not a picky people; Stephen and I will take whatever slice of the fame pie that fate wants to offer up. This time around, it was the back of the head slice.
I’m married to the blurry guy in the chair.
So this is what infantrymen do when they aren’t deployed – they played video games. Oh, excuse me, they work on training simulators.
Stars & Stripes ran an article about it here, but the short version is that Stephen and some fellow soldiers spent all week learning how to use this new virtual training system. The straps and things on their bodies control an avatar, sort of like on Nintendo Wii. (You kneel, your avatar kneels – that kind of thing.) They work as a team to complete missions and do things like breach buildings and kill Taliban. The idea is that the simulator could improve team work/team cohesion and give the soldiers realistic practice without having to go into the field or put wear and tear on actual weapons.
If you’re so inclined, you can also watch a YouTube video that the unit released here to get a better look at how it works. (Stephen’s voice is the first voice you hear in the video, and he’s front and center in the first shot of the soldiers kneeling.) Alas, it’s not terribly exciting and just looks like a bunch of guys standing around. I’m sure it’s much more fun if you are actually doing it. All in a day’s work.
Have you ever had a brush with “fame?” When I was 10, my picture was in the newspaper for the lemonade stand my friend and I set up in front of her house.
Oh good… yet another acronym to remember!
Was Stephen disappointed that he didn’t get to try the real thing? I have seen other training simulators (not virtual though) and it is so freakin cool what all can be done to simulate possible combat situations.
I’ve been in the paper for soccer accomplishments and once because I got third place in a writing contest. whoopdedoo. Not famous. Don’t wanna be.
He did get to try it! He was just sitting in the picture because his simulator was malfunctioning. (Apparently they were having many technical difficulties.)
You don’t want to be famous? Me either, but I’m often surprised by the number of young people who say they do. (Lots of my students have told me they want to be famous, not even necessarily for something specific like singing or acting, just plain famous.) I like to think that maybe it’s because they are exposed to famous people (tv, movies, etc.), so it’s something they see a lot of. I tried to broaden their horizons. Middle schoolers can be tricky ones though.
Wellll I just meant that he didn’t get the full experience. Bummer. That’s gotta be like a kid sitting out at recess. ha.
True dat. And the microphones they were using to talk to each other weren’t working, so they had to yell to each other. (They were wearing noise cancelling headphones.) He took it like a champ, but I’m sure he felt kind of silly when some big wig higher-ups came to watch them.
I’m sure he enjoyed the simulator and it was interesting. I have been published a few times in Elle but that’s it. No big fame here or not at least in the bigger news outlets
You were published in Elle?! That’s amazing! Sure, that doesn’t make you famous, but that’s a huge accomplishment! Color me impressed!
That’s cool! It’s always exciting to see them getting recognized. I always hope that I’ll know whoever is in the picture on the AKO homepage! We were recently in TIME magazine and on the list of iconic images of 2012. Not sure if you saw my blog post about it, but it was his homecoming ceremony and it’s the back of his head too! lol! I even got it made into a canvas!
I did see that! Such a great picture, and it looks amazing on the canvas! The picture being in Time had to be the cherry on top of having your hubby home.