Esports has seen some major growth over the last few years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. As the spotlight grows on the sport, companies and other organizations are starting to invest in the competitive gaming market, with Blizzard even bringing a esports stadium to Los Angeles. It makes sense then that the United States Army has begun to look at getting in on the action themselves with a new esports team.

According to a recent post on Reddit by SSG Meaux, the US Army intends to start up two new competitive outreach teams, one for Functional Fitness and one for esports. Both teams are being started up in the hopes that they’ll be able to reach out to younger generations and rectify a disconnect that’s grown over the years between the military and society as a whole.

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.The eSports team members also will be involved in beta testing for Army apps and training and simulation software, which helps demonstrate some of the advanced technology the Army uses.  Soldiers have expressed a strong desire to represent the Army in competitive gaming. They have shown Army leaders how gaming can help us connect to young people and show them a side of Soldiers they may not expect.”

Team members will receive benefits and pay on the same level as other soldiers of equal ranks, making it quite a tempting offer for interested parties.  Players who might like to check this opportunity out for themselves can do so on the official recruitment page, while esports team applicants can sign up here.

While there was no mention of what games the team would be playing, the sign shown above does show options to choose from such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and more. Let us know your thoughts on esports and the US Army’s professional team in the comments section below. As always, don’t forget to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter for 24/7 coverage of all things gaming and entertainment.