BALTIMORE – The Army’s National Conventions Division and eSports team assisted U.S. Army Cadet Command with reaching thousands of fans at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Feb. 20 – 26.
The CIAA is the nation’s oldest historically black athletic conference and was held at the CFG Bank Arena. Since 2011, the Army has fielded a strong presence at the event.
As the largest guarantor of scholarships among the nation’s armed services, the Army is providing over $4 million in support to students at CIAA Colleges and Universities in 2023.
The National Conventions Division (NCD) supported the tournament with high tech rolling assets designed to engage recruiting prospects and influencers. Included were a trailer with an explosive ordnance robot and five virtual reality simulators, welding and an augmented reality sand table.
The second “Decide to Lead” asset features a virtual reality simulator that highlights a day in the life of a Junior Army Officer with educational components “Perception vs. Reality” and a “Battle of Wits.”
“NCD has the opportunity to bring firsthand Army experiences across the nation," said Capt. Frank Mitchell, NCD Company commander. "There are a lot of misperceptions about Army service, and NCD is glad to be able to make a difference in changing those perceptions."
NCD exhibitors are fulltime active-duty Soldiers who conduct professional exhibits and are subject matter experts on their assets. They drive, assemble, dissemble and showcase over 90 mobile exhibits annually.
At the CIAA tournament, spectators engaged directly with these Soldiers and the assets while learning about opportunities and benefits of Army service. Along with their mobile assets, NCD exhibitors engaged visitors with a 360-degree camera, dog tag machine, pullup bar, and a giveaway for an Oculus Meta Quest 2 headset.
Active-duty Soldiers from the U.S. Army eSports team also attended the tournament, using their unique online competitive platforms and skills to engage with spectators and share their Army story.
The eSports team is saturated with both talent and passion for how they support the Army’s accessions mission. Events like CIAA exposes eSports competitors to a public that otherwise may not be aware of how the Army supports and encourages Soldier passions.
CIAA is one of the largest lead producing events in the nation and provides the Army with direct contact to the African American community through its relationships with historically black colleges and universities. Army participation has become a staple at this event as visitors take advantage of the opportunity to speak directly to Soldiers serving in nontraditional fields.
The National Conventions Division and the eSports team are part of U.S. Army Mission Support Battalion, under the direction of the Marketing Engagement Brigade. In addition to mobile assets, and outreach companies, USAMSB produces branding and interactive products that generate leads and enhance activations.
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Editor's Note: For more information about the Mission Support Battalion, National Convention Division and the eSports team, call or send a text to 502-956-5998, or email Mission Support Battalion Public Affairs at victoria.b.mcadoo.civ@army.mil.
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