More than Just Fun and Games

VFW post uses online gaming to help veterans with PTSD

By Andrea Agardy

Many people — even some with military backgrounds — still hold outdated and inaccurate notions of what happens inside Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

“I hate the old cliché of, ‘Oh, it’s just a bar where a bunch of old veterans go and drink to soak up their sorrows,’” says Bill Smith, commander of VFW Post 8541 in San Antonio.

Smith and the other members of the post are working hard to change that perception and to attract younger veterans to the organization. One of the ways they’re doing that is through online gaming.

Post 8541 recently converted its auxiliary meeting room into a cybercafe with a gaming system, which is powered by fiber internet service. Sam Elizondo, co-owner of LFG Cybercafe, a popular gaming room in San Antonio, worked with VFW officials on the project, helping secure a generous and game-changing donation.

“When Microsoft got rid of their brick-and-mortar stores, they donated Xboxes to us. They donated Surface Pros and gaming computers,” says Smith, a retired Green Beret, and an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. “They were looking for someone who could use the computers, and Sam linked us together. Microsoft was amazing! They took out a big chunk of the cost for us.”

Through a combination of other donations, fundraisers and dipping into its own coffers, the post purchased the remaining equipment to make the idea a reality.

They didn’t just set up a few folding tables, plug in the computers and call it done. They created a state-of-the-art cybercafe, complete with mood lighting and specially designed gaming chairs. They initially set up the room in compliance with social distancing guidelines. Once those COVID-19 precautions are no longer necessary, the VFW has enough bandwidth, equipment and furniture on hand to run 18 tower gaming stations plus another eight Xboxes.

Extending the Reach

One of the first of its kind in the nation, the cybercafe is already drawing in younger veterans and revamping the VFW’s image.

The members are a diverse group of more than 1,400 men and women spanning all branches of the military and conflicts dating back as far as World War II and the Korean War. With more Afghanistan and Iraq veterans joining, the mix of generational and experiential differences blends well — something Smith attributes to mutual respect. “You always hear about mentorship and how older members should mentor younger members,” he says. “But we have a belief that works here — that we can learn from our younger members. That mentorship goes both ways. We respect each others’ experiences and backgrounds.”

The response to the cybercafe has been
positive across the board.

“We have some members in their early 80s, and they love that game room as much as we do,” Smith says. “They just think it’s a great idea.”

Plans for the cybercafe extend beyond just having a place to play Halo and Fortnite.

“We’re trying to work with some companies that have online counseling,” Smith says. “There are definitely some PTSD groups out there that use gaming to work with the veterans.”

More than Just a Game

There is growing evidence that gaming can have therapeutic benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs conducted a study in which veterans dealing with mental health issues reported that video games were helpful in recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. Although the impact varied from one individual to the next, participating veterans told researchers that gaming helped them in a range of ways, including mood management, stress relief, socialization, building confidence, and more. The benefits were the result of the connections they made with other players, as well as the games’ ability to distract them from symptoms like suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.

Smith has seen firsthand how even active-duty soldiers in war zones use gaming as a way to decompress.

“At Firebase Cobra up in Oruzgan, Afghanistan — which was probably the most contested firebase — the two Green Beret teams up there would make sure they had eight to 10 computers set up to game,” he says. “That was their escape. Their way to unwind was through gaming.”

In addition to being an escape, gaming also allows players who might not otherwise interact to bond with one another. When it comes to PTSD, those tight relationships can literally save lives.

“That’s probably the most key element to somebody in trouble,” Smith says. “We all know each other well. You’re able to come in here and talk to other people who’ve been in the same boat. If you’re having a bad day and you get in here with these guys and start talking to each other, things start to feel normal again.”

Other VFWs are already taking notice of what Post 8541 is doing, and Smith hopes cybercafes will soon open up in other posts, too.

“Down the road, I’d love to see the VFW go that way,” he says. “If we’re able to get more VFWs to do the cybercafe or esports, we could have a VFW esports league. That would definitely help our veterans with PTSD.”

For more information on VFW Post 8541 and the cybercafe, go to Facebook or visit the VFW Post 8541 website.