Editor’s note: The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the launch of Season 3 of its free gaming leagues, Combat Tested Gaming. This landmark initiative provides a new platform exclusively for service members and Veterans to hone their gaming skills while building camaraderie with other members of the Veteran community.
An estimated 3 billion people globally will play video games this year, and the VFW recognizes the importance of providing diverse opportunities for Veterans to foster connections and combat isolation in an inclusive and supportive environment. Combat Tested Gaming aims to fulfill this mission by bringing Veterans together through e-sports.
“Combat Tested Gaming is about more than gaming, it’s about leveraging social engagement and skill development opportunities to build a strong community of support,” said VFW National Commander Duane Sarmiento. “Veterans find strength in unity, and this bold, new initiative harnesses the power of technology to connect them in a way that’s both fun and therapeutic.”
Through this exciting endeavor, Combat Tested Gaming currently offers feature leagues for popular competitive video games, like Call of Duty®: Warzone and Rocket League. Each league’s winners will go on to compete in a culminative tournament this June.
Combat Tested Gaming registration is completely free. The league play registration for the current season closes April 12, with weekly matches set to begin the week of April 15. Each season culminates in a playoff-style tournament bracket. Select matches are streamed live to the VFW’s Twitch channel with all gaming sessions posted on YouTube.
The Combat Tested Gaming Discord community is growing even beyond its official league offerings. With community channels for a wide gamut of other games that is growing by the day and various other social channels, the community offers multiple opportunities for Veterans and service members to connect with each other over video games. Even if you’re not a fan of the games being played in our official leagues, the Combat Tested Gaming Discord server is a fantastic place to find other Veteran and military gamers to play your favorite online game with.
An entire section of the Discord server is dedicated to offering Veteran resources, such as jobs, Veteran scholarships, programs, and even a channel with a dedicated VFW Accredited Service Officer who is answering questions about VA benefits in real time and providing direct help to those who need assistance with accessing their benefits.
Whether you game solo or have a brigade of battle buddies, service members and Veterans from all branches of the military are encouraged to join Combat Tested Gaming for the chance to connect with their fellow Veterans and experience the positive impact of e-sports.
For more information about Combat Tested Gaming leagues or to register, visit vfw.org/Gaming.
To join the Combat Tested Gaming Discord community, visit https://discord.gg/bUUm4vDP8u.
Combat Tested Gaming and VA will host a Q&A session about VA health care and benefits on the Combat Tested Gaming Discord April 11, 2024, at 6 p.m. EST.
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You all lucky you’re not promoting Battlefield 2042. Cause my crew would mop the floor with the competition