Army Bingo

Exploit the Lottery and Win

Special Articles (iv)

Bingo In The Army Now

When bingo found its way to Germany in the mid-19^th century, the locals found more to the game than merely a game of fun and prizes and employed it in schools for educational purposes. Now, the ubiquity of online bingo has given people across all levels of society the chance to experiment with its uses - from school teachers to office workers – and all have found the game to be as malleable as the needs for which it is required. One of the more common uses of bingo as a charity fundraiser has seen even the British Army use employ the game as precisely that, as a charity fundraiser for Army veterans. Yet the added mental benefits to the game prompt an intriguing question: could the military use it as more than simply a fundraising tool?

The British Army has long had a reputation for being one of the best-trained in the world. With modules in military skills such as weapons handling and emergency casualty care, they are well-geared for any combat situation. In this regard it might be considered something of a stretch to imagine that full bingo training could be useful in a fire fight. Captain Sanders from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers disagrees.

“Like any reaction-based game, bingo utilises and enhances skills which are useful in every situation, not just in combat,” he said. “The sharper the mind, the more effective it is when the going gets tough, which in our line of work is regularly. In this respect, I could see how it might be useful to keep the minds of the men sharp, particularly during the quiet moments on tours of duty.”

The health benefits of bingo have long been acknowledged, with several studies confirming that players of the game improve their mental faculties to a startling degree compared to those of non-players. Reaction times and concentrative capability are the particular functions that enjoy the greatest improvement – key skills in a military environment.

Also key is the social aspect of the game. Away from loved ones for long periods of time, suffering long, arduous hours with constant concentration taking its toll, the potential hazards to the mental health of soldiers is one extremely important reason why bingo could play an integral part in the sanity of the troops. Not only is it a distraction from the combat environment and constant threat of attack, but also a chance to bond with colleagues upon whom lives will be entrusted.

The camaraderie inherent in the success of any closely-knit team is exactly the reason why bingo became the nation’s most popular game, as different communities entwined over one common purpose and developed a love and respect for each other. These are exactly the qualities that the army uses to win hearts and minds in a war-torn country, something not lost on Captain Sanders. If he and his company can organise friendly games of bingo, perhaps they can achieve their aim in a calm and peaceful manner. Calm until someone wins a full house, that is.