Training and Education Command

 

Training and Education Command

United States Marine Corps

Quantico, VA
Professional gamer answers ‘Call of Duty’

By Cpl. Carrie C. Ruiz | | July 18, 2008

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- Pvt. Andrew Vigil spent the majority of his high school years in a bedroom at his suburban home in Silverdale, Wash., playing video games.

Vigil began playing video games on his Super Nintendo and Nintendo Game Boy when he was 6-years-old. Over the years as video game technology became more advanced, Vigil bought an Xbox 360 console.

Vigil said that he mainly played first person shooter games distinguished by a first person visual perspective of the player character, such as the Call of Duty and Halo series because it was a fun and competitive game to play with all of his friends.

Over time, Vigil bought Xbox Live for his console. Xbox Live is a feature that allows gamers to play against other people online as well as download demos, trailers, and even full games.

After getting Xbox Live, Vigil took his video gaming to another level and began entering in competitions under the gamer name Kinko Eh.

“I played approximately 20 hours a week and got really good at the first person shooter games, especially Halo,” said Vigil. “I decided to join a four person team called Random Fours over the internet and began entering in local Halo tournaments.”

Vigil’s team won nine out of the 10 tournaments they competed in and accumulated anywhere from $300 to $900 a tournament.

After gaining extensive experience in competitive gaming, Vigil’s team began making promotional videos that highlighted some of their best competitions and posted them online. Their gaming skills caught the attention of an energy drink company who was looking for a team to represent them in Major League Gaming tournaments.

The company paid for the team’s airfare, hotel accommodations and food, to travel around the country and compete in Halo tournaments.

Vigil and his team met in New York City, N.Y., and Charlotte, N.C., for their competitions, where they ranked as one of the top ten out of more than 50,000 teams.

“The Major League Gaming tournaments are unbelievable,” said Vigil. “There are thousands of televisions and game consoles in one large arena. Once the teams get narrowed down, they play on a giant theatre screen and everyone else can sit and watch.”

Vigil said that he is a quiet player and doesn’t speak much to the other players when he is competing. He said that a lot of other players talk trash during the competitions, but he prefers to be humble.

As Vigil neared high school graduation, he began looking at alternative means of income outside of playing video games.

“I had talked to a Marine Corps recruiter before, and decided that enlisting would give me the challenge I had been looking for,” said Vigil.

Staff Sgt. Vitoelee Marconi, recruiter, Recruiting Substation Bremerton, Wash., said that Vigil came to the recruiting office and told him he was done being a gamer and wanted to be a United States Marine.

When Vigil broke the news to his friends that he was leaving pro gaming in order to join the Marine Corps, they were not very supportive. Vigil said that his friends made fun of him, and although it was difficult to give up such a high income job, he wanted to do more with his life then just play games. 

Vigil said that he thinks that video games give audiences a false impression of what the military is like. He said a lot of the pro gamers think that war isn’t as serious as it is, but Vigil never let it influence him like that.

“I joined the Marine Corps because I believe that everyone should spend some time in the military in order to pay their dues to our country,” said Vigil. “I also wanted to do more than just gaming. I wanted to experience something new.”

Vigil’s heart was set on becoming a Marine, so after a year of being in the Delayed Entry Program, a program for people who are waiting to leave for boot camp, he departed for recruit training where he picked up with Platoon 3255, Company L.

Vigil said that some of his platoon members already knew who he was from online gaming.

“I will always be amazed at how online gamers from across the world all know each other,” said Vigil. “I would compare it to major league sports teams, if your one of the best everyone knows your name.”

Staff Sgt. Everson Kaaihue, senior drill instructor, Company L, said that when Vigil arrived at recruit training he was very shy and soft-spoken. However, by the end of training he had become more outspoken.

Vigil said that the most memorable moment of recruit training was Black Friday, the first day the recruits met their training drill instructors. He said that it was all an olive green blur, and for a moment he regretted enlisting.

“Vigil told me that he took a lot of criticism from his friends for passing up the chance to get paid to play video games,” said Kaaihue. “I think that it is very commendable that he gave up all that he did to join the Marine Corps.”

Whether Vigil makes a career out of the Marine Corps or not, he said that he does not plan on returning to pro gaming. He said that it was a part of his life that is now over and he feels like it is time for him to move on.