From ME3: For the Win … It’s the Exchange
From left: Dyondre ZseDenny, customer experience supervisor at the Beale AFB Exchange, challenged Christopher Sunga, sales area manager at Fort Meade, during the Battle of the Branches tournament at ME3.
PowerZone associates got their game on this week during an intense Battle of the Branches esports tournament, which pitted them against their counterparts at sister exchanges while giving them a glimpse into the growing world of esports.
John Aguilar, sales area manager at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Exchange won bragging rights as the “Forza Motorsport 7” winner, taking home an MSI laptop to give to a shopper. A Coast Guard Exchange associate earned a trophy for first place in “Street Fighter 5.”
“This was my first time playing a PC game,” Aguilar said. “I recommend it—I liked the smoothness and the flow of it.”
John Aguilar, sales area manager at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Exchange, showed off his skills on “Forza Motorsports 7” in the Battle of the Branches gaming tournament. He won an MSI gaming laptop, which will be raffled off and given to a shopper. Divisional Merchandise Manager Randy McKinley (left) and buyer Dennis Robertson celebrate Aguilar’s win.
Gaming, a key part of the Army’s esports efforts to recruit and retain Soldiers, is taking center stage at the joint Military Exchange Electronics Expo (ME3). At the expo’s gaming tournament, associates tried their hand at “Gran Turismo Sport” on Sony PlayStation VR and “Street Fighter 5” on Dell hardware. “Forza 7” was played on MSI.
The expo’s game night was particularly relevant for Exchange associates. This spring and summer, the Exchange partnered with Army Entertainment, an Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Family and MWR Program, to bring esports tournaments to installations around the world for a chance to go to TwitchCon 2019 in September.
“The gaming night gave us an interactive way to show associates the newest computer hardware, games and accessories,” said Divisional Merchandise Manager Randy McKinley, who planned the event. “Associates can take their enthusiasm and product knowledge to the fields and engage shoppers on what’s new and what products will best fit their needs.”
Dyondre ZseDenny, customer experience supervisor at the Beale AFB Exchange, says joining forces with the sister exchanges at the expo made the event even better.
“It’s a whole lot bigger and whole more exciting than last year,” he said. “I’m having fun and learning.”
Missed the tournament? Watch our Facebook Live video to hear from associates at JBSA-Lackland, Scott AFB, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Fort Buchanan and the headquarters buying them.
Catch the excitement of this week’s ME3 on Twitter, Instagram and Flickr.
