Give board games a chance, roll the dice

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nathan Maysonet
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  As far back as I can remember, gaming has been a part of my life, and while I do enjoy playing the latest and greatest video games, that's not the type of gaming I'm talking about. I'm talking about board games. Where life and death hang on a single die roll, where gold is won, kingdoms saved and dragons are slain.

So what? Why should you care? Well, in an age of constant media saturation, when was the last time you spent a night with friends and family away from cell phones and Facebook, television and video games? When was the last time you sat down to play one of the countless board games, card games and miniature games available for people to enjoy?

For me, board games have always been a part of my life, and game night was sacred. As a child, it was a chance for my parents and me to relax and enjoy each other's company. As my father's Air Force career in the 90s took him further away from home for longer periods of time, the chance to move a few pieces of plastic across a cardboard map at the behest of a die roll became even more precious.

Game night was our chance to connect and talk and let go of some of the stress that had accumulated over the week. Gaming also taught me to be social, how to listen and speak to others as we struggled through puzzles and made fools of ourselves.

As I grew up, went to college, joined the Air Force and married, I was determined to keep the tradition alive.

It hasn't been easy with so much entertainment vying for my attention. The idea of picking a day and time when everything is brushed aside except for our imaginations seemed impossible until I realized gaming could help me on the job.

Gaming has improved my work as an Air Force photojournalist. The social aspect of board games and the improvisation often required has made me a better speaker and more adept at meeting and interacting with new people, traits critical for a reporter and ones we can all use in an age where people would sooner pull out their cell phone than say "hello" to the person next to them.

But what I discovered is that board games can be used to give new Airmen the chance to meet Airmen in different work centers, something most Airmen rarely do, and gaming can be a tool for supervisors to get to know their airmen better.

This revelation came to me one day as I was performing my Unit Training Manager duties. Earlier some friends had been discussing the constant complaint that there was nothing to do at Laughlin and that most Airmen just go home and lock themselves in at the end of the day. I didn't think much about it until I sat down with the newest Airman to join the 47th Flying Training Wing's Wing Staff Agency. As I went over all that would be required of a new Airman in training I decided to ask if they had made any friends. After receiving the answer "No" I decided to invite them to a get together my friends were holding. It was a game night and as usual, I would be bringing another odd ball game to play that no one had heard about before.

The new Airman was hesitant; the idea of playing a board game on a Friday night wasn't exactly their idea of fun, but as the strangely shaped dice flew across the table and cards were drawn and food served. It wasn't long before everyone was having fun and talking.

Airmen from all over base were chatting and having a good time, friendships were being formed and contacts made. My little experiment worked.

To my surprise, it worked out almost too well. Before long I was getting calls from everyone I knew asking when the next game night was because they had a new Airman that they wanted to bring around.

Game night had become a social networking event that gave a lot of new Airmen a chance to meet new people while having fun in a safe environment, and that's the point.

My wife and I continue to hold our game nights, and with each event we meet more and more people.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, put your cell phones down, turn the TV off and spend a night with your family and friends away from distractions. Reconnect with each other and give board games a chance.