U.S. Soldiers Discuss Role Of Pokemon Go Through Their Time In Afghanistan After Recent Withdrawal

Pokemon Go brought a desired social element to the soldiers’ experience in Bagram.

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The U.S. military base in Bagram, Afghanistan was reportedly the largest military base in the country. After nearly 20 years, all U.S. forces have officially withdrawn from this location. In light of this event, Stars and Stripes sat down with some of the soldiers and learned that Pokemon Go played a significant part in the soldiers’ experience in Bagram by providing them with a chance to socialize. Additionally, some of the soldiers’ Pokemon still remain in the gyms there and are viewable through the app.

Generally speaking, you can’t access gyms or other locations in Pokemon Go unless you’re in the vicinity, but Stars and Stripes got their hands on screenshots, thanks to a user hacking the game and setting the GPS location to Bagram. The screenshots show low-level Pokemon still defending gyms there, and it’s not clear when or if they will return to their owners.

It’s clear that at least some of the soldiers believe their Pokemon will be returning to them if it hasn’t happened already, though. As John Sutter, a captain of the Alaska National Guard puts it, “I’m sure somewhere in Afghanistan, some kid is bragging about how he took control of an American Pokemon gym.”

Soldiers who were located in Bagram explained how effective the social aspect of Pokemon Go was for them during their time there, considering troops, contractors, and civilians alike all played. “Being able to start a conversation with a complete stranger in the middle of a war zone about something like Pokemon was a great way to stay social,” contractor Wilbur Landaverde says. Pokemon Go involves a fair bit of teamwork when it comes to defeating gyms as well, which provided additional opportunities for socialization.

Stars and Stripes’ full interview also provides specifics on what it was like for the soldiers to develop rivals in Pokemon Go during their time in Bagram and their desire to one day go back to this location just to play the game again. In Sutter’s words, “Maybe in 20 years I can ride a motorcycle south and reclaim that Pokemon gym again.”

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