SNHU and USO Join Forces for Military Gaming Tournament

In late November of 2025, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and the United Service Organizations (USO) teamed up to host an online gaming tournament in support of the U.S. military. The event featured matches between SNHU and the U.S. Army’s respective esports teams — plus a Community Cup, where service members, military spouses and veterans across the globe could register to play, too.

“We wanted to show our support for the military through this event by providing an opportunity to relax and have fun through gaming,” said Sarah Wersackas, a military partnerships marketing manager at SNHU who helped to organize the tournament. “We also wanted to celebrate our partnership with the USO as an official education partner and highlight the incredible opportunities that service members can access at SNHU.”

About the Tournament

The tournament hosted three matches in total. The first two games were between SNHU’s esports team and the U.S. Army esports team, playing Overwatch and Valorant, Wersackas said. Last was the official Community Cup, where any U.S. military member, military spouse or veteran could register to play against the SNHU esports team in two-on-two matches of Rocket League.

“The USO helped us bring this idea to fruition with their support in broadcasting, promotion, and helping us bring together the military community for an evening of fun and friendly competition,” said Wersackas. “What stood out to me was the incredible teamwork across the board — U.S. Army esports, SNHU esports and everyone who played in the SNHU Community Cup.”

Ethan Carlton, a campus student studying computer science at SNHU and the captain of SNHU’s Valorant esports team, appreciated the opportunity to play against military gamers during the tournament. “It was very fun to participate in the Community Cup event,” he said. “Normally, we don’t get the chance to play against teams that aren’t collegiately involved.”

He noted that he didn’t know what to expect from the players going in. “They definitely were able to catch us off guard in a few points of the game,” he said. “It was very cool to find out that they were able to practice together and do something they enjoyed while serving in the military and that they had that experience to connect with each other and us over a video game.”

The Benefits of Military Gaming

Gaming can promote connection in the face of the isolation that many experience upon returning to civilian life, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). An article in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) backs this up, recommending video games as a way to aid in mental health recovery for veterans.

And current service members can benefit from gaming, too. That’s why the USO hosts gaming centers where service members are invited to hang out and game together.

"While gaming at the USO extends back to our beginnings, over the last few years we've really leaned into gaming spaces within our centers, meeting service members where they are to offer a valuable taste of home," said Callum Fletcher, a senior director of programs at the USO.

Fletcher noted that he's seen the benefits of military gaming firsthand. "We've seen so many instances where a service member relocates to a new installation, and gaming is what helps them find community."

He said this gaming initiative aligns well with the USO's mission to strengthen the well-being of U.S. service members and their families — an endeavor SNHU supports, as well.

“We wanted to build the event idea on the heels of our sponsorship of the gaming center at USO Fort Campbell in Kentucky,” Wersackas said of SNHU’s efforts. “At the USO Center on base, there is a gaming center where any service member can come in, relax, play games, connect with friends and take their minds off of the stresses of military life.”

Exploring Educational Opportunities

The tournament — and events SNHU hosts at the gaming center in Fort Campbell — also aimed to provide information to service members and eligible veterans about SNHU's military-friendly online programs, including degrees focused on the gaming industry, Wersackas noted.

“SNHU’s presence in gaming careers and as a collegiate sport has been growing over the years — from building an esports arena on campus to building gaming-centric (online) degree programs like game design and video game programming,” she said. “Our goal was to bring together the military community for a night of fun gaming while raising awareness of the opportunities at SNHU to earn a degree.”

Wersackas said SNHU offers 24/7 student support, a dedicated team of advisors trained to understand the unique needs of military learners and tuition discounts for service members and military spouses.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor's and master's, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon's short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.