USAG Benelux Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Cravens

[Editor's Note: In this series, we are shining a light on our workforce in and around the Benelux. This Spotlight is on Staff Sgt. Nicholas Cravens, who has found a way to merge his love of video games with his job in the U.S. Army.]

CHIEVRES, Belgium - Late last year, Cravens found himself in Frisco, Texas competing with 12 finalists in the Battle Royale eSports final for the U.S. Army.

ESports, short for electronic sports, conducts video game competitions for gamers around the world. Competitions can be played on a wide range of video games from sports to first person shooter games and everything in between.

"The biggest way I can describe eSports is a bunch of nerds got their dream and created a multimillion-dollar industry and a way to actually compete internationally," said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Cravens, AFNorth Battalion trips coordinator for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

One of 1,500 initial competitors, Cravens advanced in the competition and earned a spot in the finale.

"Not only were you competing with people from your region, you were also globally competing for the top leader board," said Cravens. "The higher placement you got, the more points you got and that totaled into your overall score for your global placement."

Cravens competed for prequalifiers in the Benelux before flying to Texas to compete in the finale. All 12 finalists earned a pre-qualifying prize pack filled with accessories adding up to $2,500.

"It was all the accessories you need if you want to start your own stream at home, other than the computer itself," said Cravens.

The final tournament was designed as a triathlon of gaming with individual workstations setup for each participant. The 12 competitors played Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and then Apex Legends.

"You just played one game after another, of each game," said Cravens.

Cravens gained more points in the first game, Fortnite; however, his competitor had more success in the middle game and ended up advancing in the competition due to points.

"It was nerves that got the best of me," said Cravens. "Being there, we were out of our environment; the first-time competing was very new. I think it threw us off."

Although Cravens wasn't one of the top three finalists to win a new computer and gaming chair, he still enjoyed the competition.

"Getting to experience the life of a gamer-a competitive gamer-that was pretty cool," said Cravens.

This Spotlight series will continue to tell the stories of our workforce in and around the Benelux. We are the Army's home - we are IMCOM.

Additional Resources

Hosted by Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR), Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS), as well as gaming giant Complexity this annual tournament aims to retain Soldiers in the U.S. Army.

Learn more about the U.S. Army's eSports Program.

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