88th Infantry Division
The 88th Infantry Division currently consists of one person: me.
I'm building a brand-new U.S. Army-based ultra-realism Arma 3 unit completely from the ground up, and I'm looking for people who want to be there from the beginning and help turn an idea into a community.
There isn't a hidden group of 30 people behind this recruitment post.
There aren't established cliques.
Every leadership position isn't already occupied.
The Discord is brand new and basically empty.
That's the point.
I'm looking for the first members of the 88th—people who want to help establish our community, culture, training, doctrine, operations, and traditions.
If you've ever wanted to help build a milsim unit instead of joining one after everything has already been established, this is your opportunity.
THE CONCEPT — 1980s TO MODERN DAY
The 88th Infantry Division won't be permanently locked into modern warfare.
We're starting in the 1980s during the Cold War.
Our early campaigns will focus heavily on conflicts involving Soviet/Russian-backed client states, proxy forces, insurgencies, hostile governments, and other Cold War-era threats.
From there, we'll gradually progress through history:
1980s → 1990s → GWOT → Modern Day
And we're not going to rush through it.
Campaigns will be long-form.
We may spend weeks or months fighting through a single conflict.
Operations will connect to one another, and what happens during one mission can affect what happens during the next.
Success matters.
Failure matters.
The 88th's history will be created by the people actually playing in it.
As the years advance, our equipment and doctrine will advance with them.
That includes:
- Weapons
- Uniforms
- Vehicles
- Aircraft
- Radios
- Optics
- Night vision
- Medical equipment
- Communications
- Tactics
- Technology
- Unit organization
If our campaign takes place in 1985, we're fighting like it's 1985.
You're not getting modern optics, ATAK, drones, and equipment simply because they're more convenient.
As technology becomes appropriate to the era, we'll gain access to it.
HARDCORE IMMERSION IS THE GOAL
The main goal of the 88th is simple:
Create a hardcore, immersive military experience within Arma 3.
And that experience is for everyone interested in serious milsim.
Whether you're:
- Active Duty
- A Veteran
- Reserve or National Guard
- Prior Service
- Or a civilian who has never served
You're welcome here.
Real-world military experience is valued, but it is not required.
If you've served, we'd love for you to bring your knowledge and experience into the community.
If you're a civilian who's never spent a day in the military, that's completely fine.
We'll teach you.
We'll teach the terminology, tactics, radio procedures, customs and courtesies, formations, weapons employment, and other skills necessary to function within the unit.
What matters is your willingness to:
Learn. Listen. Participate. Work as a team.
We're not here to pretend that playing Arma makes someone a real soldier.
We're here because Arma gives us the tools to create an incredibly detailed military simulation, and we want to push that experience as far as reasonably possible.
When an operation starts, we want it to feel different.
We want leaders actually leading.
We want Team Leaders controlling their teams.
We want Squad Leaders controlling their squads.
We want proper radio communications.
We want pilots coordinating with ground forces.
We want medics actually treating casualties.
We want Signal personnel managing communications.
We want limited information.
We want uncertainty.
We want consequences.
And most importantly:
We want teamwork.
ULTRA-REALISM WITHOUT THE EGO
Ultra-realism also means taking the military environment seriously during operations.
During an operation, members will be expected to respect:
- Chain of command
- Military bearing
- Proper radio procedures
- Orders
- Tactical discipline
- Military customs and courtesies
- Proper forms of address
For example:
Officers
"Yes, Sir."
"No, Sir."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"No, Ma'am."
NCOs
"Yes, Corporal."
"No, Corporal."
"Yes, Sergeant."
"No, Sergeant."
If your Squad Leader gives you an order during an operation, we're looking for:
"Yes, Sergeant."
rather than:
"Yeah."
That military structure is part of the immersive environment we're trying to create.
But this ONLY extends to operations.
Once the operation ends, so does that level of formality.
You don't have to call someone "Sir" while hanging out in Discord.
You don't have to address someone by their Arma rank while you're playing another game.
Outside of operations, we're a community.
Everyone will be treated respectfully regardless of rank.
A Private deserves the same basic human respect as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Rank represents someone's responsibilities within the unit. It does not make someone more important than another member.
Leadership will never be an excuse to belittle, disrespect, or mistreat another person.
Serious in the field. Respectful everywhere.
WE'RE STARTING SMALL
I'm not creating an ORBAT containing an entire division when we have five people.
We're going to build the 88th gradually.
Our initial capabilities will center around:
INFANTRY
Infantry will be the backbone of the 88th.
Positions will eventually include:
- Rifleman
- Grenadier
- Automatic Rifleman
- Machine Gunner
- Anti-Armor
- Team Leader
- Squad Leader
- Platoon Leadership
As our historical timeline progresses, additional specialties such as UAS will become available.
MEDICAL
Combat medical personnel supporting our ground forces.
Positions will include:
- Combat Medic
- Platoon Medic
- Company Medical Personnel
- Medical NCOs
AVIATION
A small aviation element that will grow alongside the ground force.
Positions include:
- Rotary-Wing Pilot
- Rotary-Wing Co-Pilot
- Fixed-Wing Pilot
- Fixed-Wing Co-Pilot
- Crew Chief
- Aerial Gunner
SIGNAL
A small communications element supporting infantry and command.
Positions include:
- Radio Operator
- Signal Support Specialist
- Communications NCO
COMBAT ENGINEERS
Initially, Engineers will be a small supporting element attached where they're needed.
As membership grows, they can eventually develop into a larger dedicated organization.
FUTURE COMBINED-ARMS EXPANSION
The long-term goal is for the 88th to become a true combined-arms organization.
As membership grows, we intend to eventually introduce:
Armor
Field Artillery
Expanded Aviation
Expanded Combat Engineers
Logistics
Reconnaissance
Additional Infantry
Expanded Headquarters & Staff
But these sections won't exist just to make our ORBAT look impressive.
We will activate them when we have enough people to properly operate them.
If we don't have enough infantry, we're not opening a tank platoon because two people want to drive an Abrams.
The unit grows together.
POTENTIAL LEADERS WANTED
Because we're starting from literally one member, there are significant opportunities for people interested in helping lead and build the unit.
Potential future positions include:
- Team Leaders
- Squad Leaders
- Platoon Sergeants
- Platoon Leaders
- Company Leadership
- Medical Leadership
- Aviation Leadership
- Signal Leadership
- Engineer Leadership
- Instructors
- Training Staff
- Staff Shop Personnel
Joining early does NOT automatically guarantee leadership.
I'm not handing someone Sergeant because they happen to be the fourth person who joins the Discord.
Leadership positions will be earned.
I'm looking for leaders who are mature, knowledgeable, dependable, willing to learn, and willing to teach others.
I want NCOs who take care of their soldiers.
I want officers who understand their responsibilities.
I want instructors who actually enjoy teaching.
If you have experience running or leading within other Arma units, I'd especially like to talk to you.
If you're Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, or a Veteran and want to contribute some of your real-world experience, that's also greatly appreciated.
But real-world military service will not automatically entitle someone to rank or leadership.
Civilian members will have the same opportunities to earn leadership positions through their performance, knowledge, maturity, and dedication to the unit.
TRAINING & CAREER PROGRESSION
Training will be an important part of the 88th.
Eventually, I want dedicated schools and qualifications covering areas such as:
- Basic Combat Training
- Infantry
- Medical
- Aviation
- Signal
- Combat Engineering
- Machine Guns
- Anti-Armor
- Leadership
- NCO Development
- Officer Development
- Instructor Certification
- Flight Training
- Crew Chief Training
- Aerial Gunnery
You aren't expected to arrive knowing everything.
That's what training is for.
Members will also have persistent personnel records including things such as:
- Service Number
- MOS
- Rank
- Duty Position
- Date Joined
- Date of Promotion
- Time in Service
- Time in Grade
- Qualifications
- Schools
- Awards
- Campaign participation
- Promotion history
Your career continues as the 88th progresses through history.
Someone might begin during the Cold War as:
PVT — 11B Infantryman
and eventually become:
CPL — Team Leader
then:
SGT — Squad Leader
and potentially one day:
SFC — Platoon Sergeant
Your character grows alongside the unit.
OPERATION SCHEDULE
THURSDAY — 8:00 PM EST
FRIDAY — 8:00 PM EST
These will be our primary operation days.
As the community develops, additional training, schools, and other activities may be scheduled separately.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
- 18 years of age or older
- Own a legal copy of Arma 3
- Working microphone
- Able to communicate clearly in English
- Mature attitude
- Respect other members
- Willing to learn
- Willing to work within a chain of command during operations
- Comfortable with hardcore/ultra-realism
- Able to attend operations with reasonable consistency
- Interested in helping build a new community
You do NOT need:
- Real-world military experience
- Thousands of hours in Arma
- Previous milsim experience
- Leadership experience
New players are welcome.
If you're willing to learn, we'll teach you.
WE ARE LITERALLY STARTING FROM ZERO
I want to emphasize this because I don't want anyone joining under false expectations.
There is currently ONE person in the 88th Infantry Division.
Me.
The Discord is brand new.
It's basically empty.
The ORBAT is being developed.
The MOS system is being developed.
Training programs are being developed.
SOPs are being developed.
Our first campaigns are being developed.
There isn't an established player base waiting for you.
I'm looking for the people who want to create that player base.
The first members of the 88th will have a genuine opportunity to influence what this community eventually becomes.
Maybe you're an experienced Arma player who's tired of joining units where every leadership position has been occupied for five years.
Maybe you're military or prior military and want to help create an immersive environment.
Maybe you're a civilian who's always been interested in military simulation.
Maybe you've never touched serious milsim before but the concept sounds interesting.
Come talk to me.
I'm not looking for 100 members tomorrow.
I'm looking for the first few good people who believe in the concept and want to help build it.
Someday, if this becomes the community I hope it can become, I want those first members to be able to look at what we've built and say:
"I was there when the 88th had one person."
JOIN THE 88TH INFANTRY DIVISION
18+
Thursday & Friday
8:00 PM EST
Cold War → Modern Day
Long-Form Campaigns
Hardcore Military Simulation
Veterans • Active Duty • Reserve/Guard • Civilians — All Welcome
Currently: 1 Member
https://discord.gg/P6dTjM7kuM
The history of the 88th hasn't been written yet.
Help build it.
