Who are the masterminds behind the beloved Regiment Gaming?
Enter Brandon and Chris circa 2020.
Anthony: we begin with Chris Earl, the CEO of Regiment Gaming.
Anthony: Hello, Chris. Thanks for sitting down and taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions and to help us better understand one of the founders of Regiment. To kick it off, what branch were you in? What did you do?
Chris: I served in the Marine Corps as a Logistics Embarkation Chief and deployed with 2/6.
Anthony: Nice, you must have had some exciting times for sure!
Anthony: So, what are some of your favorite memories from service?
Chris: My favorite memories from my time in service are definitely the smoke pit and all the nonsense that goes down at the barracks.
Anthony: The smoke pits were the Wild West, and I also loved it.
Anthony: How did you get the idea for Regiment? How did it start?
Chris: I got the idea [for] Regiment after talking a Veteran out of suicide. I asked him why he wanted to do that, and his answer was he felt alone, and the camaraderie was gone. I wanted to find a solution.
Anthony: I wonder if that Veteran knows their story's impact on the community and that it would spawn all this. Considering that the main focus is ending veteran and active duty suicides.
Anthony: How does it feel to be the face and one of the founders of the largest veteran gaming communities?
Chris: It’s a surreal feeling being in my position at such a young age. I’m incredibly grateful for my Co-Owner / President, Brandon, and everyone on our staff who helps us run this organization.
Anthony: It is a fantastic organization. I’m grateful to be a part of it and look forward to how far this goes.
Anthony: What is your favorite memory of your time heading Regiment?
Chris: One of my favorite memories of Regiment occurred while shopping at the mall a year ago. A Navy recruiter saw me wearing a Regiment shirt and told me to come to talk to him. He said he was in Regiment and a Game Lead. Since then, we’ve become really good friends and have hung out a ton of times.
Anthony: Ha-ha, I bet he was thrown for a loop when you told him who you were!
Anthony: So, last question before you pop smoke and go to a different meeting. What is the primary end goal of Regiment?
Chris: My end goal for Regiment is to be known by every Military Service Member & Veteran.
Anthony: Thank you, Chris, and now on to Brandon Hatfield, the President of Regiment.
Anthony: Hello, Brandon; thank you for taking the time to sit down and chat. How did you get the idea for Regiment? How did it start?
Brandon: It seems like forever ago, but in 2020, I was the CEO/owner of an esports organization called Elevate. Chris was one of my friends and contracted content creators at the time. He presented the idea of Regiment to me and asked me to help him build it. The military community concept was brilliant to me because it was genuinely a void I saw in the industry and could be wildly successful if done right. We started planning things out with a small team of veteran gamers to build a legitimate gaming organization. A professional organization had proper support/sponsors and was built to have no limits. Our model allowed us to operate on our terms, [and] to help Veterans directly. We built Regiment not only to combat Veteran suicide but to bring these Veteran gamers together to thrive and succeed. Whether someone was looking to play competitively, create professional content, or just casually game, we wanted Regiment to be a home for all Veteran gamers.
Anthony: How does it feel to be the face and one of the founders of the largest veteran gaming communities? What inspired you?
Brandon: It goes without saying, but I am very proud and humbled to have co-founded Regiment. We have legitimately seen lives saved because of this community. That is the most important thing. I want to see Veteran suicide go down because of Regiment and the family this community has built here. In addition, seeing people build and champion each other and reach their goals is one of my favorite things about this organization. Regiment enables people to come together to see a common goal. I love that. Everything we have accomplished is all because of the members and supporters of Regiment, and I can’t thank the community enough for loving this organization with me.
Anthony: I have had nothing but a great time here. I cannot thank you all enough. Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Regiment?
Brandon: After our first Regiment BBQ. We filled up a small local bar with 50+ Regiment members and saw the love and support for each other in person. Maybe it was the 70+ shots we bought that night (just kidding), but this community is the real deal. This is a brotherhood. That, or the TwitchCon Vegas afterparty. But what happens in Vegas stays in...never mind.
Anthony: Sounds like a hell of a time, ha-ha!
Anthony: What has been the most challenging part of leading Regiment?
Brandon: There are plenty of challenges we face, but nothing comes close to losing someone, especially an RG Member, to suicide. I have to say this – we are here for you. The people of Regiment are here for you. Do not ever feel like you’re alone. Every single person has value and purpose in this world. If you need help, contact someone because we love and need you here.
Anthony: Powerful stuff
Anthony: Where are you from?
Brandon: The great city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Go Bengals!
Anthony: -We are sworn enemies…Ha-ha! I am a Steelers fan! Steeler Nation!!!
Anthony: Any family members that are veterans? What was their legacy in service?
Brandon: My father (Kodiak) and grandfather were Veterans. My grandfather fought in WWII. My family and I are huge supporters of the Constitution and our rights as Americans (and humans, frankly).
Anthony: What is your vision for Regiment?
Brandon: Total world domination. Just kidding. At first, I wanted Regiment to be the largest Military Gaming organization. We accomplished that and are now setting the standard in many ways. It was important to me to operate with excellence in everything we did. REGIMENT needs to be a proper representation of veterans in the gaming industry. It just wasn’t there before us, in my opinion. We also must work with official Veteran entities such as The American Legion, Veteran Affairs, etc. Those relationships have been very helpful in our success.
I want Regiment to be a household name (like FaZe or Optic), but [also] a name that every Veteran is proud to represent. I want every gaming event to have Regiment members in attendance. I want everyone to know who we are because our mission is genuine, and a lot of good is coming from this organization.
Another considerable initiative is to offer veterans an authentic esports experience. Because of the commitment required to be in the military, many veterans miss out on it or are presented with more of a challenge when trying to compete at a professional level. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s an uphill battle because of factors such as age, time commitment etc. For that reason, we started the Veteran Gaming League (VGL). This will soon launch, and our goal is to offer professional online Tournaments, Leagues, in-person LAN Events, and prize pools like you would see in the traditional esports industry – catered for Veterans. I really think this will be a game-changer.
Another goal of ours is a Regiment Headquarters. A place where we have essential meetings, film content, host LAN events, places to hang out, a bar, who knows. There is a lot of logistics involved, but we would LOVE to see this happen eventually.
More in-person events like the Regiment BBQ and maybe even a LAN event at a Military base. Events are hosted all year round for all different regions. Stay tuned!
I could go on for quite some time about our ideas and goals. The sky is the limit.
Anthony: What is your end goal?
Brandon: I don’t know that I have an end goal. We want to see Veteran suicide go away. Ultimately, our work at Regiment will never be done. There will always be something to work towards as a brand and community.
Anthony: Is there anything you would like to say to the community as a whole?
Brandon: I love this community and can’t thank you enough for your support to Regiment. You’ve all made this an exceptional place, a place that is making an impact in people's lives. I’m proud of this organization and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us!
- RG l Wuzums (Anthony)