What do you think of using AirSoft MilSim in the face of shrinking budgets?

As someone who has spent more years in the airsoft community (roughly 15) than in the military I can say a few things about airsoft's potential role.

First off: safety.
When I was getting started back in the day of airsoft, it was simple. ANSI rated glasses. Typically the same ones you use when shooting real steel. Over the years and many games we came to enforce full seal ANSI rated goggles only. The great thing about Revision's products is that they are exactly what airsofters were asking for. Couple that with the military's contracts and revision has some killer products while having both a vested interest in the military contracts and the civilian market. So basic eyepro is already taken care of by uncle sam. That leaves either mesh lowers or gators for face protection. As someone who's taken hits to the face, mouth, and lips, it isn't that painful but the real issue is tooth protection. I have had personal buddies loose a tooth or two because they refused to wear mouth guards. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that mesh would be the affordable way to go.

Second: budget.
These training devices are not cheap, and to effectively train multiple soldiers at once will be slightly cheaper. Let's face it. If you personally own a $400 replica, it becomes your baby. You take care of it and it takes care of you. Now lets see how they get treated when uncle sam buys them. Upkeep of GBB systems are a hassle, always have been always will be. Seals on the magazine and rifle will leak. The operating principle of gbbs is to keep it lubed as possible whereas you only need a light coating of oil for real steel. Long run ammo costs will be much more affordable when compared to real steel, however the nickel and diming of constant maintenance efforts will be a logistical nightmare.

It's a very real issue to contact any airsoft retailer and ask for techwork (maintenance) on your replica. Most of that falls onto the user. But a mass order of techwork could result in months upon months of not having these for training.

Third: Honor/integrity.
Grown men (whether civilian or military) often get into these adrenalin fueled shout matches of who got hit. Or whether or not they even got hit at all. If your close enough you'll feel it, unless it's in the plate or body armor. However, I can easily see how bad things like this would go only because I've seen it happen with people who want to play.

Now add soldiers who don't want to train, or couldn't care less. And you have one bad day. Shouting over who got hit, when in reality the shooter could just be a horrible shot. It does get difficult to trace your shots, much less with an adrenalin dump going.



Not trying to rain on your parade Sergeant, however I don't see how it would be cheaper than some of the things that are already in place. However, from my hours and years of playing I can say that the hardest learned lessons are through those of pain. If you screw up an assault bad, you will learn, through pain, just how bad you screwed up.

I hope I helped, though I suppose my post seemed mostly negative.

Budget, just budget.

My battle buddy and I use airsoft for training all the time. We find it to be an effective training tool.