Airsoft breeds lies
We’ve had a couple of certified Airsoft phonies here on TAH, which makes me think that the whole sport is jam-packed with liars and wannabes, which is why I doubt anything I read in regards to these teams. Like these folks at a link sent to us by Michael “Adventure Combat Ops“;
Yeah, I’m not sure if any of them have bios at that website that come close to the truth, and they are presented to you for entertainment purposes only. And, although, I’m sure that some of you of you engage in this, but I don’t see the attraction to socializing with guys like these.
Category: "Teh Stoopid"
Real men shoot real guns. Wannabes shoot airsoft/paintball. If Baller dude was as big a badass as he claims he would be making offhand headshots with a Barrett .50 from the 1000 meter line. I’d bet real money that a FOIA on Mr. Baller would come back as WHO? My experiance tells me that if he had as much combat as he claims, you would have to drag the information out of him. All of the real combat veterens I know ar very tacturn about their time in combat. If pressed they tend to minimize their contributions. Only phonies brag about things that should remain unsaid.
@2 I kept looking for a “like” button while I was laughing… there isn’t one 🙁
Airsofters are as bad as Role players and those Cosplay weirdos. Just delusional people who escape reality via this crap.
@ 39.
I that that I am the 92Y that you speak of here. After a few years when the knees go and you realize that you can’t run with the kids anymore, you find something else to do to stay in the fight. Even more so when you are in the Guard. (As I am at the moment).
Right now I am sitting in a recliner as my wife bitches and screams at me for trying to get up and help out around the house after a major knee scope last Friday. Doc said no weight on my knee for 6 weeks.
It’s funny to me how these people always claim to have served in Somalia, and “part of the team that captured Sadaam Hussein”. Then there’s the claims to all the valor awards.
I made the mistake of playing airsoft once with a bunch of guys who claimed to have “high speed skills and special ops training” with some friends about 5 years back. It was fuggin’ comical to watch them run around and talk about tactics and such. Frankly, I was embarassed for them because it was obvious they didn’t know what they were doing. But, I guess if you want a good laugh, try it.
Take plenty of paint balls, because it’s a target rich environment – like shooting fish in a barrell.
I don’t think I’ll ever try it again, unless my son asks me to play. Then, maybe…
@55: Did you notice that they were all high speed spec ops in the military? Yeah, that’s how retired spec ops types spend their time; shooting plastic BBs at others while dressed up like a tactical gear warehouse blew up and all the product fell on them.
I mean is it ridiculous for a 42 year-old man to pretend?
He’s not walking around wearing an army uniform trying to get discounts at Lowe’s. For fuck sakes this is a waste of time and NOT stolen valor.
I wonder how much time these posers spend looking at themselves in the mirror at home while holding their Airsoft guns? Maybe these loofah-heads talk to themselves while doing so, and that’s where they come up with their stories? I hear you, OT, we had a name for goobs like that in the M.E., and I’ll apply it to them, too,…. GEARDO!!
Wrong fucking answer Khan@57, it sure as hell is stolen valor, but you will never see that unless you have served in the military and have seen the “Elephant” your self. Which leads me to think that maybe you are one of the so called green mountain ranger’s yourself, or you know one of them personally and you are just posting as a sock puppet.
#53 MrGame
“Airsofters are as bad as Role players and those Cosplay weirdos…”
Bingo. Carry it out and you might wind up with the prospect of Bronies playing cavalry. At which point reality floats away like an untethered balloon. Or would that be an untethered zeppelin for all the WW I reenactors?
“Airsoft breeds Turds”.
Enough said.
Actually my family loves Airsoft. My Father even used to sell the guns from his small town shop. My brother was an 11M and freaking loves to play with his friends.
Granted they also are members of the 501st guys that like to be Stormtroopers but they are hilarious.
It’s the ones that show up to huge events sporting a thousand dollars in tacticool that you have to watch out for. I personally love when the fifty or so people show up to our mountain to play in the wilds of Colorado and camp.
Hell I even let a few of them sleep in my Tipi near the fire pit. It’s rare I get to play with em, but most of them are fun civilians to hang around with.
Granted with the new laws in Colorado half of them are probably baked and drunk at the same time with fully automatic BB guns… But that can be fun to watch also.
@53 versus what as an “escape from reality”? Booze, drugs, porn or hookers? That’s somehow “normal and acceptable” That’s what’s really cool? Ok, I’m a lifelong civvie and miniatures wargamer (mostly historical) and I do agree this colostomy bag is most assuredly full of it but for those that seek this as recreation what of it SO LONG AS they do not make claims to awards or decorations they do not have? I also have no real interest in doing airsoft mainly because of the cost. I’d love to do reenacting however that is also cost prohibitive. There is a phrase used in the reenacting community calld FARBY which stands for “Far Be It from Me…” generally used to comment on the non-historical nature of ones kit or uniform. This clown has FARBY written all over him. He deserves scorn and derision heaped upon him. There is no need to try and sound like an uber badass by faking claims. It doesn’t impress anybody, particularly the real deal. Your playing soldeir with plastic BBs instead of real bullets. Don’t go out and try to claim your more than you are. It does indeed show you up to be far more of a loser than you already are. As to the comment that: “Airsofters are as bad as Role players and those Cosplay weirdos. Just delusional people who escape reality via this crap.” Not everyone that pursues these activities is a lowlife loser, its just that’s who the media and popular press sees and wants to portray. How many of you really enjoy the portrayal the media gives gun owners, veterans and conservatives? If you don’t like it then please use a level of understanding and dare I say comassion when looking at other communities that you neitehr understand or have an interest in. True there are folks that are obsessive compulsive about fantasy linterests. I do not consider the SCA a good representer of Medieval warfare or reenacting largely because too many folks are playing out their D&D characters or trying to do a live action Lord of the Rings… Read more »
@63-Point taken, but it sure seems that a lot of the folks enjoying this pastime end up posers/embellishers. Maybe these groups in order to avoid the broad brush) should consider outlawing common US Military accoutrements such as rank/unit patches. Maybe make up their own unique gear. Could be a marketing opportunity there!
@64: I agree totally. I’m truly surprised that some of the manufacturers haven’t done this. There are a number of game companies that did things like this. When FASA ran Battletech years back they had hats and t-shirts for each of the factions in the game which is cool and a great marketing ploy. I tend to look just shake my heads at losers like this. I run into them occasionally while gaming. You’ll find the guy who loves playing the south in any American Civil War game a little too much (The South’s gonna rise again boys!) or the gent who is wearing the 2nd SS division tour t-shirt at a WWII game who would make Hermann Goering look like a survivor from Auschwitz and talks about how he’s not a Nazi but takes playing the Germans a little too seriously.
I think the best medicine is self policing. I don’t think these folks mean ill but they don’t realize that claims like this hurt those who have earned those ranks and awards. I’d never dream of making claims like this, nor do I know of anyone who would. These groups need to monitor and tone down these comments. Perhaps it would be helpful if more “real soldiers” participated in these activities. It might help out.
@65: Well said, I agree with what you’re saying for the most part. But I would have to argue that there is a major difference between reenactors and airsofters. I doubt most people would mistake the guy kitted up to drive his Tiger tank through the Ardennes for a real U.S. Serviceman.
But in the case of airsofters, I’ve seen a ton of folks who have an affinity for current uniforms with real nametapes, skill badges, and unit patches (usually of course Rangers or some other elite unit). Would a solution be to force these groups not to wear actual branch nametapes and to design their own patches? Who knows? It’s already muddled up as it is with SDFs wearing the name of their State and whatnot, probably wouldn’t make much difference.
Just my two cents on it all.
Airsoft is gay as hell.
This sums it up perfectly: http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/attachments/humor-forum/35168d1286495242-dont-worry-sir-im-internet-internetz-warrior.jpg
My first post tried to point out one of the similarities between my former hobby (maybe once I retire I can get back into various eras, though) and these airsofters. Simply put, most want to be “special”, whether they are a reenactor portraying a 506th PIR Soldier or an airsofter playing “Super Ranger”. This trend is true even for some real-life Soldiers: I recall Army Times printing an article years ago of how proud a Florida ARNG unit was to wear the SF combat patch, while the vast majority of phonies who actually have military service usually claim service in an elite unit, or are discovered wearing unearned medals for heroism. Besides that, the similarities are few: most reenactors have stringent standards (see FARBY in the comment above) and create fairly accurate impressions in an attempt to relive or recreate history. Static (Living History) displays give visitors a chance to see what barracks or camp life was like while tacticals see us run around doing the more “glorious” aspects of soldiering; scripted battles often approximate their historical counterparts while unscripted ones are a fun means of letting off steam, and can still teach some valuable lessons in tactics. Also, while there may be a fair number of veterans in airsoft; most of those I met in reenacting were either veterans, military or public servants, or gonna-bes like myself. In fact, all of the younger members of my former unit joined the military after 9/11. A fair number of actual WWII veterans also pop up at reenactments, and I met a number of older gentlemen from both sides who felt honored by us spending thousands of dollars trying to recreate the armies of their youths, but who would probably have been a bit less than thrilled if we ran around playing Audie Murphy and Hans Rudel. At the end of the day, it is much different running around wearing the uniform of a Panzergrenadier or even a WWII-era Ranger than it is wearing uniforms and insignia that would lead most to believe that you are in today’s military. If you want… Read more »
Like everybody else here, I have no doubt the above ass clown is a fake, and would thorughly enjoy seeing him slammed. I don’t do this sport, but one of my best friends from the Corps is into it big time. I’ve met members of his team, and they are just a bunch of middle-aged guys having fun. Like any other group out there, there are 10% in any group.
I was or maybe wasn’t surprised when I clicked on the sites link above. All of these guys are claiming secret squirrel, high speed, low drag backgrounds. I know this is a pleasurable pass time for a lot of honest folks but this particular club is full of more shit than the Christmas Turkey.
@54 Jon the Mechanic, I was a 92Y for nine years. First five was as a minion in an Infantry Company and the last four was as a supply daddy in a Support Battalion’s headquarters. I completely understand the knee problems and lower back problems (town meniscus in both knees and weakening of the lower vertebrae).
Never really understood airsoft, paintball I get because I feel it’s more competition oriented and paintballs and sim rounds hurt like hell when they hit you. My problem is that these posers look like they are trying to turn their little group into some sort of business.
Does anyone know if they are trying to profit from their website?
@67.
Roger that.
@70-Sparks, High speed and low drag are one of the reasons I couldn’t do that kinda shit. At my age, I’m only half-fast!
I love how they comment on the youtube page to the video about how they are not actors when called out about wearing a shemagh, a la Matt Damn. Their repsonse is “Because that’s what we wore (and guys still wear) over there. Matt Damon is an actor — we are not.”
http://www.youtube.com/user/AdventureCombatOps
However….. on the website for the company it is stated “Our actors and cadre come from a world of mystique with their backgrounds and their corporate experience is derived from providing similar Full Mission Profile training to US Military and Government Special Operations organizations. The actors you will have the privilege, honor, and enjoyment of meeting and working with are from the US Army Rangers, Special Forces, MARSOC (Marine Special Operations Command), Navy SEALs, and Delta Force. These are the actual men that movies are made from and books are written about. Upon their separation from the military they have each been selected to work for the cleared defense contracting firm that provides the ultimate training venue for Special Operations and Special Missions Units. These venues are so intense in their design and development that every aspect of combat possible is tested – mentally, physically, physiologically, and psychologically.”
http://www.adventurecombatops.com/pages/event-description
So to me it does semm to be a case of Stolen Valor, based on the bios and statement from the company.
I thought the whole thing was an act….some sort of drama played out in game fashion with Hollywood FX for the upcoming Zombie apocalypse….I just assumed the bios were all fake 4ss bullsh1t like the story surrounding the “Events”….if I read this crap accidentally while surfing around the net I would have thought the whole thing was pretend, like the SCA making everyone a minor noble….funny how nobody ever wants to be a serf, peasant, or land slave when recreating the middle ages….everyone’s always a knight or a prince or princess….or a SEAL or a Ranger or a Delta operator….nobody’s a truck driver, refueling tech, or small motor maintenance tech….
Every one has to be a celebrity today, because being a salt of the earth decent human is no longer viewed as an honorable, admirable existence.
Our society and its’ inhabitants now favor “In your face” histrionics, manufactured drama, living a life of addiction and/or self medicated pain control while constantly whining about how your life is so difficult and how you are “freaking” out over your inability to cope with the high stress life of a pampered pusscake…so every one needs a high octance recreation activity filled with special FX and conducted by superstar “heroes” real or imagined….
I’m pretty much resigned to becoming a hermit and enjoying the solitude of the woods, deep enough where there are no humans to annoy me, and where watching an eagle take fish from the river is a reminder of what life is for most of the species on the planet since the dawn of man.
As far as these fakers always claiming “special” status (SF, Recon, SEAL, D-Force, etc) I think it’s an example of what writer James Dunnigan years ago called “The Great Divorce.”
That is, during and post WWII, military service was a common rite of passage for a significant majority of the young men (and more than a few young women) to the extent that military experiences were a common touchstone of a person’s experience.
In this era, I imagine it was a little tougher to be a faker just because there were so many more people who could spot a fake story (like the “they recruited me straight out of basic training/boot camp for a special, elite unit” story.)
However, since the end of the draft, the number of people with actual military experience has dwindled, and those who serve in the military today are typically the sons and daughters of those who served before – IOW, we are breeding a ‘military caste.’
For the vast majority of civilians, the only exposure they have to the military is via movies, TV, video games and other forms of popular culture. And of course, since the goal of pop culture is entertainment, they focus on the most exciting and ‘sexy’ aspects of the military: SF guys HALO’ing behind enemy lines; SEALSs kicking in doors and capping the bad guys; Fighter planes engaging in dogfights; Rangers fastroping into battle.
To most of America, that image IS the military.
Which is why fakers typically fake the ranger/SF/SEAL bullshit. Because if they aren’t faking the image of the military that is portrayed as having the biggest “cool factor”, there would be no point in faking any military service.
It also explains why so many actual veterans embellish their own records: Because they also see the portrayal of the “sexy” military Special Operations units and they feel like their own service – as honorable as it may have been – just isn’t cool enough to measure up to the hollywood image.
@77 Well said. I wish I could write out my thoughts as well as you. Thank you.
I used to do airsoft back in college a bunch but never as part of a formal group, just pick up games and scenarios with friends. If you are willing to spend 300 bucks and get a solid airsoft rifle it can be fun and I could see it having some beneficial use in training (I distinctly remember a FTX in ROTC where we used electronic bb guns for a sort-of fire drill exercise). With my friends we mostly did 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 matches with scenarios similar to your mainstream FPS game. Its a good excuse to get out in the woods and get some exercise in much the same way paintball is though it veers much more into military fandom I think.
All,
I must say how disappointing all the negativity and skepticism is here. Let me sum it up regarding the boys from Adventure Combat Ops. All the bios are true. I served with some of them, know most of them, and know the owner of the company. Adventure Combat Ops is a spin off of their defense firm, where they work with a majority of the special ops units and some of the DoS. People asked for years if they could come “play” with them in their defense firm, so they built another company and turned it into a video game type entertainment production. The creators told them to put the video game type spin on the pics and bios, but they are all legit.
This will be the first and last time that I comment I will ever post on this site. The article and most of the comments that followed disappoint me greatly and piss me off even more. I am currently an “operator” (I dislike using that word except when referencing THE unit) in 5thSFG. I started my career at C/1/75 RGR back in 1994. Having spent my entire career in or associated with Spec Ops (maintained contacts during short stints in a couple of ABN INF units) The owner, as well as the others with Adventure Combat Ops are 100% who they say they are. I knew the owner before he went on to bigger and better things, and have had several by chance encounters with him in the years since. There were so many people that commented as to the legitimacy of the men of ACO that need to take a look at themselves before attempting to discredit others without prejudice!!! Comments from guy with various backgrounds… “WWII re-enactors (isn’t that called LARPing? As in something that dorks do when they are too old for D&D), and dudes making comments like, “back in college, I went Airsofting once”….. simply disrespectful. The guys of this company are the men that are portrayed as heros in the movies and video games that most of you watched. These men ARE thos men. While you are busy polishing your Waffen SS belt buckle, these guys were handeling business. Also cause for disappointment is the fact that there have been so many posers out there that it makes it even harder for warriors of such calibre as the ACO guys to present themselves as at least a shell of who they truly are. No body like whiners and complainers, but posers are even worse. Think about it from the business minded standpoint of the folks at ACO. They are providing a service (realistic training) as well as an entertainment experience using that training- a sort of CULEX if you will. You may ask, “Why even say that you are who you are if in fact,… Read more »
I don’t know how much stock you guys put in “The Loadout Room”, but they have an article about this group. http://loadoutroom.com/6753/adventure-combat-ops/
Part of the article reads:
“Before we launched, I was introduced to the other minds behind the ACO experience. Representatives from virtually every branch of the military’s special operations forces were present. Veterans of the Rangers, Special Forces, Delta Operators, SEALs, MARSOC, Air Force Special Operations, and even the 160th SOAR make up the bulk of the ACO operation. Participants in such historic incidents as the capture of Saddam Hussein, the battle of Tora Bora, and operations immortalized in the film Black Hawk Down were present to kick off this unique endeavor. It was the most impressive batch of badasses a civilian could hope to encounter.”
I’ll let you decide for yourself if they’re an authoritative source.
Also, here’s a LinkedIn profile for someone who claims to be one of their operators:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/thomas-satterly/29/88b/850
Like I said way back when, all it would have taken was no more than contacting one person to verify wether they are legit or not…
Stand by what I said about whenever I see someone claim “Delta”, it sends up red flags. Same goes with SEAL, RECON, SNIPER, SF, Ranger…
I have to admit that I got a great laugh off of these comments. There are some really witty guys out there and I appreciate the comedy…especially the hair cream ones about Tom! Just to be clear, and not that it matters (but a lot of time, energy, and money went into this) we are who we say we are. As it was eloquently stated earlier, our military careers are behind us now and we’ve a lot to offer to others. We are paid handsomely doing contract work around the world but we like to spend home with our families as well. So when the ACO owner(former DELTA FORCE OPERATOR) got the idea that ordinary citizens would love to learn from guys like us that have achieved the ultimate positions in their respective military branches and combine it with the latest Zombie craze, it seemed like a match made in heaven. Don’t focus on the zombies, that’s just a medium we use to bring clients and us together. If there were a section of the population that wanted to fight midget clowns, well, we’d find some midgets, put a clown suit on them, and use the same TTPs that WE developed in the military, combine it with some exciting entertainment, and go shoot the midget clowns. We are just trying to make it fun…we cartooned our pictures, used fun names, and put our real bios into some funny story lines. We don’t take ourselves so serious that we’re offended by the comments because we are all VERY secure in our own skin and feel confident in our abilities. In closing, this is what I would say: 1. Stop taking yourself so seriously…life is too short to get so worked up over this (especially when you’re wrong). 2. We don’t write books or give up classified information. I personally don’t associate with Unit guys that did but it’s a personal choice for guys if they want to or not. 3. This Thursday is October 3rd…it’s the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu where we lost 18 guys from TF Ranger.… Read more »
I know I’m late to the game, and it was touched on lightly by someone else, but there is a real retired Delta CSM named Tom, same age as the guy from this airsoft page, with a very similar career background, who even looks like the guy in the pic on this page, and least what you can make out from it. Seems to me it’s either the same guy using a pseudonym, or an actual poser stealing the resume of the real dude.