Wounded warriors compete in airsoft tournament

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 5, 2008) -- Despite the rain and cool temperatures, approximately 25 people dressed in cammies, flight suits and even ghillie suits, carrying machine guns, assault rifles and pistols competed in an airsoft tournament at Sportsman’s Lodge here Jan. 26.

A few of the participants were Camp Lejeune Marines with the Wounded Warrior Battalion-East, Wounded Warrior Regiment, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

“For the wounded warriors who can play, it's great physical therapy,” said Lance Cpl. Brian Densmore, a wounded warrior and enlisted advisor with the Science and Technology Department, II Marine Expeditionary Force. “It really motivates us to get out there and do something physical, but it also serves as an awesome stress reliever.”

Airsoft is a hobby that began in Japan in the late 1970’s. The sport was created to provide an alternative for gun hobbyists, because the Japanese government outlawed gun ownership. The weapons look very similar to real firearms with the exception of their bright orange tips and 6mm plastic ball bearing ammunition. The BB’s can hurt, but cause minimal skin damage.

Sgt. Jason Bingham, the battalion’s police sergeant, began playing airsoft before he joined the Marine Corps.

“I began playing in high school,” Bingham said. “A friend of mine brought a gun over after school one day, and I thought it was cool. Then I looked it up online and started to get really into it.”

The difference between playing now and playing in high school is the military tactics, Densmore said. There really were no tactics just guys with weapons shooting each other, and now there are rules, scenarios and actual use of tactical maneuvering.

The entire game is based on the honor system; the teams rely on an individual’s integrity to identify when they have been shot. After an individual is shot, they exit the field holding their weapon above their head to let other players know they are out for the remainder of the round.

There are several games competitors play throughout the tournament and each round is a military simulation, combining airsoft play with military strategy.

“The games are fun to play because we actually get together as a group beforehand and set up the rules for each scenario,” Bingham said.

“They are very realistic,” he said. “Sometimes the only way you can tell the difference is the bright orange tip they are required to have for shipping.”

Safety is always a priority when participating in airsoft, players are required to wear eye protection at all times during game play. Several players choose to wear other protective gear such as face masks, heavy clothing and hats to cover as much of their body as possible, so the BB’s don’t leave marks.

At the end of the day, the wounded warriors headed back to the barracks cold, wet and feeling pain in their injured limbs, but they felt it was well worth it, Bingham said. They were already working up strategies and plans for the next Saturday.

Can anyone explain how you “play” airsoft? Is it like tag or something?

Paintballs seem painful, but make sense. I just don’t get how you can have an organized game with plastic BB’s.

That plastic BB will punch out the bottom of a heavy plastic cup at 6 meters.

The game ? Like capture the flag meets SWAT.

Even tho my son has done two combat tours in Iraq as a 0311 (Marine grunt, 1 each) he loves to play this still. He and a large number of his Vet buddies get together a couple of time a month in the summer and play all day long.

Son is still IRR, so he says it keeps him ‘sharp’.

He also does not have to hump all that M240 ammo + his shotgun.....

It’s pretty much exactly like paintball, except it relies on the honor of the players to call when they are out, rather than on markings. I actually enjoy it more than paintball because the guns used are more realistic-looking and less awkward to handle.

You can find more info on wikipedia.

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