I tend to feel that the rigors of war are a bit unseemly. Maybe you agree and maybe you dont but lets face it, its not such a big party for those involved. Shocking, I know. But its not all bad, there are clean, cool, and fun for those that know how to enjoy it. Why just the other day, I was strapped into a glorified video game, shooting away at targets in the name of efficient military training. Thats right, I was training in a digital setting. Ill tell you all about it, I swear.
Essentially the premise is simple. Some people can shoot and some cant. Anyone with any talent behind the trigger will tell you that its more than just aiming down a barrel and flexing that index finger of yours. There are mechanics involved, breathing to consider, you need to be stable, ready and clear minded. Ok, it also involves a bit of an index finger squeeze but even that has to be modified for that perfect shot. Lucky for me, somebody smarter than I am, descovered that teaching these methods in a practical setting was getting a little expensive.
I dont know if you watch the news, but bullets are not cheap and war requires a few of them, so what about the soldiers that need to train? Well, its time we got 21st century about all this business and played some video games. I was at a driving range once that was located inside a shopping center. It involved a large screen that would calculate the speed and angle of your hit and show you where your shot landed. Picture this with an M4 Carbine. A laser attached to the front would spit out a little light when your, artificially gas powered, shots would go off. This way you could learn a few things about your shot in a safe, effective, and cheap manner.
A few trigger pulls later and a computer, which is also smarter than I am, spits out a list of data telling you whether you are fit to serve or in need of some tweaking. Its all very low stress, just mentally make a list of corrections and be conscious of your shot. The results are awesome. I wont say that this training will make a sniper out of your average joe, so dont think this makes you a marksman, instead it enforces the fundamentals. After about 20 min, any soldier with basic rifle training will be able to put three shots into a space the size of a silver dollar. Not too shabby for a video game.
As a new generation is born having never known life without internet, it is fitting that we all make the digital jump. I really dont want to compare this "amazing" technology to other branches or time periods, but I can think of worse training Ive done with less improvement. In a world where it seems that war is just a push of a button, dont forget that a bullet can push alot harder than a hand and the army is making sure its soldiers are able to perform the task. I wouldnt expect to see this next to your local driving range, but its a fun thing to think about. Video games, anyone?
Essentially the premise is simple. Some people can shoot and some cant. Anyone with any talent behind the trigger will tell you that its more than just aiming down a barrel and flexing that index finger of yours. There are mechanics involved, breathing to consider, you need to be stable, ready and clear minded. Ok, it also involves a bit of an index finger squeeze but even that has to be modified for that perfect shot. Lucky for me, somebody smarter than I am, descovered that teaching these methods in a practical setting was getting a little expensive.
I dont know if you watch the news, but bullets are not cheap and war requires a few of them, so what about the soldiers that need to train? Well, its time we got 21st century about all this business and played some video games. I was at a driving range once that was located inside a shopping center. It involved a large screen that would calculate the speed and angle of your hit and show you where your shot landed. Picture this with an M4 Carbine. A laser attached to the front would spit out a little light when your, artificially gas powered, shots would go off. This way you could learn a few things about your shot in a safe, effective, and cheap manner.
A few trigger pulls later and a computer, which is also smarter than I am, spits out a list of data telling you whether you are fit to serve or in need of some tweaking. Its all very low stress, just mentally make a list of corrections and be conscious of your shot. The results are awesome. I wont say that this training will make a sniper out of your average joe, so dont think this makes you a marksman, instead it enforces the fundamentals. After about 20 min, any soldier with basic rifle training will be able to put three shots into a space the size of a silver dollar. Not too shabby for a video game.
As a new generation is born having never known life without internet, it is fitting that we all make the digital jump. I really dont want to compare this "amazing" technology to other branches or time periods, but I can think of worse training Ive done with less improvement. In a world where it seems that war is just a push of a button, dont forget that a bullet can push alot harder than a hand and the army is making sure its soldiers are able to perform the task. I wouldnt expect to see this next to your local driving range, but its a fun thing to think about. Video games, anyone?
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