I Guess I'm Not Competitive Enough

[BrokenolMarine]

Shooting competition to place yourself under stress and learn to perform awash in adrenaline... is one way to help yourself survive in real life high stress situations. There was a firearms training system called FATS, long ago cutting edge, but now faded away though it's updated concept still survives... you stood in a darkened room with a large projection screen in front of you and scenarios played out. The coordinator could choose the path the video took based on your actions. Did you loudly challenge, take cover, properly identify yourself. At some point in each one... you could have to shoot. You shot with special adapters in your firearms, loaded with dummy rounds, and had to reload at the proper times or the firearms stopped firing.

It was all very realistic, and at the end of my session, I looked as though I had been out in the rain I was sweating so badly. They press a button and the system tabs to each shooting segment, and plays thru displaying your shooting and your groups and misses. The instructors and coordinator grinned after we reviewed my section. "What type of competition do you shoot. Nice groups, and your reloads were automatic, in the dark, without looking."

Of course they offered valuable advice on movement, positioning in various situations, etc... but it was great training and anyone can learn from a class, even the most senior professors. The best never stop learning.