2020-10-05.0 WG21 Precision Air Sports Information Brief.pptx

POC: Jarrett Jongema, WGSD Phone: (571) 314-5405 / Email: Jarrett.Jongema@gmail.com

Precision Air Sports Information Brief Version: 2020-10-05.0

UNCLASSIFIED

What are Precision Air Sports?

Precision Air Sports, also known as Shooting in the competitive realm, is one of 13 events held at the DOD Warrior Games.

Athletes use compressed air pellet rifles and pistols and fire at electronic targets from 10 meters away in a standing and seated positions. A perfect bullseye is the equivalent of hitting a “.” at that distance. Winning means doing that 40 times in a row.

Athletes compete in four different impairment categories which are OPEN (PTSD/TBI/minimal), SH1 (lower body), SH2 (upper body), and for the first time in the history of the Warrior Games, SH3 (visually-impaired).

Precision Air Sports attract some of the largest numbers of competitors at the DOD Warrior Games. The sport has ties to basic military marksmanship principles; however, it helps athletes with their individual recovery needs from a therapeutic perspective.

Precision Air Sports is considered a showcase event at the DOD Warrior Games. The appeal of this sport lies largely in the size and scope in relation to similar international events such as the ISSF World Championships and the Paralympics, but also its incredible ability to support and enhance an athlete’s road to recovery.

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Military Marksmanship Similarities

Precision Air Sports is the only DOD Warrior Games event that ties all the sport’s athletes together via common military bond.

All competing athletes draw from four fundamental principles associated with their respective basic military marksmanship training and qualification requirements; these fundamentals are:

Steady Positioning Aiming Breath Control Trigger Squeeze

Precision Air Sports athletes rely heavily on these fundamentals as a foundation to effectively ease, and often rapidly excel, in this sport.

Therapeutic Aspects: Mental Focus and Stress Relief

Precision Air Sports require a tremendous amount mental focus, skill, and discipline.

Athletes must be both fully aware of their surroundings, and at the same time, be able to safely tune them out. Each athlete not only needs to focus on their target and firing processes, but also be spatially aware of everyone near and around them while simultaneously controlling their adrenaline.

Many athletes find the discipline and practice to be a form of stress relief in their daily lives. Precision Air Sports teach them to clear their minds of any problems they may be experiencing as a result of their injuries or illnesses.

Some of the athletes attest the sport is in many ways like meditation; they focus on themselves, self improvement, and their recovery. Precision Air Sports empower them with the ability to place their personal stressors “on pause” and perform the tasks at hand.

During lengthy competitions, Precision Air Sports require near perfect stability and physical strength; this sport helps to improve balance as well as increase arm and wrist strength impacted by injury or illness.

Precision Air systems are not exactly lightweight; strength and stamina are needed to effectively hit the target. Athletes must be able to remain firmly stable in order to achieve a proper aim while maintaining positive control after each shot.

Athletes are required to assume and hold themselves in unique/stabilized positions depending on the event they are competing in. Winning demands the right strength and stance for proper control and accuracy of each shot.

Along with increased strength and stamina, athletes develop better hand-eye coordination with regular practice.

Therapeutic Aspects: Physical Recovery

Firearms vs. Precision Air Systems Precision Air systems are often referred to as guns; however, they ARE NOT Firearms.

Firearms shoot projectiles using propulsive energy by way of combustible propellants. Firearms are used in competitive events such as but not limited to skeet/trap, small-bore, and three-gun; however, it is globally understood they are used for personal defense, security applications, and law enforcement, as well as perceived and/or categorized as offensive instrumentalities.

In stark contrast, Precision Air systems pneumatically shoot pellets with compressed air; not chemical reactions. They are often used to introduce people to firearm safety; however, they are primarily assessed as competitive sporting equipment and used as such in World Championships, Olympics and Paralympics, NCAA Division 1 competitions, High School and Middle School JROTC programs, and the DOD Warrior Games.

Hollywood and news media can create misunderstanding. It is paramount that Precision Air systems be correctly defined and displayed.

Precision Air Sports Challenges and Restrictions

Hosting Precision Air Sports at international events outside of World Championships and the Olympics/Paralympics is extremely difficult and highly restrictive.

While some international countries are not subject to any specific regulations, in most there are complex laws which greatly differ.

The following international laws and restrictions may help to explain why major events such as the Invictus Games avoid inclusion of this sport in their competition lineup.

Precision air rifles and pistols are registered as/perceived as weapons or firearms Strict import or sale restrictions on anything that even remotely resembles a gun Strict restrictions on bore size, muzzle velocity, and pellet material Strict international transportation requirements Special permit and background check requirements Unique/difficult competition operational requirements and restrictions at different hosting countries Foreign Olympic/Paralympic programs that possess Precision Air systems and support equipment avoid loaning them out to their respective country’s W2 population.

Precision Air Sports Challenges and Restrictions (cont.)

Another imposing challenge affecting international athletes is the absence of funding streams to purchase Precision Air systems. Competition-level air rifles and pistols cost thousands of dollars; additional funding is needed to procure secondary/tertiary support items such as pellets, targets, shooting apparel, and other competition requirements and accessories.

All addressed laws, restrictions, and other challenges adversely impact an international athlete’s ability to adequately train for the Precision Air Sports event competitions at the DOD Warrior Games.

Precision Air Sports have been held at every Warrior Games since inception in 2010 and have consistently attracted some of the largest numbers of competitors. Thanks to the availability of high-end precision air systems in the United States via “Spirit of the Games” support from the DOD Service Teams, this showcase event has always been filled with athletes from every country in attendance.

Competition Precision Air Pistol Examples

Air Arms Alpha Competition: $800

Feinwerkbau P8X: $2100

Morini MOR-162EI: $1800

Air Pistol Components

Competition Precision Air Rifles Examples

Anschutz 9015: $4600

Walther LG400 Competition: $2400

Feinwerkbau 800 Aluminum: $3000

Feinwerkbau 800 Universal: $2200

Feinwerkbau 800 Evolution: $2000

Air Rifle Components

These items, although not officially required for the DOD Warrior Games Precision Air Sports event, are additional critical competition components of the sport.

Competition Precision Air Apparel Equipment

Jacket Pants Stand Gloves Boots

Sling Frame/Glasses

All Precision Air systems used at the DOD Warrior Games fire 0.177 inch/4.5mm caliber pellets. The diameter of the pellet is the same as the diameter of the bullseye/10-point ring of the target.

The pellets are classified as “match grade” diabolo pellets with a wadcutter-style head. The flat shape leaves clean round holes in the paper targets allowing for easy scoring.

The pellets have a maximum effective range of 10 meters; this is the same distance from the athlete to the target.

The targets systems used in the DOD Warrior Games are electronic. They are capable of highly accurate single decimal point scoring results that are displayed in real-time.

Pellets will dent the wooden safety walls staged behind the electronic targets; however, they do not penetrate/pass through. Pellet curtains may also be used as a defeat system.

Pellets and Targets

Precision Air Classifications

Open PTSD/TBI with minimal or no physical impairments.

Minimal static balance issues.

Orthopedic injuries resulting in minimal physical impairments.

Fine/fair motor movement impairments

SH1

Spinal Cord Injury/Paraplegia (The loss of motor or sensory function in lower extremities).

Single or bilateral amputation in lower extremities.

Combination of loss of strength and flexibility in the ankle(s), knee(s), and/or hip joints. Minimum of 40% loss of mobility in the ankle(s), knee(s), and/or hip joints.

Minimum of 40% loss of flexibility in the ankle(s), knee(s), and/or hip joints.

May use a fixed/folding chair or wheelchair due to balance or standing/walking disability.

Lower extremities/poor lower extremities coordination.

Athletes in this classification that also have an upper body impairment that impacts their ability to load their own equipment may ask the Shooting Sport Manager to allow for an assistant to load the air rifle during competition.

Precision Air Classifications (cont.)

SH2

Upper body impairments causing the athlete to be unable to support the weight of the air rifles with their arms, and therefore requiring a spring stand.

Single or bilateral amputations in upper extremities.

Spinal cord injury/Tetraplegia (Also referred to as quadriplegia and includes partial or total loss of use of all limbs and torso and usually involves both sensory and motor).

Combination of loss of strength and flexibility in the wrist(s), elbow(s) and/or shoulder joints. Minimum of 40% loss of mobility in the wrist(s), elbow(s), or shoulder joints. Minimum of 40% loss of flexibility in the wrist(s), elbow(s), and/or shoulder joints.

Athletes in this classification are authorized an assistant to load the air rifle during competition.

SH2 athletes are authorized an assistant/loader.

Precision Air Classifications (cont.)

SH3

SH3 athletes are either blind or have a vision impairment SH3 athletes must wear blindfolds or black-out glasses and use ISSF-approved VI laser sighting systems.

SH3 athlete’s will assume a standing or seated firing position based upon their functional capabilities and/or impairments found within the above Shooting classifications and adhere to all authorizations and restrictions defined within them.

SH3 athletes only compete against other SH3 athletes; they do not compete against athletes in the Open, SH1, and SH2 Classifications.

SH3 athletes are authorized an assistant/loader.

SH3 was conducted as an exhibition demonstration at the 2015 DOD Warrior Games. 2021 will mark the first time it has ever been held as a competition.

Imagery = Perception

With their unique and various shapes and different colors, Precision Air systems resemble something out of science-fiction.

Imagery = Perception (cont.)

The athlete’s stance does not evoke an aggressive posture, but one of focus, confidence, and determination.

Visible air cylinder gauge

The athlete’s facial expression, combined with the head frame/lenses, emits a competitive spirit in her gaze.

Pictures of athletes smiling, celebrating, and posing with their Precision Air systems and medals are just a few examples of non-threating imagery.

Precision Air Sports Messaging and Media Relations

For centuries, the sport of Precision Air has been called “Shooting.”

The adjusted language of “Precision Air Sports” for the 2021 DOD Warrior Games is simply a refined way to define the specific sports hosted by Disney/ESPN.

While it must be understood that athletes, coaches, officials, and the venue manager will still use the “Shooting” language in all range and operational practices required for the sport’s overall run of show, this proposed change to the sport name helps to address concerns with potential negative messaging that could arise from both the “Shooting” name as well as incorrect imagery.

The Deputy of Strategic Communications, Mr. Travis Claytor, is the DOD Warrior Games expert that will work with Disney/ESPN personnel to proactively mitigate/remove any potential concerns with this sport through an effective messaging strategy and strategic imagery focus.

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