A few months ago I vented my spleen over Youtubers who purport to know military history but – because they haven't even the slightest hint of military service – get things badly wrong.
As I wrote then, I'm no Audie Murphy. I went years without so much as a weapons qualification, let alone experiencing a real firefight.
Still, even the most decorated operators will spend the bulk of their careers in garrison, dealing with paperwork and all the other myriad torments that make military life what it is. It is something that truly has to be experienced – either as an active participant, or their family member – to be fully understood.
Today I ran into an example of a different kind of ignorance, and once again it comes down to those who actually went through Basic Training vs those who haven't.
I should note that I generally enjoy the videos at forgottenweapons.com, but I also enjoy watching the proprietor get dragged in the comments.
Sling swivels are weird and stupid things – until the ground is covered in mud or snow and you'd like to put your rifle down for a moment. Then they are pretty nifty. It's not super-common, but sometimes there's a field feed and one can't just leave them lying around.
Similarly, when you are playing on the range, mishaps and misfeeds are annoying, maybe even a distraction, but overall you're having a good time. If, however, you get the same repeat stoppages and there are actual stakes involved, it's an entirely different situation. This is why weapons such as the Chauchat can't ever be rehabilitated.
I should clarify once again that military service does not by itself convey firearms expertise, merely that having it in addition to research and personal experience provides a clear analytical advantage.
Chateau Lloyd 
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